Foundation of Herbalism Program
Schedule 2023

March 4 & 5

 

Program Overview

Introduction to Herbal Basics

  • Overview of the traditional healing systems that have shaped contemporary herbalism in the US
  • Introduction to the concepts of herbal energetics
  • Medicinal preparations overview

Introduction to our Materia Medica

  • Southern Appalachian bioregional plant communities
  • Plant taxonomy and classification systems
  • Herbal actions
  • System affinities and specific indications for individual herbs
  • Efficacy and safety issues

Understanding How Herbs Work

  • Two approaches: Activators and tonics
  • Dosing strategies for acute and chronic health issues
  • Using herbs for your own health care goals
  • Herb/drug interactions

 

April 15 & 16

How to buy herbs and herbal products: An introduction to herb sourcing

  • Sustainability considerations, quality standards, organoleptics, legal issues, and more
  • Guidelines for storing herbs

Understanding and preserving plant potency: tips for growing, harvesting, choosing fresh vs. dry herbs, processing herbs, medicine-making and therapeutic uses of parts of various plant parts

Hands-on medicine-making

  • Tinctures
    • Alcohol-based using both maceration and percolation methods
    • ACV and glycerin-based tinctures
  • Fire Cider

 

 May 20 & 21

Hands-on Medicine-making workshop

Water-based herbal preparations

  • Infusions, decoctions, compresses, baths, etc.
  • Syrups
  • Tea tasting

Oil-based herbal preparations

  • Infused oils and salves
  • Lotions

Field Studies

  • Plant walk: Herbs of early spring
  • Introduction to field botany
  • Using botanical keys to ID plants (using Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide)
  • Ethical harvesting and conservation concerns

 

June 24 & 25

Introduction to Herbal Energetic Concepts

  • Applying energetics to understand herbs and health conditions

Herbs in Practice

  • Overview of body systems and system affinities in herbalism
  • Body systems: Immune and endocrine
  • Common imbalances of the immune and endocrine systems
  • Using adaptogens and other tonic herbs for chronic and constitutional conditions

Materia Medica

  • Materia Medica: Ten herbs

Field Studies

  • Plant Walk: Herbs of early summer
  • Identifying plant families of common medicinal herbs

 

July 15 & 16

Herbs in Practice

  • Body systems: Digestive, hepato-biliary, and respiratory
  • Common imbalances of the digestive, hepato-biliary, and respiratory systems
  • Guidelines for safe, effective detoxification using herbs

Materia Medica

  • Materia Medica: Ten herbs

Field Studies

  • Plant Walk: Herbs of summer
  • Sustainable wildcrafting practices, tips for drying and processing herbs

 

August 5 & 6

Herb Dosing

  • Dosage guidelines for various medicinal preparations
  • Dosage strategies for acute and chronic symptom patterns
  • Safe herbal dosing for babies, children, and the elderly

How to deal with unexpected reactions to herbs

Herbs in practice

  • Body Systems: Cardiovascular, nervous, musculoskeletal, skin, urinary and male generative
  • Common imbalances of cardiovascular, nervous, musculoskeletal, skin, urinary tract, and male generative systems

Materia Medica

  • Materia Medica: Ten herbs

 

September 16 & 17

Herbs in Practice

  • Body systems: Female generative
  • Common imbalances of the female generative system
  • Herb support in pregnancy

Materia Medica

  • Materia Medica: Ten herbs

Field Studies

  • Plant walk: Herbs of early autumn
  • Hands-on: Sustainable root harvesting and medicine-making

 

October 21 & 22

Herbs in practice

  • Introduction to herbal formulations
  • Health assessment basics
  • From symptom to formula: A step-by-step approach

Materia Medica

  • Ten herbs

November 11 &12

Herbs in practice

  • Herbal support for depression, anxiety, insomnia, and other psycho-spiritual imbalances
  • Understanding the role of inflammation in chronic disease
  • Herb-drug interactions: Resources and guidelines

Materia Medica

  • Ten herbs

 

 December 2 & 3

Materia Medica

  • Review of 60 herbs

Medicine Show

  • Share your herbal preparations with the class

Celebration and Good-byes

 

 January 27, 2024, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

  • Online final exam (optional). The exam consists of two parts: a multiple-choice exam, and a case study. Note: To receive a Certificate of Completion you must complete all class assignments, quizzes and get a passing score on the final exam, and have made all tuition payments in full.

 

 Note: Syllabus content is subject to minor changes.