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About Me

Poppy with Leaves
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My name is Tania, (pronounced TAWN-yuh - pronouns: she/her) and I'm a Clinical Herbalist, Certified Aromatherapist, Wellness Coach, Herbal Teacher, Writer, and Reiki Master.  
 
I grew up in the Ozarks of Central Missouri, to a family of farmers and a long line of herbal healers.  My great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother have all been involved with herbal healing of the Ozark Mountain folk tradition, and have a knowledge of herbalism and plant medicine.  
 
I grew up playing in the woods and in our family named creek, Wright's Creek, outside of the tiny town of Tuscumbia, Missouri.  Our family used to operate and own the town's bank and owned various businesses in the town in the 1800s, so our roots run deep in the Ozarks.  Many of my herbal remedies are wildcrafted from this region, and from the prairie biome around Kansas City, Missouri.

 

I discovered aromatherapy and started using traditional western herbal medicine while trying to manage my own health concerns, because I felt like it was a more holistic approach.  I eventually decided to combine my love of bath products with my love of herbalism and aromatherapy, and Ivory Isis Herbals was founded!  I make all of  my products with organic and home-grown pesticide-free ingredients.

 

I live outside Kansas City, Missouri, the ancestral land of the Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo) Wazhazhe Maⁿzhaⁿ (Osage) Kaw (Kansa) and Očeti Šakówiŋ (Sioux),

with my husband of many years, my herbal garden, my beautiful irises, (my favorite flower!) and my vegetable garden. I think about the land that I live on and the land of the native people who once lived here, and I have a deep respect for Native Americans.  I often wish that our desire to spread over the lands we now live on was in harmony with these people, and so I do as much as I can for Native American activism and support.

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I am currently attending Herbal Academy through their Clinical Advanced Herbalism course, along with other herbal courses and intensives that I attend each year.

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I am a Plant Therapy essential oils affiliate, because they have natural, high quality essential oils, with a focus on proper  information from aromatherapists and sustainable farming methods - plus, free shipping and other great products!

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If you have any questions about my education, background, or just want to chat - head on over to the Contact page!

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What's In a Name?

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Many people ask me what the name "Ivory Isis" means or stands for.  For many years, it was my online nickname - I'm very fair-skinned, (one of my nicknames growing up was "Ghost") and my favorite goddess ever since I was a child was the Egyptian Goddess Isis.  

Isis has great qualities as a healer, and, in her winged form, may even be the inspiration behind the caduceus and Rod of Asclepius, which are both symbols of healers.  She was considered to be the first healer, and respected and revered as a goddess of healing - both emotional and physical.  Since she is my patron goddess and a healer, I think she is so very fitting to name my business after her.
 

Work History

  • Ivory Isis Herbals, Kansas City, MO - 2017 - Present - I am an herbal educator, and I also create herbal beauty, bath, body card, and home products.

  • Sacred Earth Arts - Regina Compernolle, Kansas City, KS - 2020 - Present - I teach courses on Local Medicinal Mushrooms, Flower Essences, and Historical Beauty Products.

  • Camp Wildling - Roze Hinsz, Director, Mound Ridge Retreat Center, Cook Station, Missouri - August 2021 - August 2022 - Camp Wildling was a pandemic refuge, adult sleepaway camp, and magical retreat from the world. I taught Herbalism and Foraging classes here until Camp Wildling closed.

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Education and Certifications

  • Herzing University, Madison Wisconsin - Bachelor of Science, Graphic Design, (+ additional courses in Agriculture, Horticulture, Nutrition, Web Design, Learning Design, and Marketing) Magna Cum Laude - 2011

  • Heart of Herbs Herbal School, Demetria Clark, Reidsville, North Carolina - Aromatherapist Certification - 2019 (Didactic and Scientific Clinical, 250 hours)

  • The Bitter Herb Academy, Amber Robinson, Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri - Herbalist Certification - 2020 (Didactic and Scientific Clinical, 400 hours) Aromatic Distillation Certification, (Didactic and Scientific Clinical, 100 hours) 2021; Herbal Remedies Certification, (Didactic and Scientific Clinical, 100 hours) 2021; Wildcrafting and Foraging Medicinal Plants Certification, (Didactic and Scientific Clinical, 100 hours) 2021

  • The Herbal Academy, Marlene Adelmann, Bedford, Massachusetts - Intermediate Herbal Course, (Didactic and Scientific Clinical, 175  hours) 2020; Advanced Herbal Course (Didactic and Scientific Clinical, 500 hours) 2023; Becoming an Herbalist Course (Didactic and Scientific Clinical, 15 hours) 2020; Making Herbal Preparations 101 (Didactic and Scientific Clinical, 30 hours) - 2020; The Foraging Course (Didactic and Scientific Clinical, 17 hours)- 2020; The Mushroom Course (Didactic and Scientific Clinical, 30 hours) - 2021; The Botanical Skin Care Course (Didactic and Scientific Clinical, 35 hours) - 2022; Natural Perfumery Course - 2022; The Business Herbal Course - In Progress; Canna + Herbs Course - 2023

