The Heart and Spirit of Asian American Herbalism

This workshop explores the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective on mental health, bridging ancient wisdom with practical, modern-day applications. I’ll share an Asian American herbalist’s lens—exploring both culturally significant TCM herbs and their Western herbal analogues—while centering East Asian energetic theories of Qi, Blood, Yin, and Yang.

We’ll look at how mental and emotional imbalances—such as anxiety, stress, disassociation, and burnout—manifest in the body, and how they can be supported through herbal remedies, food therapy, and lifestyle practices rooted in both East Asian and Western traditions.

What You’ll Learn:

· How TCM views mental health and emotional well-being

· The role of the Heart, Blood, and Spirit (Shen) in emotional balance

· The Asian American Herbalism perspective: blending cultural traditions, diasporic experience, and Western herbal analogues

· Culturally significant Asian herbs alongside their Western counterparts (e.g., Suan Zao Ren / Ziziphus seed ↔ Passionflower; He Huan Pi / Albizia bark ↔ Mimosa; Long Yan Rou / Longan fruit ↔ Hawthorn berry)

· Food therapies and simple grounding practices for resilience and clarity

Class Format:

· Welcome & Introduction to TCM + Asian American Herbalism in the context of mental health (10 min)

· Guided Qi Gong Meditation for centering Heart and Spirit (10 min)

· Deep Dive into TCM & AAH Theory: Heart, Blood, Shen, and the Asian American approach to mental health (25 min)

· Herbal & Food Applications: stress, anxiety, and mood balance—highlighting both TCM and Western plant allies (25 min)