Learning to identify, select, harvest, store and use the most potent, vital comfrey for client healing.
We embrace our 8th year in the 2012 season!
Aspiring students, please also visit our sister site: www.naturopathicschoolofannarbor.net- which offers additional continuing education and a Master Herbalist Program, for which this program, described below, is a potentially integral part.
Scroll below, for the dates for the 2012 Medicinal Herbalist course.
Gaia Center offers the ideal foundation and introduction to medicinal herbal use, study, practice and education. Over the years this program of herbal medicine study has evolved into a focused program of guided academic achievement and inspired creativity geared to enhance professional and serious home herbal therapeutics usage.
The Certification Course (a non -certification option is also offered; see below) sets a grounded foundation for the study, practice and use of herbal medicine, supporting further study with our teachers, or anywhere in the world. We carefully teach the universal language, standards of practice, and discerning ideology, to offer a connection to herbalists, teachers and clients everywhere.
We offer a multidimensional pathway of classes, programs and advanced study for those who wish to continue - with education in herbal practice with a variety of teachers offering their unique energies and perspectives.
The 2012 Medicinal Herbal Studies Certification Course
is scheduled for the dates below:
April 28/29, May 26/27, June 23/24, July 7/8
Hours 830 a.m. -700 p.m.
Note: Final assignments are submitted by July 30, and returned to participants by August 15. The school will offer an achievement ceremony at a designated time to honor those who successfully completed the program.
BOOKS:
Required Reading :
(1) "Tom Brown's Guide to Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants"
(2) "The New Holistic Herbal" (David Hoffman)
(3) "Field Guide to North Eastern/North Central Wildflowers"(any edition) by Peterson.
Please use these EXACT TITLES when doing any searches for books.
We recommend you use amazon.com as an easy and affordable source for obtaining books.
The school will issue an additional list of recommended books for foundational reference, as not all books on the market are good or reliable sources of herbal information, regardless of their appearance and popularity.
An excellent BODY SYSTEMS guide is required and utilized for this certification course .
The program includes scheduled outdoor field hikes, Ethnobotany experiences, and hands-on harvesting and cultivation experiences, balanced with lecture, medicine making, apothecary and other indoor herb-lab work. No previous experience is needed- and those who have some experience will also learn a lot in this program. FEES AND REGISTRATION
The school requires a personal interview of each prospective student, upon which admission to the program is contingent. We encourage prospective students to fully check out this website, as well as telephone or e mail with questions, so that time taken for the personal interview is effective for both student and School.
Fees/tuition covers all class sessions, lab and materials fees (costs of herbs, packaging, equipment), academic , personal mentoring during the 5 month period (April through August graduation), access to our private gardens and wild harvesting grounds, access to plant stock for your personal cultivation, and graduation fees.
The fee for the certification medicinal herbal studies program is $2400, with full payment for all balances program due by April 2. The tuition includes all lab and materials fees- students will routinely create a variety of products in each class to take home and add to their own apothecary- school provides these materials.
The choice to take the course as a non-certification option ("Audit" - no homework required, and the school does not grade or mentor your assignments) is offered: $2,000; may be paid month to month at $500.00 per month. This is a full participation option without academic guidance in between class session meetings, and resulting in no certification.
Registration IS OPEN NOW, with a deposit of $600.00. Due to the fact that the program begins in April, standard registration closes April 2. All program fees must be fully paid by April 2. Late registration occurs after that time with additional registration fees of $200.00.
We do recommend that prospective students consider early registration, as there is limited space in the program. Registrants also may find it helpful to spread out payments in advance of the program start. This program now has 10 spaces left.
Payment Plan options are available at an added tuition cost. No refunds or discounts are given for missed classes. No private tutorials are given - students will be supplied with class literature in the event they miss a class. Those pursuing certification may make up the missed class in the next year, at an additional fee. WORK EXCHANGE- Limited work/study opportunities are available, including herbal studies-related positions every year. These contractual exchanges are made for up to 50% tuition. This program offers the additional benefit of extra credit for hours and on-site training and experience in aspects of the field.
Two Positions Currently Open: Groundskeeping (Fall, Spring and Summer, begins as early as the preceding fall ); and Herbal Medicine Apothecary Assistant. (open now).
Additional potential positions include office assistance and program assistance.
In order to qualify, applicants must meet the following criteria:
~ Application and approval for admittance to the program
~ Payment in full of 25% program deposit
~ Must have ones's own reliable transportation, and use of own
car for program related errands with fuel reimbursement
~ Completion of two day trial period
~ Ability to conform to designated work schedule and to honor
our need for promptness/attendance, as in a professional
position
~ 3 references from previous work experiences
~ Unencumbered by outside responsibilities during work schedule-
we are unable to accommodate children, child care, pets or
scheduling changes for other jobs an applicant may have.
Applicants must commit to School work exchange needs for the duration of the work exchange agreement, and have child care, transportation, and additional job schedules, if any, in place to accommodate the Work Exchange Contract. Scheduling for work on the gardens/grounds may not take place during holidays and most weekends- all scheduling must be arranged in advance.
Contact the school with inquiries about Work Exchange, or other matters.
Certification: Those successfully completing this program will receive recognition in their journey of continuing education in the form of a Certificate from the center titled Foundations in Herbal Medicine Studies.
This training does not convey a professional "title".
Education as an herbalist, particularly one counseling others for their health, is an ongoing process. Gaia Center refers those who wish to continue and deepen their education to
offering further education in natural health, healing, and medicinal herbal practice.
The workshops are designed to give students a hands-on learning experience of therapeutic herbs from seed germination and seedling, to harvest, to seed gathering. Participants will directly engage in the use of herbs for lifestyle enhancement and personal medicine making, creating a personal relationship with over thirty therapeutic herbs of our local region.
~ Participants will learn about wild and medicinal herbs from the ground up, by engaging in work and exercises within our wild lands and cultivated sanctuaries. ~ Principles of care, gathering, botanical and medicinal quality, potency, proper harvesting and storage will be directly experienced and taught. You will be guided into creating your own Apothecary from the Earth to your Home. Areas of focus, intention and study: Join our experienced living herbalists and vibrant, potent abundant plants in :
1) Identification (field botany) of herbs in the wild and under cultivation 2) Assessment of the gifts of different growth stages, quality and potency of an herb 3) Cultivation care 4) Harvesting skills for wild and cultivated gathering 5) Foundational medicine making skills, following the seasonal harvests 6) Discussion of cautions, contraindications, and body systems uses 7) Discussion of case histories 8) Foundational skills for the home apothecary, including preservation and storage of herbs from a seasonal harvest. 9) Body care products class.
