| • Roots of Herbalism / Foundations of Health |
| • Intermediate Herbal Therapeutics Intensive - FULL - email CSHS@cshs.com to be placed on wait list |
| • Hand Crafted Herbalism |
| • Body Systems |
need to pay your class balance? please see instructions on the registration page.
Roots of Herbalism / Foundations of Health 2013
• 8 month herbal intensive (500 hrs) $6495.00
• March 19 - November 8, 2013
• Class is currently full -We are accepting applications for the 2013 Waitlist
| • curriculum | • to apply for admission | ||
| • class schedule | • tuition information | ||
| • gardening apprenticeship | • housing |
core staff includes: Karen Aguiar, Trinity Ava, Bryan Bowen, Jen Bredesen, Leslie Gardner, David Hoffmann, Terri Jensen, Gail Julian, Larkin Morgan and Autumn Summers
guest teachers from recent years include: Cascade Anderson Geller, Sarah Bearden, Cynthia Belew, Tim Blakley, Rebecca Burgess, Candis Cantin, Diana DeLuca, Jim Hall, Kathleen Harrison, Pam Montgomery, Kevin Spelman, Tamara Wilder, Merrilee Wisewoman, Matthew Wood, 7Song, and others
This eight-month intensive follows the seasons from early spring through late autumn. The curriculum is designed to immerse the beginning or intermediate student in the world of herbalism. The special strengths of this program are rooted in its thoroughness and breadth of scope. It covers every aspect of working with herbs themselves (plant identification, wildcrafting and cultivation, drying, and medicine making), while providing a foundation of knowledge for using them as medicines (human physiology, materia medica, therapeutics and first aid).
In addition to covering this core material, the course expands to include many diverse ways of working with plants (plant illustration, cosmetics, crafts, and plant-spirit communication) as well as other approaches to healing that can complement herbalism (nutrition, aromatherapy, and standard practice medicine). Our ultimate goal is to provide a well-rounded understanding of Western herbalism designed to bring herbs back into the home and community where they have traditionally been used.
Although much of our focus is academic, students will also learn the art of herbalism directly from the plants. This knowledge is imparted to us through the heart and senses, as well as through words and ideas. To help students experience this, the course includes two five-day field camping trips to wilderness areas as well as time in the medicinal plant garden at CSHS. Students are encouraged to cultivate a grounded perception of themselves and the plants through guided meditations. Students study hard, but just as importantly they have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the plant world in wild and cultivated natural spaces.
the curriculum
The two semesters span the yearly cycle of the garden from new growth through root harvesting and seed saving. We begin in March as spring wildflowers and the school gardens come to life. This is the perfect time for hands-on interaction with plants and much time is spent on plant identification, wildcrafting, growing plant medicine, medicine making and herbal crafts. In the classroom, students begin their studies with body systems and herbal therapeutics, along with human physiology and materia medica. The focus is on understanding the vitality of the human body, what creates health imbalances, and how to maintain wellness in each body system. The first semester ends with “The Medicine Show and Herbal Bazaar”; a day when students display and share their medicines with the staff, friends, and members of the local community.
The second semester starts in July with students continuing to refine their skills in the garden, natural plant communities and the herbal lab. More intense focus is spent on herbal therapeutics. We will move beyond the concept of “this herb for this disease” and teach students to support and treat each individual. We teach a model of herbalism that empowers students to employ plants creatively, in contrast to memorizing standardized procedures and formulas.
| Core Curriculum | Estimated Hours
|
|
| Therapeutic Herbalism........................................... | 75 Hours |
|
| Materia Medica...................................................... | 90 Hours |
|
| Medicine making & lab........................................... | 45 Hours |
|
| Anatomy, physiology & body systems..................... | 25 Hours |
|
| Herbal Actions /Formulations................................. | 40 Hours |
|
| Western Herbs for Tonification & Acute Conditions... | 45 Hours |
|
| Plant Identification & Herb Walks........................... | 45 Hours |
|
| Growing Plant Medicine - Gardening, harvesting, etc. | 35 Hours |
|
| Nutrition............................................................... | 15 Hours |
|
| Aromatherapy....................................................... | 15 Hours |
|
| Ethnobotany......................................................... | 10 Hours |
|
| Natural cosmetics and crafts.................................. | 10 Hours |
|
| Western Constitutional Herbalism.......................... | 15 Hours |
|
| Green politics, history and mythology...................... | 5 Hours |
|
| Plant Chemistry...................................................... | 10 Hours |
|
| Misc....................................................................... | 15 Hours |
|
class schedule for Roots of Herbalism / Foundations of Health
Classes are taught in two college-style semesters with a 2 - 3 week break between semesters.
