Introduction
During the summer of 2005 I visited many Botanicas in the Bronx. It was an amazing experience to discover these colourful spaces where people get together to chat, buy all sorts of religious/folk paraphernalia and medicinal herbs, baths, candles. The most important sevice Botanicas offer is the Consultations where people can talk to a healer about their emotional and health problems finding someone who listens and understands their problems otherwise ignored by the mainstream healthcare system. The customers are often immigrants who could not afford to see a therapist and that find in Botanicas a source of social capital.