About HERB & TAO
Herb & Tao is a Wellness Center including a community of wellness practitioners, a natural products apothecary, classes and more located in the South Loop Neighborhood of Chicago. We at Herb & Tao, in collaboration with our affiliated practitioners, specialize in Traditional Chinese/East Asian Medicine, herbal medicine, acupuncture, reiki, massage therapy, and curating what we have found to be some of the most effective natural products for health and wellness!
Why Tao?
Tao is generally translated as “the Way.” Lao Tzu wrote the Tao Te Jing sometime between 4-600 BC, a classical work that describes the way to live in order to be in harmony with nature – balance of yin and yang. Other ancient cultures also acknowledge these original instructions for living which promote health and wellness for both humans and the earth. The beliefs and practices of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are based on the philosophy of Tao, known as Taoism. At Herb & Tao, we use natural TCM practices (acupuncture, qi gong, heat therapies, etc.) and ingredients (herbs & foods) to facilitate the ideal situation for the body’s own healing abilities to prevail. These methods promote harmony by reconnecting us to the way we were intended to live.
Why Herbs?
Herb & Tao subscribes to the belief that most herbs are food you just haven’t met yet! Chinese medicine relies heavily on thousands of years of records of how substances found in nature (ie. plants, minerals, etc.), called herbs in TCM, affect the body and how those effects can be used medicinally. We are intrigued and excited and owe a debt of gratitude to the Tao for these herbs! At Herb & Tao, we utilize many types of herbs from homeopathy energy medicine to ready made ‘patent’ formulas to custom created special order formulas for patients. See our natural apothecary page for more information.
Founder
Ja’Nelle Jefferson, LAc MSTOM Dipl OM (NCCAOM)
Herb & Tao Acupuncture and Wellness – About Ja’Nelle
Ja’Nelle is Herb & Tao’s Practitioner of Chinese / East Asian medicine a.k.a. licensed acupuncturist. She offers Traditional East Asian medicine, acupuncture, and herbal medicine. She also has 10+ years experience recommending nutritional supplements. She specializes in women’s health and internal medicine such as immunity, digestive, emotional, respiratory health, etc.
Our Affiliated Practitioners
Lyric Swede
Whole Soul Society
Lyric, founder of the Whole Soul Society, is a health and wellness coach who specializes in holistic nutrition and mindful meditation. She studied Integrative Healing Arts at the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts and combines this with success prioritizing balanced wellness in her own personal journey in order to assist clients in discovering a mind-body-soul connection, finding balance in their lives and becoming “whole souls”. Lyric also has 200+ hours as a yoga instructor and is dedicated to creating a wellness community in Chicagoland.
“[As] a trained facilitator of holistic healing, I am prepared to help those who feel called to finally live an empowered life grounded in growth, healing, and connection with themselves and others…” -Lyric
Ray Williams, LMT MMP
Skylight Body Therapy
Ray Williams LMT, MMP, owner of Skylight Body Therapy is a Healer, Massage Therapist, Artist and Activist within his community. Ray has dedicated his life to servant leadership and has led a successful career to be considered as the Best Massage Therapist in Chicago. Ray is gifted at listening to the body, understanding the client’s pain and working with the client to get to the core of the discomfort through Trigger Point Therapy. Ray was recently elected a Board Member for AMTA Il Chapter. This next step in his career will help advance the Massage industry forward during a time where health and wellness is most imperative for one’s well being.
Dr. Tetteth currently offers individual massage therapy and qi gong group classes. He has a BS in nutrition as well as training and certification in medical cannabis. He is also an Ordained Taoist Priest.
If you are interested in attending his classes, please let him know the subjects, days and times you are interested in by clicking above to fill out the survey on his website!
Suzanne Fraker
Reiki by Suzanne
Suzanne has had a professional energy healing practice since 1997. She is certified by the International Mandel Institute in Germany as an Esogetic Colorpuncture Practitioner, and is approved by the Institute to teach Colorpuncture self-care classes. She also is certified by the Aura-Soma International Academy of Colour Therapeutics in England as an Advanced Level Aura-Soma consultant. She holds a diploma in Massage Therapy from the Chicago School of Massage Therapy. In addition, Suzanne is trained as a Reiki Master Teacher in both Usui Reiki and Traditional Japanese Reiki.
Our Affiliated Wellness Establishments
Teri Calandra, MSTOM Dipl OM (NCCAOM) LAc
Calandra Center for Health & Wellness serves Chicago’s northwest suburbs from our Schaumburg location. We provide integrative healthcare services including acupuncture, herbal medicine, Reiki, Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Techniques (NAET®), Lebowitz Protocol, and Access Consciousness Bars. We seek to nourish and support the health and wellbeing of everyone we work with – patients, students, teachers, practitioners – and to contribute to the health and vitality of our communities.
April Robinson, is the owner and executive director of Hyde Park Counseling & Therapy. In her current practice she works from a wholistic frame with the goal of helping individuals reach a more healed, whole, integrated version of themselves. She has complimentary training that embodies eastern and western philosophies and supports the use of narrative techniques, somatic body-based techniques, trauma focused techniques, mind-body- spirit integration techniques, arts based therapies, play therapies in addition to standard talk therapy when appropriate or useful. Specific Stress and Trauma Informed or Experiential techniques she is trained in include: EFT, EMDR, BTT, BCST, Reiki, play therapy, psychodrama, drama therapy, movement based techniques, meditation.
Chicago Birthworks Collective
Hyde Park Neighborhood
At the heart of Chicago Birthworks Collective is our passion to empower Black families through an amazing pregnancy journey. Our collective of trained doulas and birth workers offer support and education through excellent care and luxury services. Whether it’s your first child or your fifth, we are here to help you navigate the healthcare system, teach you how to advocate for your rights, and curate a birth experience that celebrates your growing family.