Dear Visionary... 💫

Welcome to our Sunday Student Spotlight series, where every other week we share the story and accomplishments of a Rockwell student or graduate.

Our community is filled with extraordinary healers doing inspiring work in the world, and we're thrilled to share their stories with you. 

Meet Dr. Hannah Horst

Rockingham County, Virginia | Class of 2025 | DNM

"Wellness begins with what we choose daily." - H. Horst

In the rolling hills of Rockingham County, Virginia, Dr. Hannah Horst is building something rare: a healing practice rooted in childhood wonder, forged through personal crisis, and sustained by unwavering faith.

As a young girl, she walked through the woods with her father, learning the names of native plants and trees, captivated by the way nature offered remedies hidden in plain sight. She didn't know then that those woodland lessons would one day become the foundation of her life's work.

When Medicine Became the Problem

At just nine years old, Hannah was prescribed medication for anxiety. What followed were years of struggling with side effects that shadowed her childhood and young adult life.

Finally, in her adult years, with God's help, she made the difficult decision to taper off. What she didn't expect was discontinuation syndrome, a constellation of symptoms that left her practically bedridden for a year, with lingering effects that persisted for more than two years beyond that.

Doctors were stumped. Their answer was more prescriptions. "They kept pushing more and more medications," Hannah recalls. "But western medicine couldn't give me an answer for why my health was so terrible." The system that was supposed to heal her had no explanation for her suffering and no solution beyond adding more pills to the regimen.

Desperate and dismissed, Hannah turned to natural medicine, not as a first choice, but as a final hope. "Natural medicine was my 'last resort,'" she says, "but it ended up being what changed my whole life."

She completed her clinical herbalist certification and knew immediately she wanted to go deeper. When she discovered Rockwell's Doctor of Natural Medicine (DNM) program, everything aligned.

"The flexible schedule was perfect for me as a mother with young children," she explains. "But more than that, Rockwell offered the depth I needed to truly understand natural medicine."

A Worldview Transformed

From the very first module, Hannah felt something shift. She learned that most people throughout history had relied on natural medicine, that hospitals once used botanical remedies before the rise of pharmaceuticals.

"It was life-changing for me," she says. "I realized how much we've forgotten, and how powerful the body's natural abilities truly are."

One section stood out: the module on cancer. "Seeing how big of an industry cancer is blew my mind," she recalls. "I truly had no idea."

But perhaps the most profound lesson came from her own healing journey. Natural therapies didn't just improve her symptoms; they saved her life.

"I'm so grateful to God for leading me to natural medicine," she says. "It gave me my life back."

Horst Herbs: Where Faith Meets Flora

Today, Hannah operates Horst Herbs, a clinical herbalist practice offering online and in-person consultations, plus a small-batch product line available through her website and in select local stores. She works on a sliding scale to ensure accessibility, specializing in parasitology, cancer prevention, and cell salts.

Her philosophy is grounded in simplicity and compassion: "My goal is to meet people where they are and support the body's natural abilities."

Her own journey gave her deep empathy for others navigating similar struggles. She understands what it's like to feel unheard and desperate for answers.

"What I find most rewarding is helping others and being a listening ear for my clients," she explains. "Believing their story and journey, and encouraging them to keep going. Seeing clients regain freedom, that's what keeps me going."

For Hannah, herbs and natural medicine are part of God's design for healing. That sense of gratitude and purpose infuses every aspect of her work.

"Natural remedies take time," she reminds those who come to her. "It can take a few months to see progress. But that doesn't mean it isn't working."

Her proudest accomplishment at Rockwell was completing the updated DNM curriculum, including modules on cancer prevention, parasitology, and the Certified Holistic Health Practitioner (CHHP) designation.

Looking Ahead

In five years, Hannah envisions significant growth for Horst Herbs. She dreams of seeing her products in more local stores, expanding her office space, and eventually offering house calls.

"I would love to be able to do house calls," she says. "To meet people in their homes, to see their environment, to support them where they live. That feels like the kind of care people deserve."

Her advice to those beginning their journey is both practical and encouraging:

"Don't give up. Keep going. Study as much as you can and read, read, read. Bring your learning into everyday life. I listened to videos and studies while folding laundry or cooking dinner. You don't have to have it all figured out before you start."

She also reminds students that Rockwell's education reveals just how many options exist within health and wellness.

"If one modality doesn't work, you can always try another," she says. "That realization has been so freeing, both for me and for my clients."

Grounded in Prayer

To stay centered, Hannah begins each day with prayer. "It's so important to me," she says simply. That daily grounding keeps her connected to the purpose behind her work and reminds her that healing is a partnership between practitioner, patient, and the divine.

For Hannah Horst, natural medicine is not a career. It is a calling, one she discovered in the woods as a child, one she reclaimed in her darkest hour, and one she now lives out daily through Horst Herbs, small-batch remedies, and a practice rooted in faith, empathy, and the belief that wellness begins with what we choose daily.

Connect with Dr. Horst here 🔆

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