Guest Profile

Katya Difani

Katya Difani is an herbalist and the founder of Herban Wellness, a retail herb shop in Kirkland, WA dedicated to helping people achieve their health goals using herbal medicines.

Katya has a deep connection and respect for nature and plants, a connection that was nurtured in her childhood growing up on a ranch in western Montana. Through her own health challenges in her teenage years, she began to learn about what it means to achieve and maintain health using diet, nutrition, and natural therapies. After completing a degree in cultural anthropology, she went on to complete a Bachelor of Science degree in Herbal Science from Bastyr University in June of 2007. Through this program, and through other clinical herbal training programs and internships, she learned a lot about the human body, the world of plants, how to locate and interpret research on herbal medicines, and in-depth information on over 100 medicinal plants, from a traditional as well as a modern stand point.

In addition, she studied nutrition, particularly from a whole-foods perspective, which confirmed her belief that food is an important foundational component of caring for our bodies and our health.

Beyond herbal medicines and nutrition, she has been exposed to many other forms of health care, including naturopathic medicine, acupuncture & Chinese medicine, homeopathy, chiropractic medicine, and various forms of energy or touch healing. She believes all health and wellness tools have their place and can be uniquely suited for each situation and person.

Our Mascot - Abby


What is the most common question Katya gets at Herban Wellness? Since January when Katya welcomed Abby into her life, it's "What kind of dog is Abby?"Well, Abby is a rescue, so of unknown breed mix. Our best guess is that she's golden retriever-shephard mix. Whatever she is, she's a beauty and her fan base is growing every day. She welcomes scratches and pets of any kind, especially on her belly, and is a sweet, gentle soul whose spunk and youth comes out when another dog enters the shop or when she gets to be outside, preferably chasing ducks in Marina Park