Important update:
I am currently on maternity leave and will be returning to 1:1 clinic work in Winter 2024.
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About
Welcome to the clinic page of the Solidarity Apothecary. Here you will find all the info you need on how to access 1:1 herbal support from me, Nicole Rose (she/her).
The mission of the Solidarity Apothecary is to materially support revolutionary struggles and communities with plant medicines to strengthen collective autonomy, self-defence and resilience to climate change, capitalism and state violence. This clinic is one aspect of this work. You can read more about my grassroots organising, books, courses and workshops, here.
This clinic is a sliding scale offering where you can access in-depth personalised herbal support. Sessions are offered online and medicines are sent in the post. Medicines are grown and made nearly entirely from the land where I live.
Who I work with
Burnt Out Organisers
I support grassroots organisers with herbal medicine so that they can engage in struggles for liberation for the long-haul. Unlike short-term capitalist health fixes, plant medicines can transform your life by enabling deeper relationship with the land, improving sleep and digestion, preventing disease, reducing inflammation and aiding the nervous system to rest and recover while surviving and resisting oppression.
I recognise the ‘frontline’ as anywhere people are doing the challenging work of struggling for freedom, whether that’s fighting prison expansion, sabbing fox hunts, occupying land to prevent it’s destruction or engaging in mutual aid work for community survival.
I support people on the edges and in the depths of burnout; the dreaded thing that brings our most beloved organisers to conditions of isolation, chronic illness, fatigue, and deteriorating mental health.
Having burned out, hard, writing about it, and eventually “recovering” (a complex and imperfect term), I now support organisers going through similar cycles of loss, despair, and overwhelm. I support people address the very real biology of burnout, such as the role of hormones, nutritional deficiencies, post-traumatic stress and other factors so that they can feel more emotionally in control. To actually enjoy being around other humans, have energy and strength in their bodies and feel able to continue to work for human, animal and earth liberation.
Ex Prisoners and Prisoner family members
I support defendants, ex-prisoners, and prisoner families with plant medicines so that they can mitigate some of the effects of chronic stress, trauma and state violence.
Plant medicines can support with many of the symptoms of chronic stress – headaches, poor sleep, muscle pain, regular coughs/colds/infections, nausea, constipation and more.
Plant medicines can support you to reduce anxiety, panic attacks, flashbacks, nightmares and other symptoms of traumatic stress as a result of being imprisoned, having a family member imprisoned or moving through the ‘criminal justice system’.
Unlike health practitioners with no direct experience or insight into these forms of oppression, I offer a supportive space for people to share about their needs without judgement. Having been in prison and engaged in prisoner support for nearly two decades, as well as having navigated ‘PTSD’ and traumatic stress most of my life, I understand it’s unrelenting nature. Plant medicines have enabled me to find moments of peace and respite in what can feel like a relentless rollercoaster.
Why work with a herbalist?
I help people access the most effective plant medicines for them in their most impactful format (teas, tinctures, glycerites etc), so that they can finally take steps towards recovery and regaining health. Unlike pharmaceutical medicines with high-risk side effects and a one-size fits all approach, herbs have thousands of years of traditional use and are chosen on a person’s unique constitution, health history and needs.
A one-to-one consultation combining an individualised herbal prescription and nutritional recommendations, can save months of experimentation trying to get better or ongoing inertia in not knowing what to do next. Unlike overstretched and inaccessible GPs, a herbalist can offer quality time to uncover the root causes of health issues and help people navigate out of the maze of chronic inflammation, pain and fatigue.
What does working together involve?
Book a session
Follow these steps about how to book a session: https://clinic.solidarityapothecary.org/book-a-session/
Prepare for our first call
Spend some time reflecting on your biggest health needs. You may find using this health overview tool a good prompt to identify what is going on for you. How do you want to feel in your body? What symptom is affecting your life the most? E.g. Not sleeping well, PMT etc.
Take some time to gather the names of any medication you are prescribed or taking, as well as any recent blood test results. Please complete this short form before our call.
First consultation
This is a comprehensive call where we dive into your health history, different life experiences that may have shaped your body, things that are affecting you right now. We look at current health challenges and symptoms you are experiencing, as well as your goals and desires.
This takes roughly 40 mins – 1.5 hours depending on your context. If you are experiencing chronic fatigue, we can pace this across smaller calls if needed.
Herbal & Nutritional recommendations
From our call, I’ll put together a document with a herbal prescription for you including any supplements and nutritional recommendations. I’ll explain why I’ve chosen certain herbs so that you have informed consent and so you can feel more connected to the medicine. I’ll make sure you’re okay with my suggestions and tweak as needed. I believe working together in this way creates a more empowering process that builds health autonomy.
Start your medicine
I’ll post you whatever we’ve chosen together. It may be a tincture blend, glycerine blend, or dried herbs for tea, an ointment or a combination. I will aim to send this to you within one week of our consultation, however, I may need to make a new medicine especially for you which may take a little longer.
You will also be supported to start implementing any other recommendations e.g. further testing, supplements, nutritional changes etc.
Follow-up Calls
We will reconnect about 4 weeks after you’ve received the herbs to see how you are doing and if they are supporting you towards achieving the goals we set together e.g. improved sleep. You may need to stop or continue with the herbs or may need a new mix.
