Certified Holistic Home Herbalist Program 2019
(This program has started, if you wish to attend in-person classes, please purchase the full online herbal program. This allows you to attend any in-person sessions as well as our field trips. You will also receive a 50% discount on any of my 2019 workshops. You cannot combine multiple discounts)
I’m so thankful you’ve found my page, I believe everything happens for a reason at just the right time and this is no exception, so welcome! I know you’ve probably been searching through many herbal schools and looking at various curriculums for a while – you want to make sure you’re making the right choice for you – I applaud you for your thoroughness and commitment to your craft. Let me share with you why I believe my program is the best, then I’ll leave it to you to decide if my herbal program is a good fit for you.
I’ve spent the last 20 years (and I’m still learning/studying every day) learning herbal medicine. I have enrolled in MANY herbal programs via correspondence & online courses, I’ve attended herbal conferences, herbal talks/walks, and weekend intensives. What I have experienced has allowed me to take the best parts of every program and formulate the most thorough program that I wish I’d been able to find and start it in my area. (there are online options available if you don’t live within driving distance)
One of the things I’ve found most frustrating about the majority of online programs was the lack of order and structure, and those were my only option because of the lack of availability of brick-and-mortar herbal schools in my area (Inland Northwest). Some online schools do have very distinct order but fail to provide a truly comprehensive program or meaningful feedback (a simple letter grade or “pass” with no personal message or critique). When taking online programs I had to pick and choose and piecemeal my education together. Unlike many new or experienced herbalists, I was fortunate because I had previous healthcare experience (CNA and CertA Pharmacy Technician) as well as fitness and nutrition background which allowed me to understand anatomy and physiology and other aspects of holistic herbalism better. However, I realized there are many people out there who don’t have that experience or education so I’ve included A&P, mind-body connection, movement & nutrition into my curriculum (this is incorporated throughout the sessions emphasizing a holistic approach).
There are a total of 16 sessions and each is built on the one before, I have not separated it according to subject. My focus is on expanding your knowledge in a way that makes you feel empowered and confident. This herbal program does not allow for you to jump from session to session or take a subject separately from another (holistic means that you understand that everything is interconnected). Keeping to a schedule also gives you an extrinsic (outside yourself) motivation that ensures your progress through the program – there’s no forgetting about the program you’re enrolled in (something that happens frequently with online and correspondence programs).
Herbalism is a Lifestyle
I know you want to move ahead as quickly as possible, believe me, you’re talking to the queen of getting it done! But an important aspect of herbalism is realizing that you will never be done with your studies – it isn’t about memorizing facts (though that IS part of it) and it’s not about reaching a certain level of mastery then sitting back contentedly in your knowledge. Herbalism is a lifestyle, one that allows for constant personal and intellectual growth. When you commit to a program realize that it is the door you are going through to begin your herbal journey, it’s not the destination. And we all know the journey is really the greatest part of all things, not the destination.
You’re Investing Wisely
I want you to know that you are making the right choice. You will profit from a thorough, structured and well-planned out program. Obviously you want to feel secure knowing you invested your money wisely (I made the program affordable at only $19 per instruction hour) and because I built the program to fulfill my dream program, I know it’s a great investment. And the best investment you can make is an investment in yourself, would you agree?
With the accountability of a well laid out course, personalized feedback, and a distinct timeline to complete the program, you can be sure of your success, I will be there every step of the way helping you stay on track and be successful! Are you starting to see the value of my program?
Who is this program for?
- Nutritionists looking to broaden their understanding of herbs and incorporate them into their practice.
- Stay-at-home moms wanting to take better care of their families naturally.
- Other health professionals seeking to add herbs to their modality.
- High school graduates who are exploring options and wanting to build a career in herbal medicine.
- Retirees with keen interest in herbs with the desire to learn more
- Health Coaches/Life Coaches Entrepreneurs intersted in getting into the herbal product business
- People who are natural healers – people come to you with health questions
Is this you? Are you ready to take that next step?
Then let me help you achieve your dream of being an herbalist! Join me and other serious-minded herbal students in my Certified Herbalist Program today. P.S. I’m keeping the course very intimate to maximize learning and interaction so I have limited enrollment to only 20 in-person students (+1/2 of these spots are still available – online program is also open for enrollment if that fits better into your schedule/location).
See below for details of the program then click “Buy Now” to join us on this exciting herbal journey!
