Brooksley Williams, CAS
Ayurvedic and Nutrition Counselor
Brooksley Williams has been working as an Ayurvedic Practitioner since 2000. She received her initial training at the California College of Ayurveda, apprenticed with Vaidyas Mamta Landerman in the Bay Area and Myrica Morningstar in Kauai, and completed advanced studies in Ayurveda and Panchakarma in India. Before returning to the East Coast in 2002, Ms. Williams operated a thriving private practice in San Francisco, where she also served on the Board of Directors for the California College of Ayurveda. In 2005 she completed her training as a holistic nutritional counselor at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She received her BA in Psychology from Oberlin College. Fluent in American Sign Language, Ms. Williams has also worked as a professional sign language interpreter in the greater Pioneer Valley. She has practiced Ayurveda and Nutritional Counseling in the Northampton area since 2005 through her company, Eat Consciously, and is now a happy member of the Valley Ayurveda family.
Brooksley Williams, CAS, Associate Director
Ayurvedic and Nutrition Counselor
Brooksley grew up eating a Standard American Diet, and though her mother was an “accomplished” cook, Brooksley was often sick and had terrible allergies. She was also addicted to sugar- especially chocolate. After college, she worked at a place called Smile Herb Shop in the apothecary. It was there that she discovered her love of natural healing and her interest in Ayurveda.
She became convinced that keeping closely attuned to the laws of nature provided health and longevity, taking to heart the quote by Da Vinci: "Vitality and beauty are gifts of Nature for those who live according to its laws." The Earth has been here for billions of years, and as a part of the earth, humans should be able to maintain and heal their bodies and minds using natural laws and remedies. The language and approach of Ayurveda spoke to her.
Brooksley moved out to California to pursue her interest in Ayurveda at the California College of Ayurveda. During her time there, she was able to travel to India and the island of Kauai to further her studies. Leading up to and following her graduation in the year 2000, she apprenticed with an Ayurvedic vaidya (a medical doctor trained specifically in Ayurveda) and eventually opened up her own practice in San Francisco, CA.
Also during that time, she and a colleague led two groups of women from St. Mary’s College on a January term trip back to Kauai. They studied alternative healing practices such as Aromatherapy, Homeopathy, Acupuncture and Ayurveda and visited healers around the island. They practiced living in a health conscious way during the month there. It’s not hard being healthy while on a beautiful island like Kauai!!
Yoga, t’ai chi, and karate opened Brooksley up to the understanding of how our bodies and minds MUST work together if we are to achieve true wellness. In 2001 she achieved her brown belt in Shaolin-style karate, and began to teach karate classes to children and adults.
Knowing she had to eventually return to her roots, in 2002 she packed up and moved east. Before re-opening her practice she decided to broaden her training at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York where she studied diets from all over the world and learned how work, relationships, exercise, and spirituality all have an effect on our relationship with food. It really hit home for her that it’s not just what you eat, but why, when, and how, that matters too!
She opened Eat Consciously Ayurveda in the Spring of 2005 and has been seeing clients in her home office since that time. She lives in Northampton, MA with her husband, daughter, son, and dog.
