In this soul-stirring episode of The Holistic Counselor Podcast, host Diana S. Rice, LMHC, CIMHP speaks with Aleya Fraser, ethnobotanist, land steward, and author of Caribbean Herbalism: Traditional Knowledge and Modern Herbal Healing. Together, they explore how ancestral plant wisdom, nervous system regulation, and spiritual healing intersect through ritual, relationship with the land, and divine design.

If you've ever felt disconnected from your body, your roots, or your spiritual rhythm—this conversation is for you.

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 What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• What Caribbean herbalism is and how it honors African, Indigenous, and Southeast Asian wisdom

• Why "weeds" like dandelion, bee balm, and purslane are medicine for your mind and liver

• The truth behind bush tea, bush baths, and their emotional and somatic healing powers

• Why journaling, ritual, and forest bathing matter in trauma recovery

• The myth of "woo" medicine and how Western science is catching up

• How to ethically explore ancestral herbal practices—even if you weren't raised in that culture

• The difference between plant fads and real, rooted, land-based knowledge

• How slowing down and connecting with plants can transform your mental health

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 Featured Guest: Aleya Fraser

Ethnobotanist | Author | Cacao Grower | Storyteller

Aleya blends a formal background in physiology and neurobiology with ancestral plant wisdom passed down from elders. She co-manages Panorama Cacao, a bean-to-bar chocolate farm in Trinidad & Tobago, and leads immersive botanical experiences that reconnect people to the land—and to themselves.

Her work was deeply shaped by her mentor Francis Morain, an ethnobotanical elder who taught her how to preserve, document, and honor traditional plant knowledge.

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 Resources & Links Mentioned

 Aleya's Book:

Caribbean Herbalism: Traditional Knowledge and Modern Herbal Healing
→ Buy on Amazon
→ Find at Barnes & Noble
→ Ask your local indie bookstore to order it!

 Connect with Aleya Fraser:

• Website: caribbeanherbalism.com

• Instagram: @naturaleya

• Substack: naturaleya.substack.com

Her site features plant photos, cacao farm tours, and invitations to join her for botanical excursions in the rainforest of Trinidad.

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 Practical Tools & Takeaways:

• Bush Tea = fresh herbal infusions made with plants like mint, dandelion, lemongrass, or rosemary

• Bush Bath = traditional herbal bath + prayer + somatic ritual for full-body healing

• Forest Bathing = Japanese practice (shinrin-yoku) of slow, mindful nature immersion

• Plant Journal = track how your body responds to herbs over time

• Kitchen Herbs You Can Start With: basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, lemon balm

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 Favorite Quotes:

Diana's Drop-the-Mic Quotes:

• "Do you have ADD, or do you have a nature deficit disorder?"

• "Weeds are just misunderstood flowers."

• "You can't just Google something real quick, or believe everything ChatGPT says."

Aleya's Drop-the-Mic Quotes:

 

• "Western medicine is built upon traditional knowledge, and you can't forsake one for the other."

• "Books are important. Slow down."

• "Faith, respect, and slow observation—that's how you build a relationship with a plant, it's not just a product."

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 For Therapists & Healers:

• Learn how to ethically integrate herbalism into your practice

• Avoid TikTok-level advice—study with elders, not just influencers

• Respect cultural roots and the ethnobotanical context of healing plants

• Explore how decolonizing mental health can create deeper transformation

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 Faith & Neurobiology—Together

Diana and Aleya reflect on what it means to live at the intersection of:

• Scripture + Soil

• Genesis + Gut Health

• Spirit-led Healing + Scientific Curiosity

• The Nervous System + Native Plants

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 Stay Connected with Diana

→ Website: throughthevalleytherapy.com
→ YouTube Playlist: The Holistic Counselor Podcast