Stephanie Gessow

Stephanie has always been dedicated to nurturing children's inner wisdom and creativity. For over a decade she has taught private at-home art lessons to kids of all ages, with a focus on helping children tap into their imaginations through nature and mindfulness. She was also a lead teacher at an art and play based preschool in San Francisco from 2018 to 2021, where she co-developed a forest classroom program and brought meditation and mindfulness practices into the school's curriculum. Taking children into the Redwood and Eucalyptus lined trails so that they could learn from the sounds of bird calls and other natural wonders that filled their senses, was incredibly impactful for her. It was here where she grew passionate about strengthening children's connection to Mother Earth and began studying herbalism to share plant wisdom with her students. She moved back home to Connecticut last year to be closer to family, and now lives in the rolling green hills of Newtown where she is inspired daily by the trees and rivers all around her. She loves to create in her studio, make herbal medicine, hike, and eat yummy plant-based meals cooked by her loving husband, Harrison. She looks forward to joining the Apple Blossom team and continuing to study early childhood education through the Waldorf philosophy lense!