Resource Library

Stress, Burnout Rebecca Graves, RH, CH Stress, Burnout Rebecca Graves, RH, CH

Understanding Burnout

Uncover the truth about burnout: a pervasive exhaustion impacting physical, emotional, and mental well-being. This article delves into the symptoms of burnout, from chronic fatigue to emotional numbness, and highlights those most at risk, including high achievers, caregivers, and neurodivergent individuals.

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Herbal Medicine Rebecca Graves, RH, CH Herbal Medicine Rebecca Graves, RH, CH

Wild Plant Identification

Dive into the art of wild plant identification with our latest article. Perfect for budding herbalists and nature enthusiasts, it offers practical tips and expert advice to help you confidently recognize and utilize wild medicinal plants. Start your journey to becoming a seasoned plant identifier today!

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Herbal Medicine Rebecca Graves, RH, CH Herbal Medicine Rebecca Graves, RH, CH

Violets – Gentle Spring Medicine 

Witness the delicate beauty of violets, one of the first wildflowers of spring. Despite their unassuming size, violets are botanical powerhouses with diverse medicinal and culinary uses. From the antioxidant-rich leaves to the pH-sensitive flowers, discover the multifaceted benefits of the humble violet in our latest article.

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Mental Health, Holistic Health Rebecca Graves, RH, CH Mental Health, Holistic Health Rebecca Graves, RH, CH

Back to School: 10 Study Habits for Students of Every Age

Personally, I am currently pursuing a degree in Health Sciences. Navigating my path back to academia as a mature learner has introduced its own set of challenges, including the delicate juggling act of harmonizing work, family commitments, and scholarly pursuits. I've also had to embrace the task of acquainting myself with emerging technologies, all the while recognizing that my ability to absorb copious volumes of new information is not quite as swift as it once was.

Incorporating the demands of learning into an already busy life has compelled me to become very efficient in learning and coursework. I have been intentional in creating study habits that give me the best chance of staying on top of coursework and being successful in exams.

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Women's Health, Complementary Health Rebecca Graves, RH, CH Women's Health, Complementary Health Rebecca Graves, RH, CH

Glimmers: Illuminating the Path to Positive Mental Health

When we stop to consider the myriad of things that can affect our mental health, our focus is so often on the negative. Things such as painful memories that have a detrimental effect on our emotional well-being, triggers that can take us from ‘OK’ to ‘Nope’ in no time at all. And while these definitely play a significant role in our mental health - or lack thereof - it is equally important to explore the power of positive experiences and emotions.

Positive experiences or ‘Glimmers’ as they are sometimes called, are the moments that bring joy, contentment, and a sense of fulfilment, and they can have an equally profound impact on mental health.

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Holistic Health, Mental Health, Complementary Health Rebecca Graves, RH, CH Holistic Health, Mental Health, Complementary Health Rebecca Graves, RH, CH

Hypnosis and Chronic Illness – A Pathway to Healing

Living with a chronic illness is an immense challenge that affects millions of people worldwide. Traditional medical treatments often focus on managing symptoms, but what if there was an alternate approach that could tap into the mind's innate healing abilities? Hypnosis is a therapeutic technique that employs the power of suggestion and deep relaxation to alleviate symptoms and improve the overall well-being of individuals with chronic illnesses.

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Holistic Health, Complementary Health Rebecca Graves, RH, CH Holistic Health, Complementary Health Rebecca Graves, RH, CH

The Bitter Truth

In my twenty plus years as a herbalist, there has been one class of remedy that people have complained about consistently – the digestive bitter.

We, as herbalists, are not being cruel or perverse when we recommend that you take one. We know the bitter flavour can come as a bit of a shock to folks used to the average North American diet, but bitters have a plethora of benefits that really do make them worthwhile.

