So, you want to be an herbalist?
I know you’ve probably...
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Taken a few herbal courses online or already completed an introductory herbal program (aka you know the basics).
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Tried making herbal formulas by guessing which herbs go well together, but aren't sure if it will really work best together.
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Learned a few plants in your area, but aren’t 100% confident you can correctly identify them, properly harvest them & turn them into effective medicine
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Given health advice to your friends and your family, but want to make sure that what you’re telling them is accurate or safe (and that it won’t interact with allergies or medications they might be taking).
You’re ready to step it up, but there’s something missing.
I know you’re tired of feeling overwhelmed, run down, and burnt out.
You want to take the guesswork out of learning holistic medicine, and just have a simple and easy to learn method that you can follow for years to come!
You want to be...
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CONFIDENT to use herbs safely and accurately, to help those around you,
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COMPETENT in identifying, harvesting, formulating, interviewing, and coming up with herbal protocols,
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AND you want to do this while continuing to learn how to take your own health to the next level too!
You don't want to go to just ANY herb school or training
You want an herb school that focuses on safety and practicality.
You want teachers that are down to earth and make things accessible & relevant to real life situations.
You want to know that what you learn will make a REAL impact in your community and the lives of those around you!
I know how hard it is to find your path on your own
I know you’re ready to walk the path of a healer, but aren’t sure exactly how to get there.
That's why I've created the Community Herbalist Program to not only help you become a confident herbalist, but to learn how to become a healed healer, to truly heal yourself first to make a bigger impact in your community.
Hi! I’m Emily Sanders and I’ve helped dozens of people become herbalists and put their passions into practice in their daily lives.
I believe that in order to be good herbalists with lucrative businesses, we have to heal within FIRST. The healer’s journey with herbs starts with finding out how to truly heal yourself. THEN (and only then) are you ready to help others with their own healing journey.
The reason so many herbalists struggle with their confidence and making a living is this: virtually no herbal training programs teach them how to heal themselves first. You get caught in a cycle of overworking with little or no boundaries and get burned out trying to help other people. You undervalue your work, undercharge or worse, give away way too much golden information for free.
I know this because this is exactly what happened to me when I first started my own journey as an herbalist. It wasn’t until I learned to heal myself first, set better boundaries, and value my work that my life and business turned into the success it is today.
That’s why at the Artemisia Academy, we focus on learning how to nourish our bodies and fill our own cup FIRST, so we can heal ourselves, our land, and our community.
A 350 Hour Hands-On, Hybrid Program designed to help you craft your skill and step into your role as a community herbalist.
The Community Herbalist Program prepares intermediate herbalists for the community clinic setting. Students will learn field identification using the Jepson manual, doing herbal intakes in an acute clinical setting, how to make a variety of medicines for use in the field, cosmetic, or apothecary setting, as well as how to recognize herbal safety, scope of practice, and when to refer out to other medical professionals.
The program consists of 6 modules, to cover all the basics of herbalism & holistic healing, broken down into an easy-to-learn format that is truly approachable and applicable for everyday use.
By the end of the program, you will be able to:
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Start out as a product maker, ethical wild harvester, blogger/health writer, or herbal consultant in the commercial world.
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Work for an established apothecary, herbalist, or vitamin sales company
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Create and formulate your own products or product line
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Identify plants and wild stands in the field and ethically wild harvest and process your own medicine
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Confidently be able to create formulas and herbal/nutritional protocols common ailments
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Gain entry into the clinical herbal program to start gaining hands on experience in a clinical herbal setting
Community Internship
Students of the Community Herbalist Program are required to intern or volunteer 24 hours to one of the many organizations that serve our community. A complete listing of appropriate business and organizations will be given at the beginning of their program. Students have up to 6 months to complete their requirements to receive a certificate of completion.
Module 1: Acute Pathologies & Protocols
Do you want to be confident in making herbal formulas to holistically heal yourself, your family and friends?
In this class you will learn how to create herbal protocols for specific ailments. Each week, we will study common health conditions and diseases for each body system and then talk and taste specific herbs that can be used for them.
Each class, we will look at 3 real case studies, and practice creating formulas for real situations. Get an easy to follow approach to learn how your own body works, and develop herbal protocols including herbs, foods, and healthy lifestyle habits to heal it.
