Herbalist Training Program

Are you interested in going deeper into your herbal studies? Thinking of turning your herbal passion into a career? Consider Maria's herbalist training program.

This over-arching certificate program is comprised of three separate series and all accompanying homework: 1. Home Herbalist Series, 2. Beyond the Home Herbalist Series, 3. Advanced Series.

Students can complete the three series and full training program a their own pace, which is typically two years. Highly ambitious students may complete the program faster, and students who need more time can take as long as they like -- there is no deadline to hand in homework and complete the program.

Program Overview

Students who complete all three series plus all accompanying homework will receive a certificate as an herbalist.

Home Herbalist Series (HHS):

Introductory and Beginner. Available live in-person, live streamed online,  or at-your-own-pace (pre-recorded) online. Nine classes (3+ hours per class) with homework (2-10 hours per class). This series is considered the gateway to medicinal herbalism. Each class covers a body system and core remedy making technique.

  1. Class 1: Introduction to Herbalism & Herbal Nutrition | The Art of Tea
  2. Class 2: Stress & Energy: Adaptogens for Health | Tinctures
  3. Class 3: Relaxation & Mood: Herbs for the Nervous System | Flower Essences
  4. Class 4: Digestive Wellness: Herbs for the Upper & Lower GI | Herbal Oils
  5. Class 5: Detoxification: Herbs for the Liver, Colon & Urinary Tract | Capsules
  6. Class 6: Herbs to Support Blood Sugar Balance | Skin Salves
  7. Class 7: Heart Health: Hypertension & Cholesterol | Herb Honey & Vinegar
  8. Class 8: Herbs for Immunity, Allergies, Cold & Flu | Elderberry Syrup
  9. Class 9: Herbs for the Reproductive Systems | Lip Balm, Cream, Bodycare
    Click here for more details, dates, pricing, registration.

Beyond the Home Herbalist Series (BHHS):

Introductory and Beginner. Available live in person, live streamed online, or at-your-own-pace (pre-recorded) online  Nine classes (3+ hours per class) with homework (2-10 hours per class). This series continues a similar format as the Home Herbalist but with new body systems, health concerns, and remedy-making techniques covered.

  1. Class 1: Backyard Medicine | Tea Blending
  2. Class 2: Herbal Safety | Herb-Infused Broths
  3. Class 3: Longevity & Vitality | Cordials, Elixirs & Oxymels
  4. Class 4: Brain-Boosting Herbs | Brainiac Bonbons
  5. Class 5: Strong Bones | Nourishing Infusions & Seaweed Snacks
  6. Class 6: Managing Chronic Pain | Gin Raisins or Topical Pain Oil
  7. Class 7: Strong Lungs | Herbal Cough Syrup
  8. Class 8: Healthy Skin with Herbs | Flower Water & Herbal Exfoliant
  9. Class 9: Autoimmune Support | Electuaries
    Click here for more details, dates, pricing, registration.

Advanced Series (Advanced)

Intermediate and Advanced. Live streamed online, at-your-own-pace (pre-recorded) online, or in-person depending on the year. This advanced series is ONLY for students who have completed the two prior programs or completed extensive similar programs elsewhere. This content-dense course covers a range of topics including botany, plant identification, advanced health topics, advanced remedy making techniques, energetics, regulations, research skills, clinical skills, and more. Primarily taught by Maria Noel Groves, but this series also incorporates various guest teachers.
Click here for more details, dates, pricing, registration.
**Note that in 2024 - because the full advanced series is overloaded with content that can sometimes be overwhelming to students - we are planning to break up the full advanced series into Modules to make the content more approachable and enjoyable. In 2024, we will focus on the Seasonal Energetics Module Live Stream - Seasonal Energetics, Phytochemistry, Botany, Materia Medica, Taste, etc.***

Please note that while homework may be optional to take a course and get a certificate of completion for an individual course (certificate requirements vary depending on the format of course - in person, live steamed, or at-your-own pace online), completion of all homework for all three series is required in order to obtain your over-arching herbalist certificate. Some students choose to simply take the courses but not do homework/not get certificates. The content for online and live classes is the same. At-Your-Own-Pace Online students will need to purchase materials to make remedies at home (remedy kits are available in limited supply for live streamed Home Herbalist and Beyond courses)..

Please also read my Policies & FAQ page here.

Enrollment Bonus

I really want you to delve into your herbal studies! All students who enroll any full series will automatically receive a complimentary year-long American Herbalists Guild student membership. One per person, nontransferable. Membership will begin shortly after the classroom series begins. Online series memberships will begin at various intervals throughout the year. Student memberships include many benefits such as webinars and conference recording from famous herbalists from across the nation. Plus you will receive online discounts to popular herbalist sites such as Mountain Rose Herbs and Foster Farm Botanicals..

Course Hours

If you are considering applying to be an American Herbalists Guild Professional Member, it can be useful to know how my courses stack up compared to the requirements. Maria's series are designed to be economical and time saving with a denser schedule than other herb education programs. You will not be fully eligible for AHG Professional Member status immediately upon finishing the programs, but you will have exposure to every required topic and have a solid start to the requirements.

