Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Calloway.
Hi Stephanie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My journey – like many – has not always felt like a clear path forward and certainly not a linear one. But as I reflect back on how I started and where I am today, I can see the breadcrumbs and flower petals that have been laid to guide me to my current life grounded in plant medicine. In 2008, I graduated with a Master’s degree in Health Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, spent the summer working alongside a friend on her 1/4 acre vegetable and herb production garden, and entered an Americorps community leadership program assigned to an integrative health center. That pivotal year laid the foundation for the herbalist and medicine woman I am today.
Over the next 11 years, I gained fluency in the Spanish language (learning phrases and slang from Mexican friends), established a community garden and nutrition program founded on intercultural connection and the principle of Food as Medicine, and cultivated a network of healers and spiritual leaders – that I am proud to call my sisters today – with whom I participated in indigenous healing circles and ceremonies. In 2019, I moved to Sugar Land with my partner and two children and entered a period of deep transition including grief, physical illness, and a sense of loneliness and lack of direction. While I was finding ways to stay connected to the land and learn how to grow plants in an entirely different climate, I did not have a sense of who I was or where to put my energy in a new community – even after the pandemic isolation eased. Then in 2021, a friend from Milwaukee invited me to join a virtual course led by Abuelo Carlos Jesus Castillejos, a Mayan-Zapoteca elder from Tabasco, MX. The four month course was focused on ‘Elixires Ancestrales’ – traditional plant medicine and teachings from the Maya Tolteca tradition. That course was the path that I had been waiting for and a reminder of my purpose as a medicine woman. It helped me recognize the seeds that I had been planting for nearly 40 years. Since 2021, I have been studying and practicing ancient plant medicine and teachings from the Tzol’kin sacred Mayan calendar, integrating the multi-cultural teachings I have gathered from Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Ecuador, and Wisconsin. I officially re-launched my herbal wellness business, Sanasol Wellness, in 2022, but it has really flourished and taken shape in the last year.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Growth is not always comfortable and I found myself in various moments feeling lost or confused – unsure that I’m on the right path or not clear how to move forward. My time as a community leader in Milwaukee often included moments of being judged or unheard which planted seeds of self-doubt. Spending my early career in a non-profit organization meant that I was (in retrospect) underpaid and overworked which has been a struggle to unlearn – to recognize the value that I bring to any team or project that I invest in and to find the strength and courage to ask for what I need, without fear.
My experience as a white woman in multi-cultural spaces has also been a lesson in humility and healing as I work to release patterns of self-importance and take responsibility for the ways that I show up in any circle – bringing integrity and intention. I’ve had to let go of expectations – of myself and others – in order to find peace and clarity to stay true to my passion, even if it’s not the easy road. Juggling motherhood, personal growth, maintaining a stable income for the family, and investing time in my marriage and partnership has always been a struggle and a balancing act. The pendulum still swings sometimes between too much activity and not enough motivation, but I do my best to lean into the tools and allies around me (including friends, spirit guides, and natural elemental practices) to keep moving forward on this journey of personal discovery and sharing my medicine.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an herbalist – known for making delicious teas, cocktails/mocktails, and sharing sacred cacao and plant tinctures for personal growth. I am proud to share traditional practices and cultivate sacred space in my own home and community. There was a time when I thought I needed to ‘find’ community or that I wasn’t ‘qualified’ to hold ceremony and I am grateful to the elders and peers that have held up a mirror to remind me that I AM sacred space and the knowledge and intuition I have has the possibility to transform lives.
There are many healers, health coaches and wellness practitioners in the Houston area. I bring a unique blend of herbal medicine, health psychology, and indigenous practices to the table – in-person, virtually, and in english or spanish. With a seven generations perspective, I help individuals tap into their human potential and purpose through the primary lens of Maya-Tolteca practices – the five art forms that inspire unity, liberation, and love.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
You have a story that others want to hear. Your lived experience matters and can make a difference. Remember to balance sharing your story and living your story – don’t get caught up in the number of likes you have on a post or who shared your latest reel. But also remember that building a brand or business requires consistency and engagement. If you don’t invest time and energy into engaging community, you won’t build customers or realize your potential as a leader.
Also, remember to lean into your network. This is not meant to be a lone wolf/solo warrior endeavor. We all walk on the shoulders of our ancestors and those who came before us – be intentional about the personal and professional relationships you’re building and take care to surround yourself with energy that is moving you in the direction of your goals.
Pricing:
- Group Medicine Circle: 200
- Private Medicine Circle: 300
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sanasollove.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sanasolwellness
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sanasol.wellness
Image Credits
All images: Nina Munguia Photography