What you will learn:
o Learn pathologies & protocols for each body system
o Study in depth Anatomy and Physiology
o Develop your own working Materia Medica for over 80 herbs
o Understand how to use Herbal Pairs, and create effective herbal formulas
o Review over 30 real case studies, and practice creating holistic protocols
o Walk away with dozens of herbal formulas to help your friends & family
Module 2: Advanced Medicine Making
Do you want to learn how to make herbal medicines for clients or retail? In this class, we go beyond the basics to learn advanced medicine making techniques and outside the box herbal applications.
In this LIVE online class, learn alongside with us in your own kitchen each week to make herbal preparations for first aid, clinical, or retail situations. Get dozens of recipes and detailed how-to guides on each medicine. Walk away with a mini-apothecary of herbal remedies to help your family and friends.
This class covers both internal and external herbal preparations, as well as a basic overview of labeling, legal disclaimers, and GMP’s for medicine makers.
The external preparation covers:
o Learn how to make Poultices, Compresses & Fomentations.
o Create your own Chapstick, Deodorants and Body Butters & Balms.
o Learn how to formulate V-steams, Sitz Baths, and Suppositories for genital, urinary, & digestive health.
The internal preparation covers:
o Learn how to prepare Powders, Capsules and Pastilles
o Create your own Cordials, Elixirs & Herbal Wines & Tonics
o Learn to make Herbal Percolations, and Advanced Formulations & Dosage Techniques
Module 3: Five Flavors of Phytochemistry
Are you curious as to why herbal medicine is so effective and what herbs are really doing in your body? In this class, we take a deep dive into plant phytochemistry and energetics to learn the basics of categories of plant constituents and 5 element theory.
Each week, we will taste our way through the 5 flavors and sample what herbs do in our body. Learn how to identify herbal actions and affected body systems by taste, and understand how these compounds can be best extracted in medicine making.
In this class we will also introduce TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) theory, and how different flavors affect different emotions, organs, and meridians. At the end of each class we will learn specific Qigong exercises for each flavor and Chinese organ system, to walk away with a practical and a hands-on approach to remembering TCM theory for years to come.
What you will learn:
o Learn an introduction to Phytochemistry and 5 element theory
o Study energetic and emotional medicine
o Learn Medical Qigong exercises and self-care for the 5 elements & emotional states
o Understand how to best extract specific classes of plant constituents
o Taste over 20 herbs and learn their energetic effects
Module 4: Intro to Clinical Skills
Do you want to learn how to safely develop herbal protocols for the general public and prepare for the clinical herbal setting?
In this live ONLINE class we will study client compliance strategies and learn how to work with different populations. Get an easy to follow approach to learn how to spot red flags and common pathology patterns, as well as when to refer out to Medical Professionals.
Each week, we walk through different key aspects of what it is like to work with clients. As homework during this class, you will interview your own client and conduct an herbal follow up session. Share your case studies in a Clinical Round Table Setting and get real feedback from your teacher and peers.
What you will learn:
o Learn how to do clinical intakes & use document your work through clinical forms
o Study basic pharmacology, herb-drug safety, and herbal contraindications
o Understand when to refer out to medical professionals
o Learn how to spot red flags and common pathology patterns
o Understand ethical and legal issues in the herbal world and how to keep yourself protected
Module 5: Botany for Herbalists
Are you ready to take the guesswork out of plant identification and want to learn to accurately identify plants?
In this class we will survey common herbal plant families in the United States and meet our local members of each family. Each week we will peel back the layers of language of plants in Botany terms and learn how to use this terminology to identify flowering plants in the field.
Learn how to recognize plants by their common visual characteristics, taste, smell & feel. Understand what members of each plant family have in common, their safety and key stand out features that will help you recognize plants all around the world. Walk away with a toolkit to learn how to substitute plants in formulas, no matter what region you are in!
What you will learn:
o Survey over 40 plant families and common herbs and plants within them
o Study in depth Botany terms, and describe the world through a new plant language
o Learn how to recognize plants in the field by visual & organoleptic features
o Understand the common edible, poisonous and medicine plants by plant family
o Learn common safety, side effects, and contraindications for members in each plant family
Module 6: Jepson Manual Plant Identification - Field Class
Do you want to be able to confidently identify herbs & plants and turn them into herbal medicine?
In this class, you will help you learn how to accurately key out plants in the field without the use of apps or tour guides. Take a tour through the ecosystems of Southern California through our 3 in-person camping trips. Meet your local plant allies and build relationships with these plants and the land for years to come!
