So many questions ~

So many answers!

As a prospective herb student, you have a lot of options and probably a lot of questions! I'm thrilled that you're considering my courses for your herbal journey, but I want to make sure this is the best fit for you. Please read through this page and some of the associated links first. If you have further questions, please feel free to email me at support@wintergreenbotanicals.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

I want to train to become an herbalist. How do I do that?

If you’re just embarking on your journey to become an herbalist, I highly recommend reading my blog post on this topic Becoming an Herbalist which provides general information and insight into picking an herb school, becoming an herbalist, realities of herbalism as a profession, etc. There is no one path to becoming an an herbalist and no guarantee of financial success once you’ve launched your business. There are so many different herb schools with different formats for learning, varied costs, quantity of study hours, expectations, different types of herbalism practiced, etc.  Please read that blog for more information including things think about as you craft your own unique path.

Are your classes online or live in person?

Good news -- they’re often available in either format! However, it may vary year to year which series are available in person, live stream, and/or online only. Typically the summer Home Herbalist Series is available in all formats whereas the other programs may vary. See each course page for that year's details. .

When can I start?

You can start the at-your-own pace pre-recorded online programs any time. Live streamed online programs in-person programs have specific start and end points – refer to those individual class pages for up-to-date details. That said, you maintain access to online course materials forever and have no deadline to submit homework and receive your course certificate. Online materials consist of remedy making videos, lengthy class notes, PDFs of full-color slides, recorded audio and/or recorded webinar videos – this material is available to all students whether they attend live versions of the courses or not. If for some reason you can’t access the online content, email me at support@wintergreenbotanicals.com for the updated course link.

Will your program(s) fulfill my needs to become an herbalist?

Yes, but only to a point. It also depends on how you define “becoming an herbalist” and whether this is for personal edification or to do it professionally. I have three different courses available that together comprise my herbalist training program.

1. The Home Herbalist Series covers the core body systems, common herbs, and most common remedy-making formats like tea, tincture, oil, and salve. This is the starting point for learning and is designed to offer a solid foundation in herbalism for people using it in their home for their own health and wellbeing as well as to help family and friends. Alone it is NOT sufficient for practicing as an herbalist professionally, but it is a great starting point for further learning on that goal.
2. The Beyond the Home Herbalist Series follows a similar format as the Home Herbalist where we cover a body system (or health topic) and at least one remedy making technique per class for nine classes total. These are additional topics and remedies that are of popular interest that we didn’t have time to cover in the first series. This series will expand your repertoire as a home-based herbalist and provide further learning but, again, it’s NOT sufficient on its own for you to practice professionally as an herbalist. Some students jump into this series without having taken the first. It is not necessarily more advanced, but it is better for the flow of learning to take them in order.
3. The Advance Program is a dense, varied, longer program that helps bring your training as a home herbalist closer to that of a professional herbalist. We cover more advanced topics, health concerns, remedy making techniques, an overview on regulations for herbalists and making products, clinical practice skills, etc. I do not recommend students take this series unless they have completed my first two series or similar programs at another herb school.

My Herbalist Training Program (and the herbalist certificate) is all three above series together and all accompanying homework for the three series. At the end of this, you will indeed be prepared to call yourself a professional herbalist and you will have several hundred hours of learning, touching on all topics recommended by the American Herbalists Guild.

So, yes, you will have a solid education and be ready to start a small business, but you won’t have the full 800 recommended hours of training and 400 clinical hours that the AHG requires for professional members. You’ll have closer to 400 education hours and just 20 or so clinical hours. (Click here for a detailed breakdown of hours.) I encourage graduating students to slowly build their practices and expertise, seek advanced programs elsewhere for further experience and perspective, and/or pursue working with a mentor.

For more of an overview on each series and the full training program, click here.

Students are welcome to take individual series without doing the full training program based on their interest level and prior education.

How long does your program take?

It depends on what you're looking to do and how fast you work. My series are information-packed and the homework will take quite a bit of time to work through. How long it takes will completely depend on your motivation, available time, and academic skill. While a few ambitious students have completed all three series and all accompanying homework within one calendar year, this is arduous and not recommended. Two to three years is more realistic. Attending live classes will generally move students through the material at a faster pace versus going through pre-recorded materials at your own pace.

Expect to spend 3 to 12 months on each of the Home Herbalist and Beyond series and a full year on the Advanced program. Each class and homework within each series will take 6 to 15 hours of your time. There are 9 classes each in the Home Herbalist and Beyond series and 15-20 classes in the Advanced (depending on the format taught that year).

