Our Writers

Our wonderful community of writers and contributors come from various backgrounds and educations. Please click through to find out more information about them.

Ezza Valdez

Editor in Chief

Ezza Valdez is an explorer with a creative passion for “DIY” projects. Growing up in the Philippines, she rallied her friends to adventures in outdoor cooking (using milk cans as pots), paper doll theatrics, and making their own musical instruments for caroling. “You can make beautiful music with a wire and a ton of bottle caps”. A veteran of the IT industry with an academic background in Computer Science and Technology, she is currently a student at David Winston’s Herbal Studies 2-year program. Her day job is VP of Business Development for The Alchemist’s Kitchen, a botanical dispensary at the historic district of Soho. 

Assistant Editor in Chief

Frankie Kavakich is a published prose and poetry writer and a practicing witch whose love for the occult and horror permeates their everyday life. For eight years, they have studied a variety of practices including kitchen witchery, chaos magick, divination, manifestation, and brujería. Within their writing, Frankie features numerous topics ranging from ghosts and spirits to the importance of community and reliance on nature’s bounty. Their great grandmother Nilda was a healer from the rain forests of Puerto Rico, and Frankie is endlessly inspired by the gentle hands and kind hearts of their ancestors.

Frankie Kavakich

FrankieKavakich

Frankie Kavakich is a published prose and poetry writer and a practicing witch whose love for the occult and horror permeates their everyday life. For eight years, they have studied a variety of practices including kitchen witchery, chaos magick, divination, manifestation, and brujería. Within their writing, Frankie features numerous topics ranging from ghosts and spirits to the importance of community and reliance on nature's bounty. Their great grandmother Nilda was a healer from the rain forests of Puerto Rico, and Frankie is endlessly inspired by the gentle hands and kind hearts of their ancestors.

Micaela Foley

Micaela Foley is a certified herbalist with an educational background in energetic and clinical herbalism, alchemy, & medical astrology. She completed the clinical practitioner course at Blue Otter School of Herbal Medicine in Northern California and the foundational year program at ArborVitae School of Traditional Herbalism in New York City. Her herbal writings can be found through wellness resources like mindbodygreen, Shape magazine, & The Alchemist’s Kitchen, where she previously managed the herbal program. Currently, she lives and farms in Rhode Island. Micaela's herbal practice is committed to social activism, accessibility, & empowerment through education and mutual aid. She is available for private sessions, clinical work, & as a teacher, writer, and consultant.

Bre Jenkins

Working in the health and wellness industry for over nine years, Bre has gained a substantial amount of knowledge when it comes to taking care of the mind and body. She is currently a freelance writer for several wellness and psychedelics focused platforms and offers Psychedelic Integration Support for her clients. Bre holds certifications in KAP (Kundalini Activation Process), Reiki, Yoni Steaming, Psychedelic Integration, Health Coaching, and more. Through both her personal experience and professional training, Bre is helping others achieve balance through psychedelics, authentic self-expression, and KAP.

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Jenny Sansouci

Jenny Sansouci is the author of The Rebel's Apothecary: A Practical Guide to the Healing Magic of Cannabis, CBD, and Mushrooms. Jenny is a Certified Health Coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and has been trained by functional medicine doctor Frank Lipman, MD, in New York City. When Jenny learned that her father was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in 2017, her knowledge of the latest alternative therapies was put to the test. Jenny dove into the world of cannabis and mushrooms and their medicinal properties - and she and her dad are now outspoken champions of the healing power of these plants and fungi - not only to tame the side effects of chemotherapy, but to address everyday wellness concerns.The Rebel's Apothecary is the result of her heartfelt and rigorous quest -- a science-based and supportive guide that will enhance the lives of anyone living with pain, anxiety, depression, a weakened immune system, insomnia, and more. Complete with background information, dosing instructions, and everyday recipes, this is the essential handbook for harnessing the ancient healing powers of cannabis and mushrooms --safely, without confusion, fear, or an unwanted high.

