Instructors & Guest Instructors
Matthew Wood, MS (Registered Herbalist AHG)
PRIMARY INSTRUCTOR – The School of Traditional Western Herbalism
Matthew Wood has been a practicing herbalist since 1982. He is internationally recognized as an excellent teacher of herbal medicine, and has over 30 years of experience practicing and teaching herbal medicine. While he utilizes some elements of the Eastern herbal traditions and believes in the virtue of many other healing modalities, he has focused his education and practice on the traditions of herbal medicine descending to us from our European, Anglo-American, and Native American heritages. He is a member of the American Herbalists Guild and has earned his Masters of Science degree from the Scottish School of Herbal Medicine (accredited by the University of Wales).
International Lecturer and Author: Matthew has lectured in all parts of the United States, from Georgia to Maine, New York to California, and Santa Fe to the Pacific Northwest. Internationally he has taught in Canada, Scotland, England, Israel and Australia. He is also the author of six influential books on herbal medicine, published by North Atlantic Books, in Berkeley, CA:
Seven Herbs, Plants as Teachers (1987)
The Book of Herbal Wisdom (1998)
The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism (2004)
The Earthwise Herbal: A Complete Guide to Old World Medicinal Plants (2008)
The Earthwise Herbal: A Complete Guide to New World Medicinal Plants (2009)
Scott Kloos – Herbalist, Medicine Maker, Herbal Educator
INSTRUCTOR – The School of Traditional Western Herbalism
Scott has has been working with the native plants of the Pacific NW since the late 90′s. In addition to many years of self-study, he completed the 1999 Herbal Apprenticeship Program at the Herb Pharm in Williams, OR, and in 2000, he attended a nine-month Community Herbalist Training Program with Christopher Hobbs. In 2009, he studied Traditional Western Herbalism: An Intuitive and Energetic Approach with Matthew Wood in Portland, OR.
He spent seven years studying the human psyche (his own and others) in Paul Levy’s Awakening in the Dream group. Paul’s unique synthesis of the Dzogchen School of Tibetan Buddhism, Western Alchemy, Jungian Psychology, the Dreambody Psychology of Arnold Mindell, and shamanism deeply shaped his view of the world and his approach to healing and working with plants.
He is the owner of Cascadia Folk Medicine, which produces small batch herbal extracts from the native plants of the region. In his healing practice he works with the psycho-spiritual aspects of plant medicine and leads weekly Plant Teacher classes exploring the physical and psycho-spiritual properties of the plants of the Pacific Northwest. He is one of the founders and a faculty member of the Elderberry School of Botanical Medicine in Portland, OR, and a faculty member of The School of Traditional Western Herbalism.
Paul Bergner (Registered Herbalist, AHG) – Medical Herbalist, Clinical Nutritionist
GUEST INSTRUCTOR – The School of Traditional Western Herbalism
Paul has studied and practiced natural medicine since 1973, with formal studies in naturopathy, medical herbalism, clinical nutrition, traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, flower essences, yoga therapy, and bodywork, including undergraduate studies in pre-medicine and psychology, and 50 semester hours of doctoral level medical studies at National College of Naturopathic Medicine. He has edited the Medical Herbalism journal since its founding in 1989, and has written seven books on medical herbalism, nutrition, Chinese medicine, ethnobotany, and naturopathic medicine. He has also edited periodicals on clinical nutrition and naturopathic medicine.
Paul directed the clinical herbalism program at Rocky Mountain Center for Botanical Studies for eight years, training more than 100 certified clinical herbalists in a 1500 hour education that culminated in a nine-month internship program. He is currently adjunct faculty in nutrition at Naropa University, adjunct faculty in nutrition and pathophysiology at the Tai Sophia Institute, and nutrition faculty at the Seven Bowls school of nutrition. In addition to directing the NAIMH, he teaches herbal materia medica and therapeutics, clinical nutrition, basic medical sciences, clinical skills, medical history and philosophy, and nature studies.
Dr. Deborah Frances R.N., N.D.
GUEST INSTRUCTOR – The School of Traditional Western Herbalism
Deborah began her career in health care as a registered nurse, where she gathered extensive experience in a wide range of fields, including psychiatry, women’s health, family practice and intensive and coronary care. In 1993, she graduated from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Frances currently runs a full family practice in the Portland, Oregon area, utilizing natural therapies such as homeopathy, herbal medicine, hydrotherapy, physical medicine, and nutrition. In addition Dr. Frances uses hands on energy therapies to help resolve blocked mental, emotional or spiritual patterns.