  • Empathic Coaches Academy, Lara Guthrie, Birmingham, Alabama - Wellness Coach Certification, (Didactic and Scientific Clinical, 100  hours) 2020

  • School of Evolutionary Herbalism, Sajah Popham, Deming, Washington - Elemental Herbalism, 2020; The Vitalist Clinical Herbal Practitioner Program, 2023 (Didactic and Scientific Clinical, 300 Hours)

  • At the Healing Place, Liberty, Missouri - Certified Reiki Master, (Usui Reiki Level I, II, and III courses) 2018 

  • Centre of Excellence Online​, London, UK - Certified Advanced Master Herbalist Diploma, 2018 (Didactic and Scientific Clinical, 150 hours)

  • Yoga and Ayurveda Center, Stephanie Ball-Mitchell, Bangor, PA - 200 Hour RYT Yoga Teacher Certification (Yoga Alliance Certified) - 2022; Restorative Yoga Teacher Training and Immersion - In Progress; Chair Yoga Teacher Training Certification - In Progress; Ayurveda Specialist Certification - In Progress

  • Embodied Yoga Principles, Mark Walsh, Bristol, United Kingdom - Embodied Yoga Principles Teacher Training - 2023

  • Certified Self Care Advocate, Roze Hinsz, Kansas City, MO - Self Care Circle, 2022

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Memberships:

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Workshops & Events:

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Additional Coursework, Apprenticeships, and           Mentorships:

  • For Strange Women, Jill McKeever, Kansas City, Missouri - Aromatic and Healing Tree Resins Workshop - 2018

  • Sacred Earth Arts, Regina Compernolle, Kansas City, Missouri - Herbal Apprenticeship and various herbal intensive classes: Making Herbal Salves; Culinary Herbs for Health; Healing Soups and Foods; Infused Herbal Syrups, Vinegars, and Oils; Sisters of the Tarot Class; Aromatherapy and Incense Magick; Natural Forms in Pottery and Design; Psychoactive and Euphoric Plants; Local Medicinal Plants; Herbs for Colds and Flu; Plant Shamanism & Herbal Alchemy Apprenticeship - 2019 - 2021

  • Herb Mentor by Learning Herbs - Various herbal intensive courses, 2020 - 2022

  • The Herbarium by Herbal Academy - Various herbal intensive courses - 2020 - 2023

  • University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico -  Curanderismo: Traditional Healing Using Plants, Traditional Healing of the Body, Traditional Healing of the Mind, Energy, and Spirit, Global and Cultural Influences of Traditional Healing - 2019

  • University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota - Integrative Health and Medicine Specialization - Intro to Integrative Therapies and Healing Practices: Guided Imagery; Herbal Medicine; Aromatherapy - Clinical Use of Essential Oils; and Mindfulness in Integrative Healthcare - 2020

  • Stanford University, Stanford, California - Stanford Introduction to Food and Health - 2020

  • Emory University, Oxford, Georgia - Weight Management: Beyond Balancing Calories - 2020

  • Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut - Health Behavior Change: From Evidence to Action - 2020

  • Rowan + Sage, Sarah Corbett, Atlanta, Georgia - Seasonal Medicine Collective; various clinical herbalism intensives; Heal Your Biz herbal business mentorship - 2020 - Present

  • Kami McBride, Graton, California - Build Immunity and Reduce Stress with Herbal Oils workshop - 2020; Handcrafted Healing Herbal Oils class - 2021

  • One Willow Apothecaries, Asia Suler, Weaverville, North Carolina - Herbs for the Otherworld - 2020; Herbs for Personal Power - 2020; Intuitive Plant Medicine - 2021

  • Cogence - Dr. Samuel F. Yanuck - Functional Immunology - 2020

  • Pacific Rim College, Victoria, BC, Canada - Psychedelics for Herbalists - 2021; Herbal Medicine for Hormonal Health - 2021

  • Mediatrix Wellness, Clara Bailey, Sydney, Australia - Cycle Alchemy - 2020; Moon School (Fertility Awareness Method and Cycle Balance), 2021

 

I think that education is very important, and I am always learning!  Of course - this doesn't even include my hours of study through books and on my own in the school of life.

I think it's important to be a lifelong learner, and to be curious about everything!  Currently, I have logged more than 2,000 hours of herbal and aromatherapy study.

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