How to become an Herbalist

There are several paths that can help you become an herbalist, and there’s a lot of confusion about what an herbalist really is. Can you call yourself an herbalist if you follow natural remedy blogs, or do you have to have a master’s degree from an accredited college? Let me clear up some of the confusion and help you figure out the path you need to take to become an herbalist.

How to Become an Herbalist

I’m wary of programs that award a certificate dubbing someone a “master herbalist” after completing a short online course. Herbalism is a way of life. It’s not a destination, but a journey. There are many different paths people take to become an herbalist. Which way you go depends on your learning style and ultimate goals.

Read a lot of books

This option can be a great way to learn herbalism for those who love self-study. You can find a lot of health and herbalism books online and even some from your local library. It can be a great way to learn from herbal experts, but it also comes with some drawbacks. You may not have the space for 50 herbal books in your home, and you also have to be careful that you choose books that have accurate information.

Unless you have someone knowledgeable guiding you through the process, it can be difficult to make the right selections. I have about half a dozen herbal and natural remedy books sitting on my shelf right now that barely skim the surface and don’t have as detailed of info as I’d like. You can see some of the top herbal books that I do recommend for beginning herbalists in this post here.

Learn one on one from an experienced herbalist

A hundred years ago this is how everyone learned herbalism. The eclectic colleges trained doctors who used effective natural remedies on their patients before the development of synthetic drugs. You can search through the American Herbalist Guild here to find a registered herbalist or live course in your area. This method is a great way to learn from someone’s years of personal experience and continue the tradition of handing down herbal knowledge.

I live a few hours south of the renowned herbalist Jim McDonald, and I’ve always wanted to go on one of his herb walks. I still haven’t found the time though, and the cost for gas alone would be $50 for just one trip. While this is a great way to supplement an herbal education, time and money can be an issue. You also may not have an experienced herbalist in your nearby area, meaning lots of travel.

Take an Online Course

This is the option I chose because it fit best with my lifestyle and was affordable. I was able to have high quality information in one place so that I didn’t have to go digging trying to find it through Google. I don’t have to show up at 8 am for a class, I can do it at 9:30 at night  after my son is in bed if I need to. I like being able to work at my own pace and supplement my self-study with a solid herbal course.

Psst … I talk more about herbalism courses below but in case you’re in a hurry, here are my favorites. They offer everything from beginner classes to advanced clinical herbalism. Check out the Herbal Academy of New England here.

Decide What you Need in a Herbalism Course

The first thing you need to ask yourself, is what is your goal in getting an herbal education?

• Do you want to be a registered herbalist and open up a clinic?
• Do you want to take control of the health of you and your family?
• Do you want to formulate products or health supplements and have a business?
• Do you want to learn a little , or are you looking for a comprehensive course?

Different Kinds of Herbalists

Clinical Herbalist

If you want to work with clients in an office setting, or create supplements to sell, then you need to take a comprehensive, in depth course. You’ll also want to learn hands on from an experienced herbalist. The American Herbalists guild has some great resources for this, and you can join the guild after you’ve met the training requirements. The Herbal Academy has a clinical herbalist track, and the East West School of Planetary Herbology’s clincial herbalist program is also highly recommended by many fellow herbalists.

Herbal Business Owner (Formulate Products and Supplements)

There’s no use in knowing how to formulate products if you can’t attract customers. The Herbal Academy of New England offers an Entrepreneur Herbalist course for those interested in starting an herbal business. This course will teach you how to master creating products and the technical side of  how to run an herbal business.

Family Herbalist

This gives you the confidence to take care of your family. You can read a bunch of books and do self-study, however it can be difficult to make sure you can find all of the info you need for a well rounded approach. A program may be easier in this case. I like the Family Herbalist Path course from the Herbal Academy because it breaks everything down in an easy to understand format, but it’s thorough for the confidence you need to naturally care for your family.

The Dabblist

If you want to supplement a bit and not commit to a full herbal program, then you can read tons of books, and maybe add in some short courses. Short natural health courses don’t take up much time, but they can pack targeted information in one place. The  intermediate courses I took from Vintage Remedies are discontinued, but The Herbal Academy of New England offers a seasonal variety of short courses.

Not all Herb Programs are Created Equal

I’ve unfortunately experienced bad herbal courses before. The first school I chose charged an arm and a leg, and had zero one on one instruction. Basically it had me buy a bunch of books on Amazon (so even more money) and then take a quiz to pass the “class.” I use that term class very loosely here as they didn’t actually teach anything!

After starting the program, I immediately regretted my decision. It cost at least twice as much as other courses, and there were multiple red flags that I should have seen beforehand.

What to Look for When Choosing an Herb Course

• Good reviews from real students and other professionals in the field
• They actually teach and aren’t just a certificate mill
• Offers a variety of learning content for different learning styles (videos, reading, audio)
• A program that doesn’t expire after a certain time. You don’t want to pay a lot for info, then life gets busy and you feel like it was a waste when your program access disappears one day.
• Instructors who are qualified in the area they’re teaching in and really know what they’re talking about. (big red flag if there aren’t any instructors!)
• A program where there’s support and a live person on the other end if you have questions.

 

Which Herbal Course is Right for You?

There are so many programs out there. Not every program is right for everyone, so decide on your goals and see if maybe the Herbal Academy can help you meet them.

• If you need distance learning because of a busy schedule, lack of access in your area, or a crazy family life.
• If you want a program that blends traditional herbalism that’s been passed down for thousands of years with current scientific research for accuracy, safety and effectiveness.
• If you want something that’s convenient and flexible, but where you also get one on one support from qualified instructors.
• If you need shorter, yet high quality audio and video files to fit the pertinent info that sticks with you into your busy life.
• If you want confidence to know that you’re choosing what’s safe and effective for yourself and family. The last thing you want to do is throw money away on herbal remedies that don’t work, or use ineffective dosing. You can read more about why herbal remedies don’t work here. 

Why I Love the Herbal Academy

I first discovered the Herbal Academy of New England years ago, but I wasn’t sure how I felt at first. It takes a lot to convince me, and I wanted to be sure the courses were high quality. I fell in love with the blend of time tested traditional herbalism and the latest scientific research. Both are important to me.

• The instructors at the Herbal Academy know what they’re talking about and include renowned herbalists like Mathew Wood. Every time I’ve had a question they’ve been prompt with a knowledgeable response.
• Students have access to a private Facebook group to chat with other students and staff about herbal questions.
• There’s a variety of instruction with videos, text, herbal monographs, dozens of time-tested recipes, charts and handouts.
• The units are divided by body system, so you have a thorough understanding of how herbs affect the whole body.
• Many herbal programs are divided into Western herbalism and Eastern herbalism. The Herbal Academy combines the principles of energetics with traditional Western herbalism for a holistic perspective.
• It’s affordable, and they offer payment plans.

 

Is it Right for You?

You can check out all of the courses and herbal paths at the Herbal Academy here.  There are beginner through advanced courses for a complete herbal education, no matter where you’re at or what your goal.  They also have short courses, like botany and wildcrafting.