Community Highlights: Meet Marie-Lies of The Fleur and Forage Free Clinic

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marie-Lies.

Hi Marie-Lies, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My journey in herbal medicine started in 2008, when I picked up a book at the Auburn University Library. I don’t remember the title of the book, but it talked about the importance of what you put on your skin and inside of your body. I started reading a variety of books on the topic, including books by Brigitte Mars and Rosemary Gladstar. I completed Rosemary Gladstar’s at Home Study Course, The Science and Art of Herbalism, in 2014. Through Gladstar’s course I received my foundational knowledge in herbal medicine and started to make herbal preparations for myself and friends. Over the years, I have continued to learn from various herbalists such as Patricia Kyritsi Howell, Lucretia VanDyke, Leslie Williams among others.
In 2015, I met Lorna Mauney-Brodek (the founder of Herbalista) at the First Aid Station at the Florida Earthskills Gathering and we reconnected in Atlanta when my husband hurt himself. Between 2015 and 2022, I was involved with Herbalista in various capacities; I taught at the Herbalista Monthly Health Fair, co-taught hydrosol distillation workshops with Lorna, became an apprentice, managed the apothecary, made loads of herbal medicine, was an Apotheker and clinician at the free clinics, and was Lorna’s assistant.
During those years my knowledge and passion for herbal remedies to help the body and connect with the greater community was born. In 2022, Lorna moved to Ireland and passed on all the herbs, supplies and gear to run the herbal free clinic to my LLC, Fleur + Forage.
Since March 2022, I have been running the Fleur and Forage Free Clinic (now a 501c3) which has taught me a lot in terms of being a business owner and educator, managing volunteers, accounting, social media, and so much more. I am grateful for the journey and my work in the community today. I am especially grateful to the herbs for connecting me with a group of people I would otherwise not interact with, both the people I volunteer with but also the people we serve through our free clinic pop-ups.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Since taking on the free and mobile clinic, I have had to wear many hats, which can be challenging and overwhelming at times. Having five apprentices helping me each week has been a huge blessing as we are able to make more herbal preparations so we can reach more people. The side people don’t see of the business still mostly falls on me, except for the work the board members do. There is a lot of computer work to keep up with volunteer sign-ups, social media posts, updating the website, ordering herbs/supplies, etc. I look forward to expanding the business to allow more people to support the work behind the scenes.

We’ve been impressed with The Fleur and Forage Free Clinic, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The Fleur and Forage Free Clinic is a 501c3 that focuses on providing free and holistic services to people who experience homelessness. We are a group of volunteers from different walks of life with a passion for herbal medicine and holistic care. We currently set up at four different locations each month: three locations in Atlanta and one location in Athens. We go to churches and other places where folks already come for food and community resources. We currently offer herbal consultations, herbal tea, reiki, chair massage and acupuncture.

On Thursdays, apprentices come to the Herbal Studio to make all the herbal preparations we distribute. We aim to source a lot of our herbs from local farmers and schools as this deepens the community connection. We use a stackable toolbox, the “Fleur and Forage Apothebox”, to organize the preparations by body systems.

Every year, I teach a workshop to train new volunteers on the “Fleur and Forage Apothebox”. I also accept new apprentices twice a year. Once people have become a volunteer, they can attend our “continued education” classes and join our book club and Slack channel. These are offered so we can continue to learn as a group to better serve our community.

For the past four years, we have focused on serving herbs to people who experience homelessness and using herbal medicine to build connection and community.

You can find out our monthly clinic schedule as well as medicine making workshops on our website: https://fleurandforagefreeclinic.org/events/

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
As a child I was super shy and had a hard time speaking in a group without bursting into tears. In college, when I was in my Speech and Communication class, every time I had to give a presentation I would shake like a tree and be barely audible because I was so scared of talking in public. Now most of what I do requires me to talk to folks I don’t know or to big groups of people and I am mostly fine with it. I may still get a bit nervous but I am so passionate about the work that it doesn’t bother me (my Belgium accent might just be more pronounced ;)).

Pricing:

• The Clinics are free to everyone who shows up
• Workshop pricing varies

Contact Info:

• Website: https://fleurandforagefreeclinic.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fleurandforageatl/ and https://www.instagram.com/fleurandforageathens
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091615508423
• Other: https://fleurandforagefreeclinic.org/59-2/

Image Credits
Picture #1 taken by Emma Courson at the Advantage Day Center, 2025.
Picture #2 taken by Stewart Goodman. Picture of Marie-Lies Van Asten.
Picture #3 taken with Marie-Lies Van Asten’s phone (by a volunteer) at Mercy Community Church. 2024.
Picture #4 taken by Marion Hegedus Photography at The Atlanta Friendship Center 2025.