Medicinal plant scientist Laz guides you through herbal medicine making, with plants to support stress and mental health.
Herbal medicines have been used for millennia to support good health and wellbeing. Knowledge of which plants and fungi are effective was once a normal part of households, however over time this valuable knowledge has been lost. In this workshop, medicinal plant scientist Rebecca Lazarou will guide you through 10 plants you can use at home for mental health, stress and peace of mind.
The workshop will go as follows:
Firstly, she will guide you through a somatic meditation, and tea tasting so that you can experience the plants in a felt sense before knowledge is shared. This is also a grounding practise that can be taken outside of the workshop, to help quiet the mind and connect with oneself.
Following this she will guide you through the science behind herbal medicines, the pharmacology of each plant and traditional uses and the ways you can work with them at home.
Then you will then blend your own bespoke teas, choosing from a selection of 10 plants that support the nervous system, mood and mental and emotional wellbeing.
Home herbalism is an invaluable skill that can go a long way in improving people’s quality of life physically, mentally and emotionally. This was once common knowledge, and it still is a widely embraced form of medicine across most cultures. However early industrialisation and modern life in the UK means that we have forgotten something that was previously natural to us.
Knowing which plants are helpful and how to use them is very empowering, as it means that when life inevitably gives us trouble’s we have more tools that support our health and vitality with minimal side effects. It can also be fun to play and experiment, much like cooking! A little bit of knowledge on a few ingredients goes a long way, and lasts a lifetime.
What to bring: Participants should bring a paper and pen, and a jar if possible.
“Professional knowledge and amazing spirit from Laz, interactive and memorizable workshop! Would recommend to any plant/herbal enthusiast to gain or develop the existing knowledge. The mixture of professionalism and individual approach to attendees makes the event experience much pleasurable. With the medication techniques included in the workshop, one can really make a deeper connection with the group, and can integrate the knowledge on a much deeper basis. Happy to have experienced Laz’s event”
About Laz
My name is Rebecca Lazarou, people also call me Laz. I founded Laz The Plant Scientist to provide high quality, sustainably sourced, efficacious natural medicines for people, as well as to educate on this invaluable and deeply overlooked part of healthcare.
I have a degree in Biomedical Sciences- Human Biology, and an MSc in Medicinal Natural Products and Phytochemistry and I am currently pursuing my PhD in medicinal plants at Kew Gardens and UCL School of Pharmacy. Previously I was an academic researcher and editor in the field of medicinal plants, and have worked with the Eden Project, Wellcome Trust, Kew Gardens, the Journal of Herbal Medicine and the McKenna Academy. My work has spanned research topics from ancient Greek medicines, to psychoactive plants from around the world.
I also work on public education for herbal medicines, and am now the science advisor for Herbal Reality, and a board member for the McKenna Academy. My research and education focuses are on ethnopharmacology, herbalism, phytochemistry, pharmacognosy and integrative healthcare.
Ultimately, I do this because I want people to live well and happy. My work has shown me over and over again that traditional medicines, and traditional knowledge are incredible resources of knowledge that support our health and our relationship with the planet. My aim is to help nurture our relationship with nature through herbalism, and help people live with more ease, vitality, power and happiness.
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PsychArt is a volunteer-led collective and annual conference exploring the role of the arts in mental health. Our work is rooted in creating spaces for reflection, contemplation, creativity, understanding, and healing; bringing together clinicians, artists, and wider communities through shared experience.
Run by a committee of trainee psychiatrists and therapists who are also artists, musicians, and creative practitioners, PsychArt’s events are open to anyone with an interest in attending.
In the lead-up to our June 2026 conference, we are curating a series of evening workshops inspired by the theme Altered States, extending the spirit and conversations of the conference into more intimate, embodied, and exploratory settings.
Contact: If you have any questions regarding this session, please email programming@stmargaretshouse.org.uk
Venue: The Mulberry Hall at St Margaret's House, 21 Old Ford Road — E2 9PL
Access: If you have any access needs of which we should be aware, please get in touch with us on 020 8980 2092 or email programming@stmargaretshouse.org.uk so we can arrange this for you. We are happy to provide a free PA/Carer ticket for anyone with access needs.
Date: Thursday 26th February
Time: 7.15-9.15pm
Tickets:
Pay Less (covers some of our costs) – I am a student, unemployed, on benefits or financially stressed - £15
Standard (covers most of our costs) – I am employed, have some expendable income, and manage to meet my basic needs - £20
Pay it Forward (covers all of our costs and supports our work at SMH) – I am employed or have enough savings to comfortably meet my basic needs - £25