Bio -

Geoffrey “Geo” Edwards, is an educator, board certified art therapist, and licensed acupuncturist whose practice integrates art therapy, acupuncture, and herbal medicine. He is owner of Grain & Pestle LLC, initially an apothecary-clinic and now herb farm, and creator of Nu Healing Arts Garden, a teaching garden and incubator for his studio & healing arts practices. Geo started his journey as an art therapist working in juvenile detention centers in Wisconsin and Virginia. Experiences as a parent with young children having complications from severe allergies and asthma eventually led Geo to deepen his studies in East Asian Medicine (Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine) in an effort to fill in the gaps from inadequate pediatric care. During this time Geo would continue to work as an art therapist in adult inpatient acute psychiatric care at Washington Adventist Hospital and it was in these community and clinic settings that the integrative healing arts work that would become Grain & Pestle was molded and began to take form. It was through Nu Healing Arts Garden that the herbal pillar of his practice took root and has continued to expand his collection of perennial plants. This plant collection has been instrumental as study and teaching aids. Looking to gain a deeper understanding of herbs in relation to ecology led him to receive Naturalist training at University of District of Columbia's DC Master Naturalist Program. Geo then received training in the community acupuncture model at City Acupuncture Circle   and gained immense experience treating with success a wide range of ailments with acupuncture, moxibustion, and herbal medicine. Through teaching classes, leading workshops, plant walks, and maintaining his healing arts practice in both studio and garden, he has been able to teach thousands of students, adolescent-to-elders, a variety of subjects ranging from ecology, the 5 elements, and herbalism to poetry and art-as-social action. In addition to farm and studio at Grain & Pestle in Highland Park MI, Geo is a guest lecturer in multiple universities and herb schools both nationally and internationally.