Like a colorful art display, all of the 300 herbs at the St. Louis herb shop and clinic Forest & Meadow sit on shelves in glass jars on a wall. “This was a must-have when we were designing the space because I wanted folks to be able to actually see the plants, interact with them, be drawn by them,” says Amanda Jokerst, a Certified Clinical Herbalist, and the owner of Forest & Meadow, located in the Lindenwood Park neighborhood. “It is truly captivating to take in all of the different colors and textures, the richness of the natural world, all of these plants that offer their healing benefits.”
Amanda’s interest in herbalism began several years ago when she first read about using plants as medicine. The idea excited her, and she immediately signed up for an online class to learn more, then read books and traveled to as many herbal gatherings and conferences as she could.
“I continued engaging with herbal medicine because I was completely enamored with the plant world once this door was opened to me,” she says. “It felt like I had been seeing the world in black and white, and I finally saw it in full color for the first time. The first few years felt so magical as I was constantly blown away and utterly captivated by each new plant I learned about.”
Initially she used her knowledge to help with her own health issues, and those of family and friends. However, when she started working with clients as a Maya Abdominal Therapy Practitioner and assistant midwife, she noted her clients had complex health conditions and wanted someone who could guide them in using herbs and natural remedies. She took her herbal studies further, graduating from the Colorado School of Clinical Herbalism in 2016. She has continued her studies at the Eclectic School of Clinical Herbalism.
Amanda opened the store in 2019 after seeing a need for high quality herbal medicine in St. Louis. At the shop, clients can explore how to support their health in a more holistic way than just symptom management, to get to the root of their concerns, she says. For example, you can come in for a remedy to help with symptoms of the cold or flu, but you can also work with a Certified Clinical Herbalist to understand how to nourish the immune system and support your body with dietary and lifestyle changes to help prevent your body from becoming susceptible to contracting a cold in the first place.
“I love getting to help people feel better in their bodies and know that they have the power to support their health and that they have more agency than they realize to affect the quality of their day to day lives,” Amanda says. “There is honestly no better feeling than knowing that you've made a difference in someone's life.”
Learn more about the shop, products and services offered at Forest & Meadow at forestandmeadow.com.
