New to learning herbalism, but having a hard time choosing a herbalist course for beginners? As a qualified herbalist, I’ve been there - excited by all the possibilities and new knowledge and skills to acquire, but also a bit overwhelmed and confused by all the different options (and actually really just itching to get stuck in)! Having attended workshops, done a multi-year apprenticeship, completed a four year qualification course as a clinical herbal medicine practitioner and teaching herbalist courses, myself, here are my top ten recommendations for choosing a herbalist course for beginners.
1. Do: Take it one step at a time
Herbal medicine packs thousands of years of history, knowledge and skills, as it is the original medicine spanning back through human history (not to mention the rest of nature). So although it’s all very exciting, do try to take it one step at a time. Find a herbalist course for beginners that meets you where you are on your journey now. If you try to cram too much in at once, you won’t get that incredible knowledge down into your bones - it’ll just swirl around in your head.
2. Don’t: Take too many courses at once
With so many options for herbalist courses for beginners - online, on-demand, in-person, short form, year-long, free or an investment, avoid the temptation to take too many courses at once. If your inbox and diary are full of different courses to do, you’ll run out of both time and brain space. The last thing you want to do with all your enthusiasm is get burnt out or feel like you’re falling behind. Choose one herbalist course for beginners to do and have that as your core to start. Once you’re firmly on your journey, you may want to supplement with an additional course to run alongside your main one, but keep it to two at a time, maximum!
3. Do: Find a herbalist course for beginners that gives you a community
It’s so much easier and more fun to learn when you are part of a community, whether you meet in person or online. You can share recipes, questions and resources, as well as get reassurance and support each other as you learn new concepts and skills.
4. Don’t: Choose a course that has no interaction with the instructor or other students
One thing you will be guaranteed to have when taking a herbalist course for beginners is lots of questions. If there’s no one there to answer them, you won’t be able to get the clarity you need. Remember, herbal medicine is medicine and it involves people’s health, so it is important to make sure you have your facts straight. And, as mentioned in tip #3, it’s just more fun to be able to discuss with your teacher and other students!
5. Do: Find a course that helps you focus - especially on learning the herbs
Yes, it is tempting to be looking at two different herbalist courses for beginners and think if one is going to introduce you to 10 herbs and the other will introduce you to 50 herbs that more is more, but that’s not necessarily the case. Look for a course that will help you focus your herbal learning and develop not only the foundational knowledge of the practice, but also depth of understanding of the plants. There will be plenty of time to get to know many medicinal herbs over the course of your journey learning herbalism. Focus first, then scale.
6. Don’t: Ignore the people part of the puzzle
Learning herbalism isn’t just about learning how to understand plant medicine, it’s also about learning how to understand ourselves, reconnect with the messages our bodies send us and match the two for effective support. If a herbalist course for beginners just focuses on learning plant facts and ‘using’ herbs instead of allopathic medicines, you’re not really learning herbalism. You’re just swapping medical pills for ‘green’ pills.
7. Do: Learn from a reputable teacher
Ensure your teacher is knowledgeable, either because they’ve qualified as a clinical herbalist themselves, or because they have completed more traditional, long-term methods of training, such as an apprenticeship. Check their credentials. If you’re unsure, ask them. A reputable teacher won’t hesitate to share theirs.
8. Don’t: Skip the basics
There are a few foundational concepts in herbal medicine you’ll want to make sure you’ve learned and understood properly before moving on to a more advanced or involved course - Latin names of plants, key herbal terminology, plant identification, remedy making and safety. If you’ve not got the basics down, you may end up overwhelmed, confused or both further down the line.
9. Do: Engage your senses
Herbal medicine is an ancient, earthy form of medicine. A good herbalist course for beginners should encourage you to use your senses - to smell, taste, feel and observe the plants. It’s a natural learning process that reflects the fact you’re learning about how to engage with another aspect of nature. Herbal medicine isn’t meant to be confined to black and white print on a screen or in a book. It’s meant to be alive!
10. Do: Choose a herbalist course for beginners that lights you up inside!
Now that you’ve considered so many dos and don’ts, take a breath. Read the herbal medicine course description again and listen to your body. How does it make you feel? If you feel all lit up inside, go with that gut feeling! It’ll take you on an incredible journey!
Is there a lot to consider when choosing a herbalist course for beginners? Absolutely. Does it need to be overwhelming? Certainly not. Don’t take too many courses at once, choose a course with no interaction, ignore the people part of the puzzle or skip the basics. Do take it one step at a time, choose a herbalist course for beginners that gives you a community and helps you focus, ensure you learn from a reputable teacher, engage your senses, and above all, choose a course that lights you up inside!
And 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. You can learn more about our herbal medicine course here. Be sure to put your name on the waiting list to see what the current cohorts are up to and get first access to enrolment before it opens.
Whatever herbalist course for beginners you choose, 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!