Classes meet Tuesday through Thursday from 9:30am to 3:30pm. Students spend additional time outside class studying, making medicines, wildcrafting, gardening, etc.
There are two five-day field identification and wild-crafting camping trips, spanning Monday through Friday included in this curriculum. These will take place in April and early August.
gardening apprenticeship
Each year CSHS accepts a small number of students into the garden apprenticeship program. These students work closely with the staff to caretake the school gardens and buildings. Garden apprentices work from 4pm - 6pm on Wednesdays after school. And Friday mornings from 9:00am - 12:00pm. This program provides an excellent opportunity to emphasize the growing and community involved aspects of herbalism. Apprentices will be selected prior to the beginning of the school year and are entitled to a $500 tuition deduction. Total tuition $5995. An application will automatically be sent to all students accepted into our eight-month program.
to apply for admission
Applications for 2013 will be accepted between April 10, 2012 and August 31, 2012. Students will be notified by September 28, 2012 if they have been accepted into the program. We highly recommend that you apply to this program early. The Roots program generally fills up at least 6 months in advance and we take a waiting list after that.
To help us understand your goals, interests, and experience, please answer the following questions and send to CSHS at PO Box 39, Forestville, CA 95436. This may be printed or neatly handwritten. If you have questions, please write, call, or e-mail us, and be sure to include your address and phone number. We look forward to hearing from you!
Please answer the following questions as thoroughly as possible:
Required - A current photo. Your name, mailing address, home and work phone numbers, e-mail address, current occupation, date of birth, emergency contact and a permanent address and phone number for our records. Date and sign your name at the end of your application.
1.Please list all education, work experience, self-study, hobbies and passions relating to the healing arts and sciences, botany and herbalism. Include any degrees or licenses held.
2. How did you become interested in herbalism?
3. Is there a particular goal you are working towards that will be complemented by your herbal studies?
4. How did you hear of The California School of Herbal Studies?
Once you have sent in your application we highly recommend that you schedule a tour and interview at our campus.
To secure your place, please include a $250 deposit.
We cannot reserve you a place in the program if you do not send a deposit along with your application.
The $250 deposit is nonrefundable upon your acceptance into the program, and will either be applied to your tuition or refunded to you if you are not accepted.
acceptance standards
Applicants are considered for acceptance based on life experience. We do not not have a educational background requirement. We are looking for committed, motivated, and hardworking students. Students must be at least 18 years old. Prospective students are strongly encouraged to set up an appointment to visit CSHS. Our program fills up 6 months in advance.
tuition information
Tuition is due by February 1, 2013. If cleared in advance with us, it is possible to make arrangements to finance up to 50% of your tuition. In this case, 50% is due one month before the first day of instruction and a time payment schedule is arranged for the balance. Students must complete financial agreements in order to receive certificates. We recommend that you budget an additional $750 for books and materials.
refund policy
1. The $250 deposit is non-refundable upon acceptance into the program.
2. A full refund of tuition (less the $250.00 deposit) will be paid to the student if she/he
withdraws (in writing) before the first day of class.
3. If a student cancels after the classes have begun, a calculation of all allowable charges shall
be made using the date that we received written notification of termination.
4. If a student withdraws from Roots of Herbalism & Foundations of Health, a refund calculation will be performed which will comply with the following:
< 10% of course completed = 90% refund
> 10 % < 25% of course completed = 75% refund
> 25% < 50% of course completed = 50% refund
> 50% < 75% of course completed = 25% refund
> 75% of course completed = 0% refund
housing
CSHS does not provide nor secure housing for our students. However, we do send out a list of possible rentals in the area about 4-6 weeks before classes begin. It is strongly recommended that students check with other rental sources as well and allow themselves time to find a home. More information on housing will be sent along with acceptance packages.
graduation requirements
1. Satisfactory completion of all assignments, including materia medica reports, medicine
making, first aid kits, botany press book and more.
2. Maintain at least an 85% attendance record within each semester.
3. Attend and participate in both camping trips and medicine show.
4. Pay tuition in full.
placement
At CSHS we emphasize the skilled use of herbalism in the home and community, and this is the perspective from which we teach. We do not seek or guarantee placement of our graduates. However, throughout the year CSHS receives notices of apprenticeship and employment opportunities, which are posted at the school. Many of our students go on to find employment in the herbal world in a variety of areas including: herbal medicine making, education, and managing herbal businesses. Our students who are health care providers have successfully incorporated herbalism into their practices. Many of our graduates have gone on to form their own herbal businesses.
