Hello, I’m Samara; Hairdresser, Herbalist, green witch, Artist and mother. I practice from my home studio/clinic in Brunswick west Melbourne offering one on one hair and herbal consultations.

I’ve worked with women therapeutically for 26yrs, hairdressers are often like therapists, holding space for people to share their stories while helping them feel seen, heard and renewed. Having collaborated with women of all ages, cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds I’ve learnt to listen with my eyes and my heart, this skill continues to develop and grow as age winds its rings around me.

Over the course of my hairdressing career I have taken breaks, became a yoga teacher, arts therapist, Western herbal medicine practitioner, had 4 children whilst always being engaged in an art practice.

Art is an integral part of my life, creativity being a portal for transformation, growth, boredom, perspective, love, something new. Crafting brings stillness to my body, along with alignment and harmony often thrown off by our busy world. What I call Slow craft is a tool for healing. It connects us to our ancestors, to land, to the resonance of our hearts, to purpose not defined by bills whilst also giving us an opportunity to disconnect from technology.

My journey to becoming an herbalist wasn't straight forward, I began in a midwifery degree, a calling I’d had since I was a child. Unfortunately, I could not stomach the reality of birthing in Australia and after 2yrs decided to transfer to a degree in western herbal medicine. 

I went into herbalism with so much clarity around my direction, yet I graduated in 2017 feeling at a complete loss. What was I meant to be or do with the information I was given. I had just finished a degree in Western herbal medicine yet had not seen a live herb the entire 3yrs. How could I possibly understand Echinacea if I’d never even seen it growing, how could I prescribe herbs for people when all I knew about them was what I’d read in a book or a research paper. I thought I wanted to specialise in pregnancy yet here I was pregnant with my 3rd child not so sure if that was the case anymore.

I realised in order to become the herbalist I felt was inside me I needed to start with meeting and growing live plants. So began my inner-city herbal garden, where I connected to the celestial forces and their relationship with the plants, where I discovered herbs as plant allies not just herbal actions and constituents. It was during this time I discovered the school of evolutionary herbalism and began what I consider to be my real herbal training. Training that will continue for the rest of my life. As that is an herbalist’s journey. The learning never ends.

Not long after my third child I fell pregnant with my 4th, motherhood continues to be my greatest teacher, reflecting the worst and best parts of me. As a therapist I pull on all my life experiences, studies and skills to meet you with complete acceptance, just as you are, we are all in a state of ‘becoming’, I am here to support you on that journey.

My name is Samara, and I am your local village hair witch, herbalist and felt artist it’s a pleasure to meet you.