In this class, we will take you step-by-step to learn how to key out plants using the Jepson Manual or other dichotomous keys. Learn how to identify and ethically wild harvest herbs in the field.
Understand our important role as Community Herbalists to protect our wild plant stands, and pass on the stories the plants have to tell us. Become a part of a community of land stewards that help to protect and restore our wild medicines for future generations.
What you will learn:
o Study key botanical terms and how to identify flowering plants
o Understand how to use the Jepson Manual and successful practice and key out plants
o Survey common ecosystems of California, and learn what each unique habitat provides
o Learn why certain plant species have become endangered, and how to protect them
o Learn how to identify herbal stands to safely and ethically wild harvest your own medicine
The Community Herbalist Program is a Hybrid program, designed so you can ask questions, get live feedback, and receive personalized coaching every step of the way. With both online and in-person classes, you get both the accountability and personal connection of a real live classroom, with also the flexibility of an online program to better fit your creative lifestyle.
This includes:
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42 weeks of LIVE online lectures via Zoom
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Thursday afternoons, 1-5pm PST.
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3 IN-PERSON camping trips around Southern California
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Friday morning -Sunday afternoons,
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For those who live out of the area, we have an ONLINE ONLY option, which includes:
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Substituting the Jepson Manual Field Class, for the Holistic Gardener Online Course. In that class you will learn to create your own healing garden, rather than harvesting it in the wild.
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A weekly LIVE office hour via Zoom
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One evening a week, 5:15-6pm PST.
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To ask questions and get one-on-one support from your instructors,
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To help cover makeup material (if you miss a class),
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Specially designed for those who work during the day in mind, to continue to get support and accountability to keep up with classes.
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Downloadable Class Workbooks & Handouts
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Dozens of Recipes & Medicine Making How to Guides
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Lifetime access to video recordings of each Live class, with the option to download the audio to easily listen to the classes over and over again on the go.
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Plus, you will also get
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Access to our online student community forum,
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Special Invite to join our FREE Community Events & Workshops,
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Discounted Membership to join the United Plant Savers,
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And with that membership, you can get discounts on herb orders from Mountain Rose herbs & as well as many other perks!
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Students that complete the program will get a certificate of completion, and 350 hours that can be counted towards (but does not complete) the American Herbalist Guild Education Requirements to become a Registered Herbalist.
This program does not qualify you to become a clinical herbalist or to practice herbalism in a job or career. However, this is just another step on your journey meant to build the foundation of a sustainable lifestyle and herbal practice to help you be of service to your family and friends.
Emily Sanders
Emily is the Director & Founder of the Artemisia Academy, and has been studying holistic health for over 12 years. She is a Certified Clinical Herbalist and Clinical Nutritionist from the North American Institute of Medical Herbalism, and Certified Massage Therapist from Santa Barbara Body Therapy Institute. She apprenticed at the Herb Pharm, in Williams, Oregon. Her hope is to pass on the knowledge of sustainable living with practical entrepreneurial skills so that herbalists can create thriving practices that fully support themselves, their land, and their community.
Jaimee Simundson
Jaimee Simundson is a Clinical Herbalist and medicine maker living on a homestead in the Santa Barbara foothills. She offers both herbal consultations and a line of herbal products, teas, extracts and other healing goods, under the label Elderflower Ranch. She is guided by the belief that everyone has the right to feel safe, comfortable and at home in their body.
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Jiling Lin
Jiling Lin is a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac), herbalist, and yoga teacher in Ventura, CA. She regularly writes for Mountain Rose Herbs, and directs “Tea Talks with Jiling” on the Herbal Radio podcast. She apprenticed with 7song at the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine, studied at the Colorado School of Clinical Herbalism, then graduated with a Master’s of Science in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (M.S.AOM) from Alhambra Medical University.
Enrollment closes on Friday, April 5th for the Spring 2024 session.
Steps to enroll:
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Push the "Apply Now" button above.
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Fill out an application.
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Schedule your interview.
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Pay your deposit to hold your spot in the program!
Space is limited to new 8 students per quarter to keep class size small and to give more personal attention to each student. If the program is already filled or you've missed the enrollment cut off, please apply now anyways to get on wait list for the next quarter.
PLUS, you get over $600 in Bonuses!!!
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Fill Up Your Own Cup -
Self Care Assessment for Healers (valued at $39)
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Take an inventory of where you are at before you start the program!
