Revolutionary People | Barbara Van Hoosen, “The CannaMom”

When most of us were kids and weren’t feeling well, our moms had a magical way of making us feel better – not just with medicine and comfort food but with extra care and attention. For the past year, all of us at Revolutionary Clinics (and our patients, too) have benefitted from the caring and nurturing from one very special mom who also happens to be an outstanding Patient Advocate, Barbara Van Hoosen.

Just like Patient Advocate Suzette Aubuchon, who also has an advanced degree in the social sciences, Barb holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Psychology. In addition to the empathy and understanding she acquired from her formal education, Barb has hands-on experience with chronic pain. “I’ve been living with the pain of a degenerative spine condition for years,” Barb explains. “I had back surgery 13 years ago and I get pain flare-ups like severe sciatica. The pain used to get so bad that I would end up in the ER at least once a year. Opioids made me a zombie and I could barely function. About 2.5 years ago, I decided to give medical cannabis a try, so I got my medical card. Cannabis helps me get through my pain and still be functional. Mixing CBD with THC is fantastic for me, especially when I need to be clear-headed while getting pain relief. Cannabis helps me be a better partner to my husband, a better mother to my child and an all-around better human.”

At Revolutionary Clinics, we’re proud of our diverse workforce. Like a lot of other retail businesses, many of our employees recently graduated from college or are early in their careers. Some of our younger employees are artistic, have big personalities and/or express their individuality in creative ways. When Barb joined the team at our Somerville dispensary as a receptionist, the entire staff fell in love with her and the fact that the mother of an 8-year-old child wanted a career in the cannabis industry. “As a Mom, I like making sure that we take care of ourselves and each other. The only thing I love more than taking care of my patients and co-workers is changing the stigma that cannabis is just for ‘lazy stoners’. I’m living proof of that.”

That’s for sure. Not only is Barb universally respected by our patients and staff, she was recently interviewed by Pro Cannabis Media who wanted to hear her thoughts on how cannabis is changing parenting:

Barb has a way of making everyone she meets feel comfortable and respected. Her infectious attitude isn’t just a result of her experience as a mom, she’s had some fascinating jobs throughout her career as well. Before joining Revolutionary Clinics, Barb worked with adults with intellectual disabilities. She has taught classes at the college level and worked at a chemical weapons depot where she helped neutralize VX nerve agent (we’re not kidding!). Barb was also a contract technical writer at a federal government agency which is why we always have her proofread all of our promotional emails (click here and scroll to the bottom of the page to subscribe).

If you have the pleasure of having a consultation with the “CannaMom,” you can expect a sympathetic ear and all the information and advice you need to make the right decision for you. “I am most proud of the fact that we value our patients and put them first,” Barb says. “We really get to know our patients and their lives and we offer them exceptional customer service.” In many ways, Barb is the mom a lot of us wish we had because she understands that cannabis is medication. You won’t get any guilt trips about “the evils of marijuana” from Barb.

In fact, one of the biggest misconceptions she takes pleasure in disproving is that you don’t have to feel “stoned” to get relief from your ailments. Of course, in true CannaMom style, Barb is quick to add: “but it’s OK if you do”.

When she’s not working, Barb enjoys traveling New England and “having little adventures” with her husband and son. She’s also an avid volunteer who especially enjoys helping families with babies who were born premature. “My son was a micro-preemie, so this issue is near and dear to my heart,” Barb explains.

We hope you enjoyed getting to know Barb better and we look forward to sharing more bios about the “revolutionary” people who help us fulfill our mission of providing the best patient experience in the medical marijuana business. If you have a question or special request for a future topic, be sure to leave a comment or share your suggestions with us using the form on our website! We hope to hear from you soon!