Will I get a certificate?

Yes, if you complete each series and/or the total program. Each series includes a certificate of completion, which is attained via attendance (or watching/listening to online materials), reading notes, making remedies, and doing homework. The requirements for getting a certificate are slightly different when attending a live in-person course, a livestream online course, or an at-your-own pace course. The certificate indicates the hours and topics associated with that course. For the over-arching herbalist certificate, you need to compete all three series and all accompanying homework.

Some students choose to simply go through the content for their own edification and not do the homework. That’s completely fine, though you probably won’t qualify for any certificate.

What does it mean to be a certified herbalist?

Many programs, including mine, grant a certificate of completion. While having a certificate proves you completed the program, herbal certificates carry no legal recognition or status in the United States – whether it comes from Wintergreen Botanicals or anywhere else. There’s no set path to become an herbalist in the United States because there are no regulations, licensure, or nationally recognized certification. The closest we have to this is the American Herbalists Guild Registered Herbalist designation, which my courses prepare you for but do not fulfill entirely.

Why should I get certified as an herbalist if there is no regulation?

Whether or not you get a certificate is a matter of personal preference and not at all associated with your quality as an herbalist. From a legal standpoint a certificate indicates that you completed a program. Although students often desire clear regulatory guides and legal status for completion of their herbal training, regulation is highly controversial in the herbal medicine world. Herbalism as a practice is rich and diverse, and many fear that regulating it will make the practice less nuanced, useful, and accessible.

Are there any practitioners that incorporate herbalism into their legal practice?

A few types of regulated and licensed practitioners utilize herbalism into a broader clinical practice. This includes licensed acupuncturists, naturopathic doctors, and integrative medicine doctors. Note that even though these fields are regulated and licensed, the practitioners herbalist background may be less rigorous and comprehensive.

How do I know when I am officially a "practicing herbalist"?

You decide when you are ready. I used and recommend the American Herbalists Guild guidelines. This includes 800 hours of education in a variety of subjects plus 400 clinical hours, which can be completed with formal course work, homework, conferences, webinars, and/or self study. Always stick within your legal and personal capabilities (which we discuss in the Advanced program).

How does the Wintergreen Botanicals Herbalist Training Program compare to the AHG recommendations?

My programs are designed to be dense with information, fast-paced, and affordable. Within the Herbalist Intensive Training Program, we cover all topics that the AHG recommends but not for the full amount of hours recommended. That said, my program is comparable and often surpasses the content in most of the "one weekend a month" herbal apprentice style programs. See the hours breakdown and comparison to AHG requirements here.

What can I do with my Herbalist Certificate?

When you complete the training program, you will have a solid skill set for practicing as an herbalist. This includes seeing clients or otherwise acting as an herbal entrepreneur. You will have a good understanding of anatomy, physiology, pathology, botany and plant identification, medicine making, ethics, clinical skills, materia medica, herbal energetics, and more.

What can I expect in your classes?
Can I try out a class or two to see if I like your teaching style and how your classes compare to others I've taken?

My academic teaching style tends to be heavy on lecture and critical thinking. I also like to give you hands on experience, especially for remedy making and short outdoor herb walks (and other activities, in the advanced program). We do spend most of our time in the classroom. This is like being in a college level course, albeit a bit more fun! I come from a western herbal perspective with a focus on herbs that are common in commerce or our backyards. My program tends to be down to earth with a mix of traditional and folk herbalism, modern science, evidence-based herbalism, and whole foods tradition.

If you haven’t taken a class with me before, you have a few different ways to get a sense of my teaching style before investing in a full program:

1. Check out the class notes & videos page of my website for a few samples of popular class notes, short free videos (the course videos are more detailed and longer!), and podcasts. This HerbRally podcast with downloadable notes has been lifted directly from my Beyond the Home Herbalist Series lung health class.
2. See my YouTube channel for a few public herb walk videos including this playlist of free videos others have recorded and posted of me. Note that a most of these videos are a lot shorter and less detailed compared to the ones that are included in my paid course registration – I save the best for my students! J
3. Take Class 1 or Request Any One Class from the online Home Herbalist or Beyond series for just $25, and you can then apply this towards the full series if you decide to upgrade to it.

Students who prefer a more relaxed pace and experiential learning style and/or plant spirit medicine will likely prefer a different herb school and teacher – for example, Misty Meadows in Lee, NH and Greenwood Herbals in Limerick, Maine.

How much does it cost?