Here is a breakdown of what you'll receive for hours through completion of Maria's series versus AHG recommended hours

(updated July 2024)

Home Herbalist Series ~ 30 Core/In-Class Hours ~ 80 Homework Hours (varies by student)
Basic Human Sciences and Nutritional/Medical Terminology 7 15
Botany & Plant Science 3+ (w/herb walks) 0 (unless you did pressings)
Materia Medica 10 20-90
Pharmacy/Remedy Making, etc. 10 5
Beyond the HH Series ~ 30 Core/In-Class Hours ~ 80 Homework Hours (varies by student)
Basic Human Sciences 9 15
Botany & Plant ID 1 0 (unless you did pressings)
Materia Medica 10 20-90
Pharmacy/Remedy Making, etc. 10 5
Both above series also have additional bonus/optional class hours available. Students are encouraged to track their own hours.
Advanced Series - Full/2023 (exact hours vary by year and by student) ~ 115 In-Class Hours (does not include add’l on-your-own recorded extra and bonus class hours) ~95+ Extra Classes + Hours for Homework (varies by student)
Basic Human Sciences and Nutritional/Medical Terminology 20 15
Botany & Plant Science 15 10
Materia Medica 30 35
Pharmacy (Remedy Making, Regs, Formulation, etc.) 10 10
Evidence-Based Botanical Research 5 10
Practice Management & Ethics 5 Optional 10+
History/Research 10 10
Advanced Bonus Classes: PLUS ~ 80+ hours of optional/bonus class video/audio hours
 
Bonus Herb Walk Video Collection (available to all series students) ~ 30% botany/ID, 70% materia medica 10 hours
Note that classes that are organized by health topic, body system, or disease contain approximately 1/3 - 2/3 Basic Human Sciences and 2/3 - 1/3 Materia Media. Homework, bonus/optional class, and at-home study hours vary widely by student

175 core In-Class Hours + 175 Home Study Hours = 350+* Hours of 800 education hours (*These numbers are approximate and does not include the many optional bonus classes in each series nor the many on-your-own suggested and sometimes required reading/watching class materials in the advanced series. Track your hours – it’s probably going to be even more than listed above for those who go beyond the core live class time.) 

See further below for a comparison by topic of the hours in all three Wintergreen Botanicals series (with homework) to AHG's requirements.

*This file will give you an idea of the hours break down year to year and currently - we often add and sometimes remove content (or hours of content), so these are general numbers.

American Herbalists Guild Registered Herbalist Requirements

Newly updated in June 2020!

  1. 800 hours of botanical medicine education, independent study, or a combination of both, plus
  2. 400 hours of total clinical experience (including a minimum of 300 direct clinical contact hours)
  3. 150 medicinal herbs minimum as part of your working materia medica (to understand, know, and use)
  4. 3 case studies from your clinical practice. with 2 or more follow up sessions with each
  5. 2 letters of recommendation from herbal colleagues
  6. 3 health care practitioners in your local referral network
  7. 10 textbook sources that you refer to in your practice

Here's a breakdown by topic (updated April 2023!)

of approximately how many hours you would get from all three of Wintergreen Botanicals programs core hours (plus homework) vs the AHG's suggested hours (not including all the extra suggested and bonus class/learning time)

Basic Human Sciences (~66+ of 200 hours): Anatomy, physiology, pathology, and biochemistry. This can be accomplished by self-study and in person or online webinars and courses. You do not need an accredited course in anatomy, physiology, pathology, and biochemistry, but if you have one, that would be accepted.

Nutrition and Medical terminology (~5 of of 80 hours): This can be accomplished through self study and in person or online webinars and courses. You do not necessarily need an accredited course in nutrition, but if you have one, that would be accepted.

Materia Medica (~120+ of 400 hours): Botanical names, plant families, phytoconstituents, plant parts used, therapeutic actions and applications, indications, contraindications, medicinal preparations, recommended dosing, herb-drug interactions, toxicology and side effects, general review of the literature, historic uses, harvesting and sustainability status, and use with specific populations (e.g. infants, children, the elderly, pregnant or lactating persons).

History , Philosophy  and Therapeutic Paradigms and  Applications  (Including Energetics) of Various Systems of Herbal Medicine (~60 of 120 hours): The philosophy of Western herbalism, American herbalism, and other forms of global herbalism, such as African, Ayurvedic, Chinese, and First Nation; interpreting historical and scientific data and understanding what constitutes “evidence-based medicine.” Basic understanding of energetics for many traditions with a focus on deeper understanding and practice of the energetics in your chosen tradition.

Pharmacy, Pharmacognosy, and Dispensing (~50 of 80 hours): Basic principles of medicine making, plant chemistry and pharmacology, herbal formulation, modes of administration and delivery, maintaining a dispensary, raw material identification, laws regarding labeling and dispensing, and dispensing strategies.

Botany and Plant Science (~40 of 60 hours): Basic botany and field identification, recognition of common herbs and related toxic species.

Current Evidence Based Botanical Research (20 hours): Familiarity with the evaluation of research into medicinal plants and their clinical use including research methods, data interpretation, searching databases and sources of current research about botanical medicine.

Practice Management and Ethics (25 hours): Ethics, record keeping, professional networking, scope of practice, legal issues (national, state, and local), confidentiality, small business management, and herbal practice promotion and marketing.

Clinical Hours (almost zero of 400 hours)