Kayla's Wellness Journey

When I was 19 and struggling with my mental health, my aunt brought me to her Herbalist. This was the day I met Chad Cornell at Hollow Reed. I walked into the herbal shop - a space covered in plants, art, vintage rugs, natural incense and hundreds of huge mason jars of herbs - and felt peaceful.

He gave me an assessment and we spoke for a while, and I left with a paper bag filled with notes, a handful of St. John’s Wort, calamus root and other calming teas like chamomile. 

Handwritten on paper, I also left with spiritual guidance, a journal prompt, a meditation, etc. He showed me a mix of Chinese herbs, Ayurvedic herbs, and even local herbs native to the Canadian prairies (herbs and medicine that has been used by the indigenous people of Canada for centuries - which made me feel a small tug of connection to my Metis heritage). 

This was where it all started. Something in me clicked, and I realised that there were natural tools that could provide me moments of calm, peace and relaxation - where other things hadn’t. And although I didn’t know how to explain it, these plants had a pull on me. In a time of dissociation, they reminded me to be present, connect, and look inwards.

This is where my love for holistic health started - and that next year, I applied to study Holistic Nutrition. 3 years later, I was working in that very same shop, and getting to know the plants more and more, while simultaneously continuing my holistic nutrition studies. 

Throughout the years, my passion and philosophy for holistic health, nutrition, wellness and herbs has continuously changed, deepended, undone, and shifted. In these modern days, it can be easy to get rushed, distracted, disconnected and stuck on auto pilot (especially with an anxious mind)- but one ritual that continues to center me and bring me back into the present moment - is herbals.

These small rituals — whether it’s a herbal tea, tincture, or a whisked matcha — create a moment. A pause. A daily practice of connection and care. I truly believe in that. And I’m so excited to share it with you 💚