Prices vary year to year and by series. Generally pre-recorded at-your-own pace classes are less expensive than live classes. Live classes often include remedy making supplies or kits. See my classes page or my online store for current options and prices.

What if I can't afford your courses?

I try to price my programs very affordably while still honoring myself and others who are involved in making the program a success. You'll find that my series offer a lot of detailed content in various formats (live classes, videos, audio recordings, notes, slides, homework with detailed feedback...) and benefits (discounts, American Herbalists Guild membership, certificate, graduation pendant, and for some courses remedy supplies) for a competitive price. That said, this still might not be accessible to you. A few other options may be available.

Work/Study: If you're local, every year I offer a few work/study spots in my series for students who either assist with set up and clean up of classes (when we're able to meet for live classes) or work as garden work/study students. These work/study spots offer classes for "free" or greatly reduced in exchange for your work time. Email me if you're interested. Work/study students need to be reliable, committed, easy to communicate with, able to follow directions, and hard working. Prior experience (especially for garden work/study spots) is preferred. Email support@wintergreenbotanicals.com if you're interested.

Limited Scholarships are intermittently available for my online Home Herbalist Series. These are full or partial scholarships for that are need-based and/or geared towards people from groups typically marginalized by the dominant society -- black, indigenous, people of color, trans, people with physical disabilities,  single parents, etc. Stay tuned on my mailing list for opportunities or email me if you're interested.

Payment Plans are available by request for my Advanced Series (and, less commonly, for the Home Herbalist and Beyond Series). Don't be shy in asking! Email me at support@wintergreenbotanicals.com and let me know the exact payment plan schedule that works best for you. I'm happy to set something up! In most cases, I would prefer to have you paid up before classes and full access to the online materials begins. Most students pay via credit card on online invoices but check, money order, or cash payments can also be arranged.

Barter/Trade? If we can come to an arrangement that works for both of us, I'm happy to trade/barter for all or part of classes. For this we'll match dollar for dollar on the fair market value (not discounted) for each person's services or goods. It does need to be something I actually want and can use. Examples include farm-fresh ethically raised meat, skilled and insured handiwork around the house/yard, graphic design/marketing assistance, copyediting, and yard work.

I also have loads of free information available on my website that you can use for self-edification, though this won't be as formal and cohesive as my series. My affordable book Body into Balance (SRP $24.95) is based on my Home Herbalist and Beyond the Home Herbalist series and used as a core herbal textbook in herb schools across the country. You can buy signed copies through me but it's even less expensive from online suppliers (like you-know-who) or as an e-book. Or you can ask your local library to loan it to you! 🙂

Are we going to learn about herbalism from other cultures?

You will learn some Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic herbs, but we do not delve deeply into these complex systems of medicine nor plant spirit medicine. While the herbs we use do indeed come from around the globe with a variety of lineages, we will mostly cover western herbalism, which is my training and my heritage. I'm most knowledgeable about wild and cultivated plants (and resources) within the New England bioregion in which I live. I am actively working to decolonize my herbal teachings, but it's certainly a work in progress in which I still have a long way to go. I have deep respect for all forms and cultures of herbalism, and you are always encouraged to further your education with additional teachers and schools to get a variety of perspectives and a more well-rounded education. Or you may decide that another school is a better fit for you because it includes a different perspective or approach that you prefer..

What other herbal education programs are out there?

In my opinion, one of the best multi-year programs is at the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism. Other excellent programs include the Colorado School of Herbal Studies and Arborvitae in New York. Their programs go above and beyond with thousands of hours and multi-year programs. Bastyr University and MUIH have lovely programs that include college accreditation (but accreditation really isn’t necessary for an herbal program and mainly translates to a higher cost, though there are more opportunities for financial aid in an accredited program). Here in New Hampshire, some of the most popular herb schools besides my own are Misty Meadows, Sacred Tree Herbals, and Blackbird’s Daughter. These are more experiential and plant spirit focused than mine. Greenwood Herbals in Limerick, Maine is excellent, more experiential yet somewhat closer to mine, though we each have our own flavor of herbalism and slightly different topics covered.

Herbal Academy,  Maryland University of Integrative Health, and CommonWealth Herbs are some of the most popular online schools with a range of offerings and levels of courses. For a distance program that includes Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda, the East West School has an excellent reputation. David Winston sometimes offers an advanced 2-year program. Camille Freeman, “the Two Leslies” Roundtable, and AHG Mentor list offer mentorship and further clinical training online.

For more herb schools visit the American Herbalists Guild school list, HerbRally Schools, or Distance Learning listings.

