There are an increasing number of keen herbalists in the UK at all different stages of their learning journeys, which is brilliant to see! But if you’re particularly keen, you may be wondering if you need a degree in herbal medicine in the UK to practice herbal medicine to the depth at which you desire. Having qualified as a clinical herbal medicine practitioner, myself, I’ve been there. Whilst I have had a private consultation practice, what I have seen as I shifted from clinical work to directing a school of herbal medicine is there is a burgeoning group of intrepid souls who are keen to learn herbalism to great depth, acquiring profound knowledge and skills, but who don’t necessarily need (or want) to earn a formal degree. So if you’re wondering if a degree in herbal medicine in the UK is right for you or not, read on.
1. You Don’t Need a Degree in Herbal Medicine in the UK if You’re Not Embarking on a New Career
The straightforward answer as to whether or not you need a degree in herbal medicine in the UK depends if you are intending to change career (or start your first one) and become a clinical practitioner. Although not technically a requirement in the UK, you will want those 500 hours of supervised clinical experience, the knowledge of how to do physical examinations and take a client’s full health history and so on. You’ll also find it easier to get practitioner’s insurance and join professional bodies.
That being said, opening a clinical herbal practice is not everyone’s dream or what’s driving them to want to learn herbal medicine at a deep level. If you don’t want to become a clinical practitioner, look for a course with a credible teacher that will guide you in developing a nuanced understanding of medicinal plants, your body’s messages and dynamics and how to safely and effectively pair the two alongside herbal medicine making skills, such as our intensive herbalism course - Awaken Herbal Wisdom.
2. You Want to Support Yourself, Your Family and Close Friends - Not the Wider Public
If your intention is to be able to work with herbs as your go-to for health, vitality and restoring balance with skill and confidence for yourself, your family and perhaps a few willing close friends - rather than the wider public - you do not need a degree in herbal medicine in the UK. Herbal medicine is the original medicine. It has always lived at the crossroads between the home and the hedgerows as the people’s medicine. It is a wealth of knowledge and a set of skills that reaches back through the many generations of human history, but which was taken out of the people’s hands many moons ago. The students I meet have a desire to remember this knowledge, to reclaim it as their own and to relearn what their ancestors once considered commonplace. After all, it is in our kitchens and at our hearths that we connect and care for each other, where we care for our loved ones - not outsourcing our bodies, our minds, our health and our autonomy to white coats in whitewashed windowless rooms under the glare of florescent lights.
3. You Want to Learn Herbalism for YOU
For some, it feels like a calling. For others, like a driving passion. A lifelong interest. An insatiable curiosity. An understanding of how society is functioning (or not) at the moment and a desire to create a different, more nourishing life for oneself. If learning herbalism to a deep level is something you want to do as an act of honouring yourself, then you definitely do not need a degree in herbal medicine in the UK to bring that to life. You’re not seeking a piece of paper on the wall to tell yourself or someone else you are ‘worthy’; rather, you are committing yourself to a journey into the heart of herbalism because it reflects your appreciation of your own self-worth. So find a course that matches your learning style and doesn’t make you tick a bunch of boxes, write a reem of papers or sit a swathe or exams to prove to someone else that the knowledge and skills you are acquiring are sinking deep into your bones. Our intensive herbalism course doesn’t require anything but for you to be present to your own journey and be open to where it takes you.
4. You Know Not All of Our Interests, Talents and Skills Need to Be Monetised
It’s worth reminding ourselves that just because we take great pleasure in something or are particularly talented or skilled does not mean we have to monetise it. Herbal medicine does not have to become your career, your business, your ‘side hustle’. Your passion does not have to be monetised and, therefore, does not require you to earn a degree in herbal medicine in the UK. Think of it this way - what if every person in the world had something that completely lit them up, that they could perform with confidence to such a degree that they could just lose themselves in it and enjoy it for what it is? Imagine how our world would glow. Not having to be the ‘best’ or do something out of obligation or doubt one’s abilities whilst doing it. Just simple pleasure that grows with the skill. You don’t need a degree in herbal medicine in the UK to enjoy nature’s bounty or feel the delights of a homemade body butter on your skin, to feel secure instead of scared when someone gets poorly, to know the satisfaction of being able to take care of your own well. You can simply enjoy the journey.
So if you’ve been diving down a bit of a rabbit hole as a keen herbalist researching whether or not you need a degree in herbal medicine in the UK, take a moment to check in with yourself. Do you intend to change career and go into clinical practice? Do you want to support yourself, your family and close friends, but not the wider public? Do you want to learn herbalism for your own personal reasons and development? Do you want to build your skills and knowledge for your own pleasure, rather than profit? If you’re not looking to go into clinical practice and support the general public with herbs, then you do not need a degree in herbal medicine in the UK. Instead, look for a course that fits your learning style and gives you the depth you desire, without the additional clinical and academic requirements.
If you’re here in the UK, you’re very welcome to take the next step on your journey learning herbal medicine with us on our intensive herbalism course - Awaken Herbal Wisdom - which spans all four seasons and gets herbalism both deep into your bones and your daily life. The skills you learn will become muscle memory and your confidence will grow. With up to three years of development, we get well into the nuances so you can understand and navigate them as effectively as a degree course, but without the additional commitments and requirements. Although it is intense, it’s suitable for a wide range of herbalists, including beginners! You can learn more about our herbal medicine course here. Be sure to join our mailing list to see what the current cohorts are up to and get first access to the coming year's cohorts or enrol for the current year before it begins while places are available.
Whether earning a degree in herbal medicine in the UK is right for you or not, I hope you enjoy the journey!
At Rhodes Roots & Remedies School of Herbal Medicine, our practice of herbalism is rooted in the belief that we must remember, reclaim and relearn our knowledge of our bodies, our autonomy and how to work with plant medicine in order to bring control of our own health back into our families and homes for a sustainable future for ourselves and the planet. Through our intensive herbalism course, we facilitate the development of confident, empowered herbalists, attuned to the messages of their bodies and the natural world. Living the deep wisdom of herbal medicine within themselves, their homes and their communities, they uplift themselves and others, creating a stronger society organically. We do hope you'll join us on your journey!
