Herbs to Heal the Heart Space

Supporting Birth Trauma and Loss

The heart holds on to experiences in ways that the mind cannot always articulate. For those who have experienced birth trauma, loss, or deep emotional wounds connected to motherhood, healing becomes a journey that requires both gentleness and strength. Herbs have long served as allies in navigating grief, restoring a sense of safety, and reopening the heart to love once more. Below are powerful plant allies that support the heart space, helping to process loss, trauma, and the emotional weight held within the body.

These herbs can be taken in various forms—tinctures, teas, steams, hydrosols, or flower essences. Choose the method that feels most nourishing for you as you embark on your healing journey.

Softening and Opening the Heart

Some emotional wounds make the heart feel closed off, heavy, or guarded. These herbs gently encourage love, self-compassion, and emotional release, helping the heart open once again.

• Rose – Known as the ultimate heart medicine, rose helps move suppressed grief, promotes forgiveness, and heals emotional scars, allowing love to be received again.
  

• Hawthorn – A deeply protective and strengthening heart tonic that shifts energy from the mind to the heart, encouraging self-worth and emotional resilience.
  

• Tulsi (Holy Basil) – Helps release deep-seated trauma, PTSD, and emotional patterns that keep the heart stuck in pain, allowing for emotional release and healing.
  

Processing Grief and Loss

Grief must move to heal—it cannot be buried. These herbs gently support the release of sorrow, guilt, and emotional pain, assisting the body in processing grief and loss.

• California Poppy (both herb and flower essence) – A calming ally for overwhelming emotions, it helps process birth trauma, loss, and feelings of anger, guilt, or powerlessness.
  

• Lemon Balm – Lifts a heavy heart and soothes the nervous system, creating space for joy, calmness, and playfulness to return.
  

• Honeysuckle (Flower Essence) – Helps release attachment to the past, allowing for emotional forward movement, freeing the heart from stagnation.
  

Reconnecting to the Womb Space

For those who have experienced birth trauma, loss, or disruptions in their connection to their womb, these herbs assist in reclaiming that sacred space with gentleness and strength.

• Mugwort – A powerful herb for reclaiming feminine essence and healing trauma from difficult pregnancies, abuse, or obstetrical violence.
  

• Motherwort – Named for its affinity with mothers, Motherwort is a warm embrace, strengthening emotional resilience and providing comfort when feeling unsupported or overwhelmed.
  

• Mariposa Lily (Flower Essence) – Supports the healing of mother-child wounds, including those tied to neglect, loss, or postpartum grief, aiding in emotional recovery and connection.
  

Nervous System Support and Emotional Grounding

The nervous system plays a vital role in emotional processing. These herbs offer steady grounding when emotions feel overwhelming, providing emotional support during difficult moments.

• Milky Oats – Replenishes and soothes a frazzled nervous system, making it ideal for those feeling depleted or burnt out from trauma.
  

• Skullcap – Helps quiet racing thoughts and ease tension in the heart, creating space for deep rest and mental calm.
  

• Star of Bethlehem (Flower Essence) – Supports healing from deep emotional shock and trauma, offering comfort and restoration for the soul.
  
  

Healing from birth trauma, loss, and grief is not a linear process, and it’s not something that can be rushed. These herbs serve as gentle guides, helping process emotions in their own time and way. Whether taken in a soothing cup of tea, a few drops of tincture, or a quiet moment with a flower essence, these plant allies offer the wisdom and support needed to restore balance, resilience, and love within the heart space.

In grief, the heart often closes to protect itself. But healing is about finding a way to reopen—to receive, to give, and to embrace life again, even after loss. May these herbs provide comfort, renewal, and gentle healing as you journey toward wholeness.