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Holistic Health, Complementary Health Rebecca Graves, RH, CH Holistic Health, Complementary Health Rebecca Graves, RH, CH

Bioregional Herbalism

One of the things I love about being a herbalist is the variety of my work. My day may be spent with clients, taking histories and assessing issues. It may be spent in a deep dive into academic literature, as there is always more to learn and new research to keep up with. And it is often, especially in the growing season, spent outside, planting and tending to my herb gardens, or foraging for wild herbs in woods and meadows. Then there is the slow process of drying herbs for teas, making tinctures, salves, and other plant-based medicines.

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Holistic Health, Complementary Health Rebecca Graves, RH, CH Holistic Health, Complementary Health Rebecca Graves, RH, CH

Christmas Tree Tea

It’s that time of year when Christmas and New Year’s celebrations are over, and we’re settling in for a few months of cold, snowy weather. And with Winter come seasonal colds, sore throats, and runny noses. 

Being a backyard herbalist is so much easier in the summer when there is an abundance of medicinal weeds and wildflowers, but even in the depths of winter, there are herbal remedies to be found. This one is a great remedy for runny noses and mucousy coughs, and has the added benefit of being right in your living room – it’s your Christmas tree! 

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Holistic Health Rebecca Graves, RH, CH Holistic Health Rebecca Graves, RH, CH

The Art of Making Tea

I grew up in England, so I may be biased, but I believe there is nothing quite as soothing to the soul as a good cup of tea.

Just taking the time to sit down for a few minutes, to be still, to feel the comforting warmth of a cup in your hands, is a balm for busy days. And if your hands happen to be wrapped around a cup of herbal tea, you may also benefit from the healing properties of those herbs. You may be surprised to know that there is an art to making a good herbal tea. It’s not hard to do, but it can greatly improve the quality of your tea.

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Holistic Health Rebecca Graves, RH, CH Holistic Health Rebecca Graves, RH, CH

Practitioner Spotlight: Meet Rebecca

Have you been struggling with chronic illness for years or even decades? Are you looking for answers and haven’t found any? Are you feeling like no one is listening when you try to explain what’s happening to you or that they don’t understand?

Rebecca provides a calm environment for you to be heard, understood and believed. She truly listens to what you’re saying and asks relevant questions to gain a deeper understanding of what you’re experiencing.

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Mental Health, Holistic Health Rebecca Graves, RH, CH Mental Health, Holistic Health Rebecca Graves, RH, CH

Positive Self-Talk

Have you ever told yourself to remember not to do something, only to do it anyway?

A number of years ago, I took a college course that required a final exam. As my children were still young, I arranged to drop them off with my parents on the day of the exam. I had, coincidently, misplaced my spare car key.

So, driving the children to my parent’s house, anxious about this exam to begin with, and now concerned about losing my remaining car key, I reminded myself over and over, “don’t lock the keys in the car… don’t lock the keys in the car...” And of course, that is exactly what I ended up doing – I walked the children into their grandparent’s house and came back out to find I had locked the car and left the keys in the ignition.

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Mental Health, Holistic Health Rebecca Graves, RH, CH Mental Health, Holistic Health Rebecca Graves, RH, CH

Stress and Hypnosis

Did you know your brain is brilliant at keeping you safe from sabre tooth cats? You have an amazing fast-response system that puts you on high alert whenever danger threatens you. You might know it as the “fight or flight” response.

Your heart beats faster, filling your arms and legs with more blood and energy. Your breathing becomes faster and deeper to help provide your muscles with the oxygen they need to fight or run away. Even your pupils get bigger, so you can see a little better in low light conditions – just the time of day that big cats like to hunt!

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Holistic Health, Complementary Health Rebecca Graves, RH, CH Holistic Health, Complementary Health Rebecca Graves, RH, CH

How A Herbalist Became A Hypnotist

In many healing modalities practitioners search for what they call the ‘root cause’ of an illness or condition. Are those headaches the result of eye strain? Are those frequent colds due to an immune system weakened by fatigue? Is that rash indicative of a food intolerance? While we want to bring relief to present symptoms, our underlying goal is to prevent them from recurring, to address whatever imbalance caused them to occur in the first place.

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