Grace Yoon

Grace is an herbalist, AADP certified health practitioner and founder of Qi Alchemy, an herbal company that specializes in sourcing high quality herbs and organic superfoods from South Korea. During her spare time she enjoys foraging edible plants and flowers near her family farm in Paju, Korea. You can learn more about her business at www.qialchemy.com

Jason Erdan

Jason is a clinical herbalist who completed his certification in Traditional Chinese Medicine from The Institute of Herbal Medicine and Nutrition. His educational background is in both Western and Eastern Herbalism, Botany, Psychology, Chemistry and Food Science. Additionally, Jason has his Certification in Mental Health Integrative Medicine(CMHIMP).

Nicole Adriana Casanova

Nicole Adriana Casanova is a student of Maestro Manuel Rufino, a Taino Elder who founded the Golden Drum educational center in Brooklyn. Nicole is a writer, poet, and storyteller, a 200 RYT Yoga Alliance certified Yoga and Meditation Teacher, a certified Reiki Master in the Usui and Karuna Reiki Riojo, a Shamanic Practitioner, a Human Movement teacher, and Magical Awakening Practitioner. Nicole blends decades of expertise in the wellness and holistic field to create one of a kind empowerment experiences in groups as well as one-on-one settings. As a Soul Architect, Nicole bridges practices and teachings from various wisdom traditions around the world, with intuitive knowledge and practical know how to create one of a kind blueprints of empowerment, healing, and remembrance.

Devon Delatour

Devon Delatour is a student of Esoteric Occult Philosophy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chinese Herbology, and Acupuncture. He specializes in dissecting the Occult symbology of the world we live in. His favorite hobby is to help people realize how much Occult information they already have installed in their subconscious mind. He is an avid Crystal collector, Tarot reader, and Hermetic Alchemy enthusiast.

Juliana McCarthy

For more than twenty years, Juliana McCarthy has been studying and practicing Western Astrology, finding it to be a powerful tool for self-exploration and examining how we relate to others. She loves working with people to help them understand their authentic selves—their complexities, gifts, karma, and life paths. In particular, she finds Astrology to be helpful for major transitions, unexpected life changes, and for better understanding relationships—romantic and otherwise. Juliana also practices Energy Healing, using a blend of Reiki and shamanic methods. She helps facilitate powerful breakthroughs by clearing blockages around physical, spiritual, relationship, and emotional difficulties. A longtime student of Tibetan Buddhism, she's an avid meditator and spiritual practitioner.

Cara Kovacs

Cara Kovacs is a third generation practitioner of magic and a sex, love and relationship coach. Her practice focuses on giving people the tools that they need in a safe and holistic way to create the intimate lives of their dreams. You can follow her on Instagram for nuggets of wisdom at @carakovacs_.

Cassandra Posey

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Cassandra grew up constantly enamored with exploring and self evolvement. Fascinated by collaborative relationships and connections we have to each other and this planet she was constantly trying to make sense of it. Cognitive Function was born as a resource to help others understand her realizations, to help others find these connections and show transparency. To uncomplicated the complicated and bring clarity and optimization into our lives, it was her main focus to study herself and others from different walks of life. Amongst all of this bloomed a nutrition channel with the focus of getting us back to our roots. It is her goal to show others how to grab a hold of your mental health, mindfully eat and move your body all in the name of a happy lifestyle. Obsessions: Fuji Apples, Yerba Mate, bone broth, earth ships, organic underwear & waking up early as hell and taking a walk outside oh and tuberose flowers 😉

Celia Gold

Celia Gold is a New York-based writer and herbalist-in-training with special interest in aromatherapy and flavor matrices. She has written about herbalism broadly and niches in the cannabis industry for The Alchemist's Kitchen, Green Entrepreneur, PRØHBTD, Autostraddle, and others.

