Hi, I'm Stef Stewart
I am the owner, creator and facilitator at Oak and Wildflower.
Read on for more about me and my background.
About Me
Since I was a young child, I have felt a deep connection with nature.
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I would go on nature walks with my father through the woods and valley near my home in Toronto, Canada (on a never-ending search for giant puffball mushrooms), and I learned from a young age how at peace I felt when surrounded by trees. The forest and riversides were my happy place, and I could spend hours out in nature, without growing tired of it. I have always been lucky enough to see and appreciate the unbelievable beauty in the natural world around us, from the tiniest insect to the largest tree.
There were several years in my life where I was very low - mentally and physically. Often my only reprieve during these hard times was when I managed to go outdoors and engage in some quiet mindfulness time. Nature was always there for me - she really saved me.
The Beginning of my "helping" Journey
I always had a great desire to help others, but even more so after experiencing my own struggles with mental and physical health. In 2017 I earned my Social Service Worker Diploma in Ontario, Canada and began working in charity organisations supporting vulnerable people in the community. I have worked with people experiencing mental health difficulties, addictions, homelessness, poverty and cultural oppression. I currently work part-time for a charity called Equal Voice supporting vulnerable adults, mostly with learning disabilities and/or who are neurodivergent, by running group activities and developing personal wellbeing plans. I really love the work we do at this organisation.
Passion for Herbal Medicine & Foraging
It was also in 2017 that I began my Herbal Medicine journey, initially taking online courses to start to learn more about plant medicine for my own health and wellbeing, but it quickly turned into an intense passion. Once I started to work with plants as medicine, I felt a sense of clarity - I realised that with herbal medicine I could combine my love of nature with my passion to help others, and I wanted it to one day become my career. I knew in my soul that I had found my path and purpose.
The following year I moved to Scotland, and this is when my desire to start using locally abundant plants took off as there was so much green around me! I started to learn more about foraging and experimenting with wild food and this opened up a whole new world to me and expanded my passion even more.
Since then, I have taken several herbal medicine and foraging courses, completed a 1 year Apprenticeship with Plant Medicine School Scotland, attended countless workshops, webinars and conferences, volunteered with community herbalists and foragers, and have been continually learning all that I can about medicinal plants and fungi.
In 2022 I began running my own herbal medicine workshops, foraging walks and nature mindfulness walks, and so, 'Oak and Wildflower' was born.
Seasonal foraging and working with local plants is now a normal part of my life, and I want as many people as possible to be able to say the same.
When I started foraging regularly my eyes really became open to the abundance the earth offers us, and how working with these plants can help us connect deeper with the land and our ancestors. I felt a duty and calling to educate others and pass along this knowledge that would have once been commonplace, and should be once more.
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Supporting Women through Circle/Sacred Space Holding
In 2021, I attended my first Women's Circle with Lucy of Wild Roots Foraging, and it was life altering for me. As a constantly burnt out mum at the time, I realised how valuable this safe space was for women to be vulnerable, unmask and have a release from the daily pressures, as well as connect with like-minded women on a deeper level.
In February 2023, on Imbolc, I held my very first Wild Women's Circle, and it was magical. Since then I have held space in circle for many women from all walks of life, and have felt such a deep connection to these amazing women and my own womanhood. A lot of personal healing and transformation has come from running the circles, and many of the women have told me they have experienced the same effect from attending. There is a power when women come together in circle. Personally, being able to facilitate circles brings such joy to my life, and gives me a real sense of purpose, as it brings together all of my passions and training.
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I feel so much gratitude for being able to do what I love - I get to share ancient earth wisdom, hold sacred space and inspire and empower others, just as my ancestors might have done. I feel very blessed.
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If you'd like to know any more about me, my training or my qualifications, please get in touch.
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Current Teacher Member of:
I am...
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Trauma-skilled
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Emergency First Aid Certified
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Scottish Mental Health First Aid Trained
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ASIST (Suicide Intervention) Certified