Class Policies

Cancellation and Missed Class Policies

All class and course registrations are nonrefundable.
If you have difficulty accessing course materials, are displeased with course materials, or have a situation you think warrants an exception to the policy, please email support@wintergreenbotanicals.com to discuss.

In the rare case that Maria has to cancel a class or course, you will be notified immediately with options regarding full or partial refunds, make-up-date(s), and/or transfers to a different class/course or course format (such as pre-recorded online).

Live Classroom & Live Stream Online Series Student Policies

1. Your registration automatically includes permanent access to all online materials including class notes, homework assignments, and class video(s).  Home Herbalist and Beyond Home Herbalist Series students also have access to webinar and remedy making videos. You may refer to these materials if you miss a live class. All live stream classes are recorded; students are sent access to the replay recording within approximately 48 hours of class.
2. Missed classes are NOT eligible for a refund and generally not available as a make up in person.  You may access the missed class recorded online. (If the class is offered in the future as a live stream online class, email Maria for free make-up access.)
3. Students who are unable to use the remedy ingredients we make in class usually will be able to choose a suitable alternate remedy (preferred) or credit. Alcohol-free remedy options are almost always available. In person, remedies free of other ingredients (honey, sugar, nuts, etc.) may be available with prior notice. For the remedy kit in live stream series there are no substitutions for what I send, but you can certainly opt to get and make remedy substitutions with. your own supplies.
4. To Get a Certificate: Classroom and live streamed students are expected to attend at least 80% of classes in order to receive a certificate of completion. You're also expected to read through the notes. For the live stream, you will also need to send a remedy report for one remedy per class to complete the series and get your certificate. (In the in-person course, a remedy report isn't necessary. because we make them in class.) At Maria's discretion, completion of full homework for missed classes may suffice.  If this policy seems unfair to your personal situation or you are genuinely unhappy with the course material please let Maria know.

Individual classes and drop ins will have access to class notes and possibly other electronic course materials if a class is missed. Drop-in and request-a-class students are not eligible for certificates, memberships., student discounts, the student Facebook page, and homework/feedback -- these are for series students only.

Online Class & Series Policies
These apply to the pre-recorded on-demand/at-your-own-pace (versus live stream) online classes:

1. Automatic access to the class/course materials will be emailed to you shortly after registration. Check your spam folder. You have automatic and permanent access to course materials  that does not expire. If you do not get your access email, lose a link, or a link no longer works, please contact Maria to get re-connected.
2. Series students will receive a certificate of completion once you have gone through all course materials and completed all accompanying homework, including the End of Series Survey. Your certificate and graduation pendant will be emailed to you in a prompt manner upon your completion.
3. Refunds are not available, especially since you're given access to all course materials immediately. If you are displeased with the course materials or feel that you have extenuating circumstances that require a refund, please contact Maria to explain your reasons.

Drop-in and request-a-class students are not eligible for certificates, memberships., student discounts, the student Facebook page, and homework/feedback -- these are for series students only.

AHG Membership

I really want you to delve into your herbal studies! All students who enroll in a full series will automatically receive a complimentary year long American Herbalists Guild student membership. One per person (not per series), nontransferable. This is a $60-70 value! Membership will begin shortly after the live 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 herb suppliers and schools such as Mountain Rose Herbs. Most discounts are only available within the United States; however, .AHG's electronic benefits such as free and discounted online classes, webinars, audio recordings, journals, virtual conferences, etc. are accessible to students world wide.

Additional Exclusive Wintergreen Botanicals Student Discounts

In addition to the discounts already offered through your AHG membership, all series students (within the United States) at Wintergreen Botanicals have access to exclusive discounts for herb shops, farms, and other suppliers for their personal use. In 2022, these include Mountain Rose Herbs, Foster Farm Botanicals, Bee Fields Farm, Back in Thyme Wellness & Herbs, Moon Mama Herbals, Societe Apothecary, Chelsea Green Book Publishers, and others. Access to these discounts begins immediately upon series registration. See the intro section on Google Classroom once you're logged in for the current list, terms, expiration, and promo codes. Most are available for online shipped orders (within the United States), some are available only in-store.

Meet My Dog, Reishi

For those of you joining me in the Chichester classroom, please be aware that my friendly mid-sized rescue mutt will be joining us.  She mainly sleeps or chews on a toy at our feet.  Reishi is very sweet, almost never barks, and is low shed but not hypoallergenic. If you have any concerns about sharing the classroom with a dog please email me at support@wintergreenbotanicals.com.