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We will cover all the bases here, and help you see where you have room to grow on your own healing journey.
Put Your OWN Oxygen Mask On FIRST-
A Guide to Becoming a Healed Healer (valued at $87)
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Learn the Essential Self Care First Model for becoming an herbalist with self-sustainability in mind.
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We will point out the warning signs of burnout and how to build up your own energy reserves instead of depleting them!
Start your first apothecary -
Resource Guide (valued at $127)
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Learn the essentials that you will need for medicine making and where to ethically source organic herbs and medicine making supplies.
Why Take This Plant?
An Herbalists Field Guide to Protecting &
Ethically Wild Harvesting Herbal Medicines
(valued at $37)
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Get a detailed checklist of how to choose herbs for wild harvesting and learn what plants need your protection.
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Find out what species are on the At-Risk and Endangered lists, and what you can do to help them!
My Clinical Forms -
Resource Packet (valued at $397)
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Have everything you will need to start doing herbal intakes in a clinical setting
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This clinical starter packet includes plug-in play forms, procedures, disclaimers, and other essential legal documents.
My First Herbal Inventory -
How to set up an inventory tracking system (Valued at $197)
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Learn how to document your herbal orders and create your first inventory procedures for your at-home apothecary.
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This includes order forms, inventory forms, raw materials intake guides, and clean apothecary procedures!
Building the Dream Workbook -
My Guide to LIVING an Inspired Life (valued at $300)
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6 monthly emails to keep yourself on track with creating your inspired life through following your path as an herbalist.
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Start learning holistic business habits to make your dreams a reality!
By the end of the program you will...
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Have the confidence to use over 80 herbs for healing common ailments,
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Understand how to nourish your body with healthy foods and support your body's natural cycles,
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Have a mini-apothecary of herbal remedies to help your family and friends,
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Know the names uses of the plants around you, and have a personal connection with your herbal allies,
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Understand your role as healer, and develop healthy boundaries and self-care practices on a daily basis,
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Be a part of a community of holistic healers that are dedicated to healing through sustainable living.
Imagine a few years from now after you have completed your herbal training.
You feel confident about your knowledge to help your friends and your family. You are living a more sustainable life, more aligned with the natural cycles of the earth and the timing of the seasons. You know the plants that grow around you. You know the names of all the mountains and creeks in your big backyard. The hills here are a collection of your healing herbal allies, and finally, walking along the tails, you feel like your home, you are right where you belong.
You are a part of an incredible community of healers & herbalists, all working together to help heal our community and build a future for all our children. You realize, this is it. You are finally living your dream. You are a part of something bigger than yourself, and that something is nourishing and fulfilling your life on every level. You have arrived in the future that you always dreamed of.
All this and more is possible with a teacher that will support you along the entire way, and a school that nurtures you right where you are at, one step at a time.
“I have had the pleasure and honor of studying with Emily over last year. She is one of my favorite mentors I have ever had. She crafts such interesting and potent classes, that I cannot help but to continually sign up for each class she offers. I think she may have to keep creating classes for our entire lifetime, and I even then I am unsure that will be enough.
She creates a safe environment for her students to learn, to express themselves, and to become a family. She makes us all so excited to learn and to grow with the plants that she introduces us to.
Now, when I walk about the neighborhood, I look at the world differently. I look at plants differently. She has helped me to uncover my greatest gift, my great love of plants.
If you want to learn herbalism, learn with Emily. You will learn more than you could ever imagine!” -- Finny
"The community herbalist program threw open the doors to a realization that there's a vast body of knowledge of many aspects of the plant-human interaction that has largely been ignored or forgotten in modern days.
The program was an invaluable step in my path of discovery. It was fun and interactive too."-- Liz
"After taking the Herbal Apprentice Program, I was so excited to keep on learning! The advance medicine making course gave me a deeper understanding of how to make effective herbal medicine. Applying a poultice on my own body I could feel the actions of the herbs. Making my own chapstick gave me the option to use only the ingredients I wanted in my personal care products. It was very empowering!
The Five Flavors of Phytochemistry class made the chemistry part of herbalism approachable & easier to understand. Just by tasting an herb & noticing where I felt it in my body could give me a clue as to how an herb could be used. This class is taught as a 'lay person’s' chemistry class! So much more understandable & fun!" -- Kris
Q: What level of competency do I need to take this course?