Follow up calls can take between 15 mins and 1 hour depending on your context.
About Nicole
I’m a clinical herbalist and anarchist organiser based in the Westcountry of England (in Somerset, south of Bristol). My lineages are English, Welsh and Irish. I have been studying herbal medicine informally for over a decade. I completed a four-year clinical training with The Plant Medicine School in Ireland to develop my skills as a practitioner.
As a herbalist, I focus on supporting people experiencing state violence. For better or worse, prison has shaped my adult life. I’ve been supporting partners, friends and comrades in prison for the last 18 years. I did a 3.5 year sentence myself after a huge wave of state repression against a campaign to close down Europe’s largest animal testing company. Plants sustained me through my sentence and many years later I finally wrote the Prisoner’s Herbal book which is now distributed to prisoners worldwide.
My goal as a herbalist is to contribute to developing healthcare infrastructure that builds autonomy beyond the state, capitalism, white supremacy and patriarchy. I believe the joy, pleasure and nourishment that plant medicines gift us can help support people survive state violence while we work to tear oppressive systems down and rebuild anew.
Why do I do this work?
In 2016 I got sick, really sick. My life became a blur of NHS appointments, fear and confusion. Accessing other healthcare practitioners, such as herbalists, was a constant financial struggle that delayed my recovery. When I did see them, it often felt so alienating as a working class person who had been brought up by a single mum on income support. It felt like people couldn’t comprehend the things I’d been through including state repression, abuse and sexual violence, poverty and incarceration. It felt like we were on different planets.
It took me a long time to learn and gain an understanding of how traumatic stress truly shapes our bodies. I never wanted to get that sick ever again or feel that vulnerable. So I began a massive journey of clinical education. One of my principles is ‘do no harm‘ – committing to safe clinical practice, working from a place of integrative healthcare (while acknowledging the harms of the medical industrial complex). It also means a constant dedication to learning so I can serve people as effectively as possible. You can download my CV here.
I wanted to create a practice that could serve people affected by class and intersecting forms of oppression, who could access herbal support to help recover from state violence and/or other difficult life experiences. I wanted to create a practice that was rooted in struggle and could serve movements for liberation. Plants have kept me alive. I know they can support you too.
Sliding scale
You can find full details on the prices of consultations and herbal support here.
Get in touch
Any questions? Get in touch – email me at clinic@solidarityapothecary.org
Testimonials
For the first time in my life I actually felt heard by a medical professional
I started receiving help from Nicole 18 months ago after a lifetime of surviving, working jobs that I sold my soul to and having lost most of my material security to a frontline campaign. I have lived with 2 autoimmune diseases for over twenty years have c-ptsd since childhood. Having been through the health service and living on prescribed overdoses of antihistamines alongside steroids on a daily basis to try and manage my symptoms and opioid pain relief, however the prescriptions increased and the symptoms persisted.
My first consultation with Nicole was nothing short of a miracle, for the first time in my life I actually felt heard by a medical professional, my spirits had lifted just by being heard. Nicole followed up the call with a write up, detailing the conversation and explaining their thoughts on what could help me and giving me the option of preparations of the herbs that would best suit me.
When the first box of medicine arrived I was overwhelmed by it all and hid it for a day or two then gradually started introducing the different medication into my day. The herbs have helped with my sleep, mood, anxiety, I still have daily autoimmune flare ups however this is due to not being able to access a clean diet however I am coming closer to achieving this. Nicole is a blessing in my life and I will be eternally grateful for her help and support.
This was a super held experience where I felt heard and trust was built.
I had a call with Nicole back in the spring. I was feeling very unwell with stomach issues and stress and she guided me through a range of questions in a really calming and consensual way. She then went on to ask what kind of herbal medicine would suit me and my lifestyle, wether that’s herbs or tinctures or both, how often could I get access to the herbs etc. This really changed my perception on using herbs as a medicine successfully, I was often taking things I’d bought from shops randomly at random doses and seeing no effect, but this process with Nicole helped me find my herbal rhythm. She calls me every so often to check in and offer further support and alter medicines if needed. This was a super held experience where I felt heard and trust was built.
I turned to Nicole mainly due to symptoms of PTSD from police violence
I turned to Nicole mainly due to symptoms of PTSD from police violence. I was hoping to get some relieve with my ongoing sleeping problems and I got so much more. As a trans and neurodivergent person I’m usually hesitant towards medical professionals. But Nicole encountered me with such empathy and kindness that it felt easy to open up. She has an amazingly holistic approach towards health and made sure to fully understand every important detail of my overall health and life situation before she suggested herbal medicine. It didn’t felt like just “being treated” – it felt like a collaboration centering around my needs. Nicole brings a broad and valuable knowledge base and she made sure, that I got all necessary information to participate fully in all decisions.
I worked with her for about six month. During this time she helped me with various issues. The recommended herbal medicine drastically improved my sleep problems, helped to calm down my agitated nervous system and improved my mood during winter. She even had some ideas how herbs could support me in my transitioning process and related issues like voice crack and muscle pain due to starting Testosterone. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to be supported by her and really recommend to reach out to her with whatever health issue bothers you, no matter how small or big it seems.