Intermediate Herbal Therapeutics 2013
FULL - email CSHS@cshs.com to be placed on wait list• Meets 9:30am - 3:30pm - Two Mondays each month for 9 months
• March 11 & 25, April 8 & 22, May 6 & 20, June 10 & 24, July 15 & 29, August 12 & 26, September 9 & 23, October 7 & 21, & November 4.
•
Tuition : $1395 - $1195
teachers: CSHS Staff
This class is designed to build on a basic foundation of herbal knowledge. The goal of this course is to give each student a deeper understanding of the physiology of health, the pathophysiology of illness and constitutional evaluation skills. The course format will be to use case studies in which we will address such questions as: How do the body systems support or burden each other? What are common patterns of imbalance that reflect a client’s constitution and how do we address these patterns herbally?
How do we learn to interpret the complexity of a individual’s condition, assess their constitutionality, gather the information necessary for responsible care, and translate our findings into coherent protocols that incorporate herb, diet and lifestyle considerations? Case review topics will include prevalent modern conditions such as asthma, ulcers, eczema, hypertension and diabetes/metabolic syndrome. Although not a clinical training program we will, on occasion, have clients to interview as a class. We will delve more deeply into organoleptics, comprehensive formulation, medicine making, and herbal research skills.
This course is designed for CSHS Roots or Body Systems / Hand Crafted Herbalism graduates or others with similar herbal experience.
homework and attendance
Completion of homework assignments and 85% attendance required for certification.
students assignments
• Design and justify your pharmacy of 30 herbs
• Reading Assignments in advance of classes
• 6 Case Reviews - written treatment plan of cases assigned by instructors
• Up to 10 Materia Medicas - written reviews of sample herbs given in class
• Advanced independent study research paper and presentation at term end
Paypal option below is only for preregistered Intermediate students
Handcrafted Herbalism 2013
Identifying, growing, harvesting, and making herbal medicine from the medicinal plants growing in Sonoma County.
• 10am - 4pm, Saturday and Sunday, one weekend a month for 9 months
(90 hours)
• 2013 Dates - March 16-17, April 20-21, May 11-12, June 8-9, July 20-21, August 17-18
September 7-8, October 5-6 and November 9-10
•
Tuition : $1495-$1295
teachers: Karen Aguiar, Terri Jensen, Gail Julian, Autumn Summers and guest teachers
This beginning course teaches the skills necessary to become confident in basic herbal practices. Our time together will be split between the classroom, garden, and lab learning how make and use a wide variety of herbs and herbal preparations. Learn how to identify and gather medicinal plants during garden walks and the off-site seaweed harvest and coast excursion. At the end of the course, students will have the beginnings of an herbal medicine chest as well as the knowledge to expand it on their own. The curriculum will focus on the following areas:
medicine-making
Correct methods for drying and storing herbs as well as 'hands on' classes in preparing tinctures, oils, glycerites, infusions, salves, and more.
materia-medica
A study of the medicinal uses of plants we have seen in the wild and in the garden. We will discuss the ways specific herbs affect the body and the role of herbs in preventing and treating illness. Each month students will be given herbs to take home and experience directly.
plant identification & medicinal plant growing
Learn the basic skills of how to use the local plant identification books and develop sensory awareness in order to identify plants independently. Basic cultivation skills for medicinal plants will be discussed and demonstrated. Emphasis will be placed on herbs that are easily grown in the greater Bay Area.
Body Systems & Herbal Wellness 2013
An introductory course on the function of the human body including the actions of herbs specific to each body system, preventive care, and basic herbal therapeutics.
• 10am - 4pm, Saturday and Sunday, one weekend a month for 9 months
(90 hours)
• 2013 Dates - March 23-24, April 27-28, May 18-19, June 15-16, July 27-28
August 24-25, September 14-15, October 12-13 and November 16-17
•
Tuition : $1495-$1295
teachers: Jen Bredesen, Denise Colouris ND, Gail Julian, Larkin Morgan and guest teachers - Trinity Ava, and Cynthia Belew CNM
An introductory course on herbal support for the human body. This class will cover how to nourish each body system with preventative care, and medicinal plants. Each month we will study a different organ system, followed by a discussion of primary herbs and relevant therapeutic approaches for that system. At the end of nine months you will have a basic understanding of the possibilities offered by herbal medicine for maintaining health of the various body systems. The curriculum consists of two main fields of study:
materia-medica
A beginning study of the properties and actions of specific herbs and how they are used to maintain and restore health. Each month students will be given samples of herbs to take home to experience directly.
therapeutics
We will cover basic treatment approaches for specific conditions. After learning how the body works and how individual herbs affect the body, we will bring the knowledge together to view how herbs can be used to re-establish balance in conditions such as colds and flu, indigestion and chronic stress. Approaches to preventing disease by maintaining health will be discussed.
back to top >