Meet Brye!
Hello! Thanks for being here, I’m Brye (like the cheese). I am an herbalist, yoga teacher, nature guide, educator, dog mom, chicken tender, gardener, and more.
My primary ethos is that we do not exist outside of “nature” – we are it. We belong to this living, breathing Earth. My path explores where self-awareness and the wider world meet, inviting us to remember that the same living systems we see in forests, rivers, animals, seasons, and the forces of life are within us. The stars in our skin, dirt in our bones, oceans in our blood. My work is rooted in cultivating relationships – and knowing that our relationship with ourselves and our relationship with the natural world are one and the same. When we nurture one, we nurture the other.
With a background in forestry, outdoor recreation, and the human dimensions of natural resources, and more than two decades of practicing and teaching an array of mindfulness modalities, I’ve spent my life exploring the inherent intersection of science, spirituality, and everyday living.
I hold certifications in Environmental Education, Community Herbalism, 500-hour Yoga, Mindfulness Meditation, Restorative Yoga, Shamanic Reiki, and a BS in both in Zoology and Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, and an MS in Forestry and Natural Resources with a minor in Environmental Anthropology. I have worked as a National Park Ranger, educator and guide at various levels of public parks, and a Yoga teacher. I am currently a park and mindfulness public Program Manager at my “day job” for a state institution. I am also working towards becoming a clinical herbalist very soon, so exciting things are on the way!
My why
The world is fundamentally relational, alive, and imbued with energy (think, The Force…can you hear Yoda?) Somewhere along the way, as progress marched on and productivity took over, we started to see ourselves as separate – from nature, from our bodies, from one another, and the mystery that surrounds us. As the divide grew, as has our anxiety, burnout, confusion, sense of displacement, lack of purpose, chronic health issues, you name it.
For more than two decades, I have personally and professionally explored how living in deep reverence and connection with nature – through ecological understanding, aligning with the seasons, attuning to the elements, seeking ancestral wisdom, mindfulness practices, and just getting outside – is the key to live more intentionally, deeply heal our whole being, and acting from a place of true reciprocity. Herbalism brought all this into focus for me, weaving together nature appreciation and study, holistic health and nuanced well-being, self-study, outdoor exploration, and community care.
Through intentional relationships with ourselves, the land beneath our feet, and the rhythms that shape all of life, we remember what has always been true: caring for ourselves and caring for the Earth are inseparable. That remembrance is the heart of Birch & Broom.
The Meaning of Birch & Broom
When I began imagining this work, I knew one thing for certain: the land itself had to be at the center. Birch & Broom is named for a beloved birch tree that grows in my backyard, wise being who has stoically witnessed seasons of change, growth, loss, and transformation.
In Celtic tradition, birch is a scared tree that represents new beginnings, purification, rebirth, renewal, and the wisdom that comes from bring adaptable and resilience during times of transition. While I can’t claim those traditions as a direct inheritance, much of my ancestry traces back to the Celtic lands, and I find a deep sense of belonging through learning about their ways, as well as inspiration from their beliefs and connection to their symbolism.
And who doesn’t love alliteration? The broom carries its own relevant symbolism: Clearing the path for another way of being, a tool to begin and end cycles, a means of cleansing our hearts and minds, and generally making space to live with intention. It’s also a subtle nod to the folk traditions that inspire my work.