For more information about Deborah, visit her website at:
http://www.dancingcrow.net/
At the School of Traditional Western Herbalism we are fortunate enough to have Deborah teach for a whole weekend in Aug , 2010.
Margi Flint (Registered Herbalist, AHG), Herbal Educator, Author, Owner of EarthSong Herbals.
GUEST INSTRUCTOR – The School of Traditional Western Herbalism
Margi owns and operates EarthSong Herbals, a busy family practice and herb school on the East Coast. Her filters of wisdom include over twenty years of labor coaching, polarity therapy, and three decades of herbal practice.
Margi continues to teach Intermediate Studies and Advanced Clinical Studies. She regularly speaks at nationally known herbal seminars in the U.S. and returns to Canada and England regularly to lecture.
Flint has been Adjunct Professor at Tufts University School of Medicine, North Shore Community College, and for The Masters of Applied Natural Products course at Massachusetts College of Pharmacology. She is a professional member of the American Herbalists Guild.
Her most revered teachers are the plants and her clients.
Flint is the author of a textbook for herbalists titled The Practicing Herbalist, Meeting with clients, Reading the body . Now in its second edition.
Further information can be found on the website for EarthSong Herbals.
http://www.earthsongherbals.com/
Jim Mcdonald – Herbalist, Herbal Educator.
GUEST INSTRUCTOR – The School of Traditional Western Herbalism
Jim lives amongst the woods and meadows of southeast, Michigan and has been studying and practicing the art of herbcraft since 1994. He offers a perspective of herbalism that blends western folk and indigenous views of healing with the vitalist traditions of 19th century western herbalism, presented through a blend of story, experience, humor, common sense and lore. Jim has taught classes and led walks at conferences and events throughout the US, hosts the website www.herbcraft.org and is currently alternately writing “Foundational Herbcraft” and the “A Great Lakes Herbal” in addition to articles for journals and other publications. jim is a community herbalist, a manic wildcrafter and medicine maker, and has been an ardent student of the most learned teachers of herbcraft…
http://www.herbcraft.org/resume.html
Howie Brounstein – Herbalist, Herbal Educator, Owner of the Columbine School of Herbal Studies.
GUEST INSTRUCTOR – The School of Traditional Western Herbalism
Howie is the owner of Columbines and Wizardry Herbs, Inc. and primary instructor of the Columbines School of Botanical Studies. He has taught botany, herbalism, and wildcrafting extensively for decades, including such herbal establishments as the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine. Howie has a clinical practice in Eugene, Oregon.
http://www.botanicalstudies.net/
Hanna Jordan, LCSW – Herbalist, Herbal Educator, Holistic Therapist
Program Director, Instructor – The School of Traditional Western Herbalism
Hanna grew up in Sweden picking bilberries and mushrooms in the forests with her grandparents and was first introduced to the medicinal uses of plants by her Finnish grandmother who told her stories of her great grandmother – a village herbalist in Finland at the turn of the century. Since moving to the US Hanna has had the opportunity to learn from wonderful herbal practitioners, teachers, and wise individuals she feels tremendously grateful to have met along the way. Hanna is deeply inspired by the connections between the ancient healing traditions from around the world, which has influenced her approach to herbal studies. She envisions a future in which herbal education continues to evolve in its ability to embrace the wisdom of different healing traditions – and a future in which the herbal literacy of ‘the people’ is restored once again. Hanna is also a licensed clinical social worker, and has a practice as a holistic therapist and clinical herbalist. She is particularly passionate about facilitating healing relationships between people and plants, and about supporting the connections between body, mind, and emotions in healing.
Chris Smaka – Herbalist, Herbal Educator
Program Director, Instructor – The School of Traditional Western Herbalism
Chris has always had a strong connection to plants and the natural world. He has been blessed to have the opportunity to study with amazing herbally minded people throughout the country, and on his journeys in India, Nepal and China and to have settled here in the amazing Pacific Northwest. Chris is passionate about herbal education, and believes that community minded herbal and holistic health practitioners will herald in a new era of eclectic, holistic health where all forms of healing will function synergistically, to bring about the greatest benefit to us all.