Guido Mase

Guido Mase – RH(AHG) Biography: Guido is a clinical herbalist, herbal educator, and garden steward specializing in holistic Western herbalism, though his approach is eclectic and draws upon many influences. He spent his childhood in Italy, in the central Alps and in a Renaissance town called Ferrara.

Jess Ramírez

Jess Ramírez is a first-gen Ñu-Yorkina of mixed decent including Andean, Middle Eastern and European Roots. With a passion for regenerative farming and ethnobotany throughout her life she has been called to herbalism, divination and healing modalities.

Rachel Webb

Rachel Webb has trained simultaneously in yoga and mental health for the past decade and in Tibetan Buddhism for the past 6 years. She has completed a meditation teacher training and private yoga teacher training in 2017 and is en route to complete a 6 year Buddhist philosophy certification in 2019. She is has served as a peer coach for social workers using the Motivational Interviewing counseling technique. She has over 6 years of experience working with people diagnosed with serious mental illness, assisting them in achieving wellness goals. Rachel has hosted several therapeutic groups on relationship health over the past year and is currently working on relationship wellness workbooks that combine modern psychological approaches with Buddhist techniques. Rachel currently teaches yoga and meditation classes in Manhattan, and takes clients for coaching sessions. You can reach her at rachel@threejewels.org to schedule a private session or interview.

Rachelle Robinett

Rachelle Robinett is a New York based Herbalist & Holistic Health Practitioner, and the founder of Supernatural - a cafe, wellness company and line of herbal gummies (HRBLS).

Robin Rose Bennett

Robin Rose Bennett is a story-teller, writer, and herbalist. She has been offering classes in Wisewoman Healing Ways: Herbal Medicine and EarthSpirit Teachings since 1986 - at herb conferences, festivals, clinics, medical and nursing schools, and most joyously, outside with the plants. Robin Rose shares herbal medicine with gratitude - for the loving generosity of the plants and the magic, mystery, and beauty of the web of life. She is on the faculty of the New York Open Center and the Arbor-Vitae School of Traditional Herbalism, and is the author of two meditation CD’s and the books: Healing Magic- A Green Witch Guidebook to Conscious Living and The Gift of Healing Herbs- Plant Medicines and Home Remedies for a Vibrantly Healthy Life. (FB: WiseWoman Healing Ways, IG: @RobinRoseBennett, YouTube: Robin Rose Bennett - Plant Medicine and Poetry Series) For more information, visit: www.RobinRoseBennett.com.

Roshina Jimenez

Roshina Jimenez a spiritual creative who presently works as an event producer for The Alchemist’s Kitchen. As a double Libra (sun and rising) with a strong Pisces moon, Roshina is deeply committed to her spiritual practice and expresses this passion through various art forms. Most recently, she was the assistant editor for the web series, ‘Wild Woman Healers.’ These days, Roshina is developing a line of candles that depict the archetypes of The Tarot. The mission of her family brand, Sisters of Eastwick, is to create a space where people can return home to themselves and create a life that is both wild and intentional. Follow the journey @sisters_of_eastwick

Yarusha Jimenez

Yarusha Jimenez began her journey into tarot, astrology, and the occult at a very young age. A truth seeking Sagittarius with her sun in the 8th house , she possesses the deep transformative waters of scorpio, Yarusha has always been guided by her fiery instincts, deep emotion, and psychic abilities. Yarusha studied tarot with Lindsay Mack and completed her wild soul education. Yarusha works from her intuition, and creates a space for her clients where they can experience the gift of letting go. Yarusha studied tarot with Lindsay Mack and completed her wild soul education. Yarusha works from her intuition, and creates a space for her clients where they can experience the gift of letting go. She is self-taught in astrology and believes it to be the blueprint of your soul. As she has honored the wisdom of her natal chart and stepped into her charts vibration, she has become a channel who can communicate with guides. To book an astrology or tarot reading with Yarusha visit her at: www.sistersofeastwick.com. You can find her instagram at @sistersofeastwick or @yarusha1111

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