HTMA Mineral & Nutritional Arts
​"The wellbeing of mothers is the fabric from which the future of our society is made" Dr. Oscar Serrallach
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The postpartum period lays a foundation for the rest of both mother and baby's life. It's imperative that we culturally remember how to tend to the birth process and to the tender times that come after. Cross-culturally, the postpartum period is regarded as an important time to nourish, restore and rest the body after birth to promote a lifetime of wellness. I believe that nourishment includes restoring the body with nutrition & herbs but must also be widened to hold things like community, meaning-making, storytelling, and ceremony. We're living in a time of widespread disconnection and at this historical juncture, it's vital that the mammalian need for postpartum care becomes practiced in fullness again.
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As we draw upon the well of ancestral wisdom for guidance, we will forge a path of postpartum care that also shapes around modern living. I call this approach ancestral living in modern times and it's a theme that brings flexibility and context to the material we'll discuss. I 've poured the best recipes, foundational frameworks, & knowledge I've gained as a postpartum chef & practitioner into a course that responds to the central question:
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what is true postpartum nourishment?
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A large thread of the story we are searching for is housed in the flesh of mothers. Postpartum caregiving invites our gaze to the origins of humanity, to the tender after-birth nest that so deserves our attention and reverence. What we feed new mothers & the way we curate a safe & supportive nest for them matters.
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This course is a deep exploration full of perspectives, approaches, techniques, skills, & hands-on experiences that will create a foundation of confidence to serve your family, yourself, and/or your wider community.
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Postpartum work is sacred work.
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A Taste of What We'll Explore
Hormonal Dance
Physiology of Postpartum
Depletion vs. Depression
Baby Brain
Ecology of Belonging
Omnivore Mother
Nervous Systems
The Animal Body
Flowers & Roots
Dream Deep
Steams, Salves, & Sprays
Mother's Milk
Ayurvedic Approach
Vehicles of Healing
Herbal Compresses
Culture
Remedy
Well Fed
Prenatal Nutrition
Postpartum Nutrition
Digestion & Metabolism
Nausea & Nourishment
Foundational Foods
Butter & Bone
Beyond Gender
Ancestral Ways
Birth Storying
The Modern Mother
Writing the Story We Need
Birth Amid Collapse
You're in the right place if
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✵ You want to learn about postpartum food from someone who can break down heady topics like nutrition into something that you'll easily understand and remember.
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✵ You crave information, language, frameworks, AND skills to practice for postpartum care.
✵ You want to expand your repertoire of healing and flavor recipes & remedies plus feel confident developing a meal plan.
✵ You believe that nourishment isn’t just about food- and are curious about ecology, spirituality, mysticism, myth, & the power of things like hope, rest, & relationship.
✵ You want to feel confident making choices that support the mammalian design of the body & meet the ceremonial needs of the spirit.
✵ You honor that each body is different but want to understand *why* one healing food or herb might be great for one person but terrible for someone else.
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✵ You know that postpartum depression and postnatal depletion have been normalized but are NOT NORMAL- and you want to understand root causes.
✵ You value & are excited to participate in self-inquiry practices like journaling, mirroring, and council.
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✵ You seek intimacy, art, beauty, connection, and poeticism in an online container
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✵ You respect that not everyone who gives birth is a woman & make space for diverse identities to be celebrated.
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What is Included:
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3-month long container held by Kearsley Tate
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9 Classes & 2 Councils held for 2 hours each on Zoom
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Live Q&A During Class
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Class Recordings to View
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Journaling Prompts & Practices for Deepening Inquiry
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My Best Collection of Recipes & Remedies
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Intimate Whatsapp Group for 3 Months
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Resource List for Continued Learning
Course Format:
This course meets for 9 classes + bonus council sessions on Wednesdays from March 13th- May 29th from 4-6 pm EST. We will not be meeting on May 15th or June 5th
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Classes:
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March 13th, 20th, 27th,
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April 10th, 17th, 24th
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May 8th, 22nd, 29th
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+ 2 Bonus Councils on Zoom // April 3rd, May 1st
Investment:
$888
Early bird pricing starts at $888 until March 1st
$1000
Regular pricing is $1000 after March 1st
Payment plans are available at checkout & 2 partial scholarships are available for BIPOC at a 50% discount.
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Meet the Facilitator
Hello
I'm Kearsley and I am a postpartum chef, practitioner, author and educator. Years ago I was diagnosed with an endocrine disorder that led me down a shape-shifting path of learning how to radically care for myself. Guided by many great mentors and a reverential relationship with the Earth, I forged a way of living rooted in seasonal, local, & creative living. I've known what deep exhaustion feels like and I also know the slow, steady path of courting vitality back. My approach to postpartum wellness is multi-faceted because I know that true wellness is an estuary fed by many rivers.
I know home to be in a small valley at the base of the Black Mountains, a humble place filled with extraordinary people & thriving hemlocks.
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How do you describe your style of cooking?My style of food can best be described as local and seasonal. Many of the ingredients I source come from local farmers markets or have been wildcrafted in the area. I am also deeply inspired by traditional cooking methods that both celebrate flavor & leave you feeling alive, not slugged down. The dining experiences I offer are layered with my values for local ecosystems and economies, deep nourishment, & plates spiced with story. For my postpartum services, my style of cooking can be described as nutritionally dense, warming, Ayurvedic, & crafted to restore the body after birth.
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What do you charge?The cost of working varies depending on factors like the type of support needed, size of group, menu choice, & location. Reach out to me through my contact form to request a quote and we can begin planning something delicious together. I have a $750 minimum fee for all private dining events ( that includes the cost of food) For certain events we may have to hire on servers or food service professionals to support your event and charge a flat rate minimum of $250 or more per professional. Reach out and tell me all the details - I'll give you a customized quote from there!
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How do I book you?Send me an email through my contact form or email me at kearsleyskitchen@gmail.com Please include the date, number of people, & occasion of your special dining experience. I will reach out to you soon after with a seasonal menu and we can create something special from there! Once we settle on the details, I ask for a 20% non-refundable deposit to secure the date.
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How many people can you accommodate?We prefer smaller sized events and our kitchen has capacity to feed up to 25 people.
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Do you travel?Yes! Locally, we serve events within a 1.5 hour radius from Burnsville, NC. Globally, I love curating seasonal events around the world. Want to host a multi day event or retreat? Let's talk!
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How can I prepare my home for a Private Chef?A clean kitchen, clear dishwasher, and available stovetop are my three main requests for working in any kitchen. I bring my own cooking supplies but I prefer to plate food using the plates and utensils in the home. If you do not have the number of dishes needed- that's ok! Let me know and I'll take care to bring enough for everyone.
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Cancellation/Reschedule PolicyRe-Schedule: Rescheduling dates must be done 5 days prior to schedule date and may result in a service charge. I do my best to accommodate flexible plans and find a date to dine together. Cancellation: In the event that you need to cancel, your initial deposit will be kept. If you cancel within 72 hours of the event, Kearsley's Kitchen retains up to 30% of your fee to cover the cost of ingredients and materials already purchased for your event. Thank you for understanding.