Patricia's Journey

With her beautiful long, grey hair, sparkling wise eyes, and a jovial laugh, there is an immediate comfort level with Patricia. She lives and works in the Asheville area, which is a bit of a distance from her farm girl upbringing in Illinois—both geographically and in lifestyle. 

After working in the corporate world for many years, Patricia felt herself gravitating to nature more and more  in the early ‘90’s. It was about that time that she met a woman who was studying with an Ojibwa medicine man, Sunbear, of the Bear clan. With an unknown amount of Native American in her background, Patricia settled into the apprenticeship easily. A couple of years later, Eliot’s book Plant Spirit Medicine came to her attention in such a mysterious way that she took it as a sign.

“I’ve been communicating with plants for years. As a girl, I was always around plants, playing with them—sending milkweed seeds into the air, sitting in the apple and plum trees—I spent hours deseeding plants and throwing them to the wind. And they have always spoken to me," she recalls.

One of her earliest experiences of actually having to talk about this communication was with the Tulip Poplar. Patricia and her husband were living in Atlanta at the time and wanted to put in a garden, but the tree was tall and blocking the sun. Her husband wanted to cut it down, but the tree made it clear that it did not want to be cut down. Patricia went to her husband in tears—this was early in their relationship—thinking, "He’s going to think I’m a nutcase, but I’m going to tell him!" To her surprise, he agreed not to cut it down. Over the years, they both grew to love that tree. As time went on and grandchildren came into their lives, they would bring her flowers from the Tulip Poplar, which had become a true friend.

When they moved to Charlotte, Patricia found herself in a bookstore. There, she saw Eliot’s book and was immediately attracted to it, but had promised herself not to splurge. Despite her best efforts, she couldn’t stop thinking about the book for weeks. When she finally went back to get it, the book had sold out. After much searching, just as she was about to give up, she found a copy tucked behind other books, as if it had been waiting for her. She was hooked!

Patricia then found a Plant Spirit Medicine Healer in Asheville and has been going for 13 or 14 years now. After a few years, her healer mentioned that Eliot would be teaching a course in the area. She signed up immediately. The medicine she received was huge for her—fitting perfectly with what she was already doing with the Native American tradition.

Patricia is careful to avoid using the term Plant Spirit Medicine for the healing she offers, though she works with the spirits of plants in the way Eliot taught her. She honors the protocol with this practice as with her other practices. Patricia did not take the opportunity when the “grandfathering” was offered, choosing instead to let Spirit bring clients to her. 

This approach feels cleaner to her, as it maintains the relationship between her and the divine. When she listened to Spirit’s guidance, she managed to create a few clients, and she felt strongly that this was the right path. The same holds true for other areas of her practice—she believes that Spirit is guiding her work in a way that is far beyond her own abilities.When Patricia first considered doing long-distance healing, she was traveling to Pennsylvania, teaching a class, and began treating a number of clients.  At the end of the class, they all wanted her to continue, which would mean distance healing from Asheville, NC. 

One strong supporter said, “You can do anything from anywhere—distance is not relevant.” After consulting with Eliot, he suggested she talk with Grandfather, who confirmed that long-distance healing could be effective, though he advised that clients have a backup in their area in case of a crisis. Patricia thanked him, informed her clients, and received affirmations from them that they were comfortable with this arrangement. It felt as though Spirit had presented this opportunity to her.

Along with Plant Spirit Medicine healing, divinations, and talks, Patricia’s work with Ojibwa Medicine—the Sweat Lodge and Pipe—remains a significant part of her identity. She was first called to this path and now works alongside another woman who also studied Ojibwa Medicine with SunBear. This woman is a Pipe carrier as well, and both she and Patricia also studied with Malidoma. Though they came through the same pathways, they didn’t meet until after they had each completed their individual journeys. Now, they collaborate in Sweat Lodges, talking circles, and pipe teachings.

What Patricia enjoys most about Plant Spirit Healing is the deep connection she forms with her clients over long periods—witnessing their journey, growth, and how the plants influence them year after year. This ongoing relationship is something she treasures, as it’s unlike her work with divinations, where she may only see someone once and be left wondering about the outcome of their session. With Plant Spirit Healing, the connection is enduring and profound, and Patricia truly values these relationships.