P.S. if you live more than 2 hours from Cocolalla, we have hotels nearby or you can rent a sleeping space from us at our B&B for a discounted student fee (breakfast is not included and the amount depends on which space is available and how many nights you reserve and pay for in advance, so please contact me if you are interested. We only have space for 2-3 students)
Dates of sessions (the online program will begin 1 week later to allow for time to upload the lecture recordings):
Each session will be held on a Saturday from 9 AM to approximately 4 PM
March 9, 23
April 6, 20
May 4, 18
June 1, 29
July 13, 27
August 10, 24
September 7, 28
October 12, 26
What is an Herbalist?
An Herbalist is someone who studies herbs and their interaction with the body. This person is confident incorporating herbs into their every day life. They may be homemakers, entrepreneurs, consultants in a health food store, herb growers, herbal product producers (salves, balms, teas, wines, meads, etc) or speak/do local workshops.
What are the goals for this program?
My goals are for you to feel prepared to talk about and utilize herbs both at home and in your community. My aim is to inspire you to continue your herbal education journey in order to become an active and meaningful contributor in the world of herbalism.
How will I accomplish this?
Below you will find a brief description of each course within this program.
Growing herbs gives a deeper understanding of their personalities and makes the medicine easily accessible to you. This course will be taught by Sean Mitzel, Permaculture Design Consultant who specializes in designing and growing food and herbs using natural systems and materials. His expertise will help build your confidence and ability to design and start your own herb garden. We will discuss how to build soil for maximum yield, how to make your own fertilizers, the ins & outs of composting, herb garden design options, the different propagation methods, natural pest & disease control, and choosing your first 10 herbs. We start with this class to enable to you to hopefully get your garden going right away.
Botany for Herbalists:
In this course we will investigate botany from an herbalist’s perspective. We will start out by learning botanical classification system, essential botanical terms and plant parts identifications. We will examine live plants and discuss the parts of a plant. After this introduction we will begin working our way through specific identification features of plant families. Studying these families will give you a great head start on identifying many of the plants you will encounter in your neighborhood, on your property, on hikes, foraging or wildcrafting adventures.
We will begin our study of materia medica by going over HOW to start your own Materia Medica, the specifics of the different sections and how to find reliable resources. Following the introduction, I will begin reviewing, in detail, 50 of the most commonly used herbs in Western Herbalism. Each monograph will include Latin name, other names, geographic distribution, description, taste, energetics, vitamins & minerals, best time to collect, what parts are used, herbal actions, uses, preparations, dosage & warnings and cultivation guidelines if applicable.
Every new discipline has its own terminology, in herbalism, learning herbal actions becomes important when referring to herbal resources. Learning the meaning of these actions and how they affect the body is an important piece of understanding monographs and knowing what other healthcare professional are talking about when referencing prescription medication or even herbs and other supplements. I will discuss the actions along with a few herbs that would fit into each category for your reference.
Wildcrafting is a super enjoyable part of herbalism, it connects us more deeply to the plants. Finding a plant in its natural environment, taking it home to process and prepare opens an entire world of herbs to us. Often we get dependent on buying dried or prepared herbs online. This experience will give you a hands-on learning experience so you can go home and begin your personal journey with plants. We will talk about flowers, leaves, stems, roots, bark, berries, & seeds.
This is another really fun part of learning herbal medicine…getting to turn those plants into something palatable and easier to ingest. Most sessions I will be demonstrating at least one herbal preparation and everyone will have an opportunity to create their own preparations. This will include medicinal, body care, cooking with herbs, and home cleaning blends. Preparations we will do:
- Herbal Honey
- Herbal Vinegar & Shrubs
- Infused Oil
- Salve & Lip Balm
- Herbal Bath Blends
- Seasoning Blends for the kitchen
- Herb Butters
- Crystallized Herbs and Flowers
- Nourishing Bone Broth
- Natural Home & Personal Care Products
Even if you have done these preparations at home or in another course, continual exposure and learning new methods of preparation is always good. You can never make enough, it’s fun and educational everytime.
Body Systems from an Herbalist’s Perspective:
Knowing herbs and their actions is important, but in order to put it into practice we have to understand the body and how it works. I will cover both the anatomy (structure) and physiology (function) of each body system and then I will discuss what can go wrong (pathophysiology) and what nutrition, lifestyle modifications, movement, & herbs to consider when dealing with these different challenges. Systems we will cover:
- Integumentary System
- Digestive System
- Nervous System
- Endocrine System
- Cardiovascular System
- Women’s Reproductive System
- Male Reproductive System
- Urinary System
- Musculoskeletal System
- Lymphatic & Immune Systems
- Respiratory System (and cold/flu)
- Autonomic Nervous System & Pain
The Western Energetics System
- Tissue States
- Herbal Energetics & Taste