Boston Voyager Magazine Feature 

Brooke was recently featured in the Boston Voyager magazine as an inspiring story. Click here to read the article: bostonvoyager.com/interview/meet-botanicals-brooke-kingston-ma/

Meet Herbal Educator & Ayurveda Health Counselor 

​Brooke Kelly Strek was fortunate to grow up in the New England countryside with fields and forest as her backyard and teaching grounds. Her mother and Noni (grandmother) taught and encouraged her curiosity to explore nature and all the earth’s healing wonders. Her Noni would often identify plants and teach her their healing properties. Brooke is also lucky enough to have a woodsman as her father, who taught her various survival and tracking skills while growing up. Little did she know this would all guide her to becoming the herbalist she is today.
 
As Brooke grew older, her curiosity grew with her, stoking a desire to learn more about nature and healing. She read and studied countless books on herbalism, yoga, reiki, meditation and art, often finding herself incorporating these passions into her everyday life, and soon she was sharing these passions with friends and family.
 
After graduating from Silver Lake Regional High School, Brooke went on to study Cosmetology at Blaine on Cape Cod. Learning and working in the professional field with hair, skin and nails was not only fun, but also gave her the opportunity to help make others feel beautiful, inspiring her to begin crafting her own natural herbal care products. During this same time she also explored the holistic healing art of Reiki, and by her sophomore year in college (four years later) became a Reiki Master Teacher after studying under Native American Shaman and Reiki Master Teacher Tom Samuelson. She has now attuned over 50 of her students, and volunteered countless hours of healing to the critically ill.
 
Along with studying Reiki and herbal care, Brooke trained to become a certified yoga instructor under Darnell Nestor, owner of Shanti Shala, and Michelle Fleming, owner of Sanctuary Studios. She continued her yoga education further by obtaining specialized certifications: Hatha, Yin, Vinyasa, Prenatal, Children’s, Senior/Chair Yoga, and Yoga Therapy. And in 2012, Brooke opened her herbal, yoga, reiki and art classes to the general public.
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Alongside these aforementioned experiences, Brooke attended Bridgewater State University, studying as an educator for the first two years and taking opportunities to study abroad in Paris, France and all across India as her focus shifted towards writing and studio art. In concert with these pursuits, Brooke attended countless herbal workshops and all of the Herbstalk Conferences held each year in Somerville, MA. By graduation from Bridgewater State University in 2015, receiving a bachelor’s degree in English and Studio Art, she realized her calling was for herbalism; it incorporated the soul of every prior study she had explored, and Brooke wished to share it with the people around her. So, she sought to learn as much as she could in order to train herself in this healing art, and effectively pass it along to others.
 
Brooke completed Rosemary Gladstar’s The Science and Art of Herbalism comprehensive course taught by Bonnie Kavanaugh R.N., and later went on to study under Mary Blue, owner and teacher at Farmacy Herbs and co-founder of the Sage Clinic along with guest teachers Dr. Marcy Fiebelman, and Dr. Jody Noe. In addition, Brooke also studied with Susan Clements on “Bridging Plants and Spirit.”
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In August 2017, Brooke was selected to be part of the work-study team for the 30th Annual New England Women’s Herbal Conference. While there, she had the privilege to take intensive workshops and classes with some of the most well-known and knowledgeable herbalists. She went on plant walks with Rosemary Gladstar, experienced spiritual bathing and making plant landscapes with Rocio Alarcon from Ecuador, conversed with Margi Flint on clinical herbalism, engaged in Feasting & Foraging with Dina Falconi, sang and made magic with Alisa Skywalker and connected with so many other amazing herbalists. In 2018, Brooke was invited back to be part of the work-study program once again. This year she had the honor of being under Mz. Imani White, learning to create sacred space and hold space for others in need of healing. 

Brooke has taught two level one programs, one in 2017 and one in 2018, along with a level two program in 2018 so that her students could continue with their studies. As always, Brooke continues her education through workshops, self-study, online programs, conferences, and apprenticeships. She is eager to learn and share as much as she can in hopes of inspiring others to love and heal with herbalism.

In 2019, Brooke studied at the Kripalu School of Ayurveda and became a certified Ayurvedic Health Counselor. In 2021, she completed her Masters degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) at the School for International Training in Vermont. She now resides in Longmeadow, MA and teaches nationally and internationally while still holding herbal/ayurvedic workshops and consultations. 

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Special Thanks

Brooke would like to give a special thanks to all her family and friends that have supported her on her journey, and to all the amazing teachers that have passed along their encouragement and knowledge including, but not limited to:

Laurie & Alan Sawler
Robert & Holly Norvish
Verna Ferguson
Kyra Grattan
​Jessie Fries 
Kelley DePasqua
​Tom Samuelson 
Allyson & Joe Ferrante 
Darnell Nestor 
Dee Davidson ​

Rosemary Gladstar 
Helen Ward 
​Susan Clements
​Bonnie Kavanaugh
Mary Blue 
Rocio Alarcon
Mz Imani White ​
Dr. Rosy Mann
Kripalu School of Ayurveda 
​School for International Training 

Photos on this website are by Ryan Thomas and Andrea Lynne Photography as well as by Brooke. 
And I'd like to give a very special thank you to Dee Davidson for allowing me to use her beautiful space to hold many of my classes: Simply Soothing Sanctuary