Materia Medica:

  • In-depth study of the Medicinal Uses of over 90 of the most important herbs in Western Herbalism.
  • Study of native and naturalized medicinal plants of the Pacific Northwest.
  • Comprehensive plant monographs that include energetic, historical, scientific, folk and exploratory uses of medicinal plants.
  • Experiential plant assessment including taste, temperature, energetic qualities, direction of action, physical, emotional/psycho-spiritual effects.
  • Study of selected medicinal plants from other herbal traditions including Chinese Medicine, Native American, Ayurveda and others.

Herbal Practitioner Skills:

  • Holistic Evaluation Skills (tongue analysis, pulse analysis, and reading the body)
  • Clinical interviewing and case taking
  • Constitutional Assessment
  • Small group practice in assessment, herbal recommendations, case taking, evaluation skills.

Traditional Energetics:

  • Herbal wisdom traditions from around the world
  • Understanding energetic patterns in nature, and utilizing this knowledge to differentiate the energetic qualities of medicinal herbs
  • Using clinical skills to assess the nature of the presenting energetic imbalance and matching it to an appropriate herbal remedy.
  • In depth discussion of the history of herbalism and natural health

Plant Identification:

  • Northwest medicinal plant and mushroom ID field trips
  • Plant identification utilizing field guides
  • Toxic plant and mushroom education 

Field Trips:

  • Field trips into our beautiful Northwest bio-regions with classes in the ethics of wild-harvesting 
  • Tools, skills and practices for wild-crafting medicinal herbs and mushrooms

Medicine Making:

  • Classroom experience creating various herbal preparations including infusions, decoctions, tinctures, oils, salves, lotions, liniments, vinegars, hydrosols, cordials
  • Education on plant constituents.

  • PHILOSOPHY

    • At the School of Traditional Western Herbalism we believe in the healing power of nature, called by such diverse individuals as Hippocrates the “Vis Medicatrix Naturae”, and Hildegard Von Bingen, “Viriditas”, our American Herbal Forebears as  ‘Vital Force’.

      The healing power of nature is predicated on the ideas of balance and harmony with the natural world, ones personal environment, and the society in which we live.  When people become out of balance with their environment, discomfort and disease result.  When people live in balance they strive in healthful ways.

      Holistic health based on honoring the tenants of the vital force, works with the healing power of nature and the body’s natural inclination to heal itself.  Therefore removing barriers to health and giving the body all that it needs for health; nutrition, clean water, and appropriate relationship with their society and the environment etc., will necessarily lead it towards healing and well being.  The appropriate use of herbs have been integral in this process from as far back as recorded history and almost surely since humans have walked the earth.

      At the School of Traditional Western Herbalism we stress that it is just as important to look backwards to those that have paved the way for us as looking forward to where we are going.   As a Traditional Western Herb School we study and honor  the teachings of the great sages of herbalism and holistic health that have come before us and we seek to integrate their wisdom with the best of modern ideas

       

      It is more important to know what sort of person has a disease than to know what sort of disease a person has.
      -Hippocrates

       

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