My love of herbal medicine has been a decades-long affair. It began as a passionate adventure in listening to and following my heart, in doing what I love most! In 1996, I opened an apothecary and began to teach and work privately with clients, which I do to this day. Since that time I have trained hundreds of herbalists and it brings me a great sense of joy and fulfillment to know that those seeds have spread far and wide and are blooming. I continue to see clients in my private practice, teach and train at both a local and international level and I love my work.

Artemisia & Rue continues to thrive as an herbal education program specializing in herbal healing for women integrating western herbal medicine with traditional healing practices.  My work in Mexico is at the center of my life; it is the gem in my heart that I want to share with you. Life has its many blessings that it bestows upon each of us. With these blessings come certain hardships. My life and its intersection with the world of my Maya teachers has been exactly that way. Powerful teachings, exciting adventures, shared wisdom, deep loss, spiritual awakenings, many tears, and much laughter.

My work evolves as I grow and change. In the future, you will see much of what I offer move into a ‘retreat’ style format as I seek more meaningful ways for women to learn and connect with the healing wisdom that sustains us.  The focus is new and inspiring and will merge with past creative offerings like process painting for women.  This work will include a more detailed study of the divine feminine- both as she is celebrated today and deeper study to gain perspective on ‘herstory’- more clearly understanding our collective past so that we can create a more powerful future.

I am deeply and forever grateful to each of you in this community. You have guided, supported and made my work possible in the world. I bow with love to each and every one of you and look forward to continuing the journey in a new and deeply nourishing way.

Shelley Torgove, Clinical Herbalist