This program is specific for intermediate students who have already taken an introductory program in herbal medicine (of 100-150 hrs of training). Students are expected to know basic human anatomy, medicine making, plant identification, and introductory clinical skills.
Students wishing to transfer from another school should contact us to see if their prior education is sufficient to jump at this level of training.
Q: What is time commitment?
Students have reported back that they learned more in just a few months than what they have tried to learn on their own for years. So although it is a time commitment, it saves hundreds of hours versus trying to learn it on your own.
Generally, students take about 6-12 hours a week outside of class time to spend on reading and homework assignments. We do not do busy work, however, this program does have graded (pass/fail) tests in each course. An 80% score is required to pass and receive a certificate of completion for each course. Students may retake tests until they are passed.
Most students work full time jobs, and/or are parents as well. We try are best to accommodate everyone’s busy lifestyle and respect your time and dedication to learning!
Q: What if I have a hard time learning?
This course is specifically created for us creative mind types of people. We cover all the learning styles; visual, auditory, hands on and experiential.
Also, since all of our courses are recorded live, students can go back and listen to the audio, or watch the video again anytime. Students will have lifetime access to these course materials, so they can re-watch the videos for years to come.
Q: What if I don’t do well with online classes?
Other online programs are typically prerecorded and don’t involve student involvement.
Our classes are all LIVE and designed to feel like an in-person class in the comfort of your own home. Students get to talk with one another, ask questions, and get real feedback during the live class.
Q: What if I work during the time classes are offered, can I still take the class?
We have many students that have time commitments during class hours who still join the class.
These students watch the live recordings, and then we set up a special “OFFICE HOUR” each week for those students to check in and ask questions.
Q: What if I cant make the live classes?
All of our classes are recorded so that students can have access to the classes they missed.
Students have lifetime access to all of the course materials (audio, video, and hand outs).
Q: Can I join if I don’t have access to herbs?
We provide ALL the herbs for students that they need for this course. Additional herbs and supplies can also be purchased through the Artemisia Academy.
Students will also be given extensive resource lists so that they will have local and online options to find herbs and supplies.
Q: What if I don’t have special equipment at home to make herbal remedies?
All of our courses are set up so that students can follow along with normal kitchenware they have at home. Supply and tool lists will be sent out ahead of time so that students can be prepared in case they don’t have something at home.
Students also have the option to purchase a Medicine Maker’s Supply Box for all the special bottles and items they may not have at home.
Q: I am really looking for the spiritual connection piece. Do you talk about plant spirit medicine?
We talk both about Plant Spirit Medicine and Herbal Energetics through sitting with EACH plant in our Five Flavors class. However, we focus MORE on the physiological effects of herbs, with only a sprinkling of the spiritual effects. In other words, we like to cover the sciences, and just a tad bit of woo-woo.
We try our best to keep it well balanced and down to earth so as to apply herbalism to people of all backgrounds. If you are looking to focus mainly on plant spirit medicine, this may be too clinical of an approach for you.
Q: How is an online class hands-on?
We believe that learning herbs needs to be hands-on in order to truly learn it the most.
All of our classes expose you to multiple ways to interact with herbs for a hands-on approach, including tasting herbs, making medicine, watching videos, interacting with classmates, hearing stories, and feeling your own body's senses.
Q: I really want to touch & feel the plants. How can I connect to nature more over the internet?
In our Jepson Manual Feld Class class, we get to go out into nature to connect with the plants in person.
Even if students are participating ONLY online, they still have to do field work because no video or picture will replace an in-person experience with the plants.
We give suggestions on where and how to go on a herb hike, and detailed instructions to go out and make REAL connections with the plants!
"The Community Herbalist Program has been so deepening for my herbal practice. After taking Herbal Apprentice Program, I wanted to learn more to help myself and loved ones.
I was the most excited for The Advanced Medicine Making, being able to create more topical remedies for skin and internal remedies for the body, marrying the new herbal knowledge coupled with what I already knew about skin health, being a holistic esthetician.
Acute Pathologies and Protocols had to be my favorite overall though, learning powerful herbal pairs and putting together a Case Study- the process of interviewing someone, getting an in depth health overview, then formulating something specific to help their needs- all the while being supported and encouraged by the group. Having a round table with the case studies really brought in suggestions I wouldn't have considered and was immensely helpful, not to mention rounded out the program in a way that made me feel empowered to help others!" -- Ivy
