Hi, I'm Layne Whitley—author, educator, blogger, and course creator with a passion for helping people rediscover the beauty of alcohol-free living through history, herbs, and seasonal ingredients.

Growing up in Massachusetts, I was surrounded by my grandmother's "wise woman" traditions — seasonal meals from garden harvests and foraged ingredients, healing teas, and stories about how our early Pilgrim ancestors survived with the help of the Wampanoag people. Those early experiences sparked a lifelong fascination with herbal traditions, forgotten beverages, and the ways people have turned to nature for nourishment and celebration throughout history. I later studied herbal medicine through the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine and the Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine — not to practice as an herbalist, but to deepen my understanding of the relationship between people and plants, and the stories behind the ingredients we use today.

Today, I combine that curiosity with more than 25 years of experience in education and professional writing to create books, blog articles, newsletters, online courses, and retreats that make history, wellness, and practical living engaging and accessible. My work blends historical research, storytelling, and modern science to help readers craft beautiful alcohol-free drinks while reconnecting with traditions that have often been forgotten. I'm the author of From Excuses to Freedom: How Real People Left Alcohol Behind, How to Thrive in Your Alcohol-Free Life, and More Than a Mocktail: A Fresh Approach to a Timeless Tradition, and I also work as a professional ghostwriter, partnering with organizations and thought leaders on books, articles, and educational content.

Whether I'm exploring centuries-old herbal recipes, sharing seasonal mocktails inspired by history, or leading a retreat, my goal is the same: to help people discover that living well doesn't require alcohol — just a little creativity, a connection to nature, and a willingness to see familiar traditions in a new light.