Herbal Apprenticeships and Advanced Training Herbal Apprenticeship Program The 2008 weekend Apprenticeship Program begins April 19 and meets one weekend a month through October. The program is taught by two herbalists: Madelon Hope and Tommy Priester. Students get hands-on experience making tinctures, teas, salves, oils, herbal sprays, flower essences etc. and are exposed to such various herbal traditions as Western Herbalism, Chinese medicine and Ayurveda. Each month, we cover a different body system and the herbs that nourish and support it. We focus on plant identification and do medicinal plant walks each weekend. The Apprenticeship meets on Saturdays from 10:00 to 5:00 p.m. and on Sundays from 10:00 to 4:30 p.m. on the following dates: April 19, 20; May 11, 12; June 7, 8; July 12, 18; August 16, 17; September 13, 14; October 18, 19. For more information, please call 781.646.6319.   The Herbal Apprenticeship Includes: Herbal Energetics and World Systems The Digestive System The Respiratory System The Nervous System The Immune System The Circulatory System The System of the Skin The Muscular-Skeletal System The Urinary System   Diagnostics Seasonal tonics Bibliographies World systems On-line resources Case histories Plant identification and herb walks Creating your own teas, tinctures and salves Remedies for acute and chronic illnesses Historical traditions in herbalism Plant meditation Advanced Herbal Training The Advanced Training Program has three components: Diagnostic classes, Intensive Training with Matthew Wood and Phyllis Light and Herbal Clinics. The diagnostic classes will meet on Saturdays from 10:00-5:00 p.m. The first three classes will emphasize consultation skills and will involve intensive instruction and practice. Students will learn tongue, pulse, nail and facial diagnosis as well as formulation. There will also be assignments to practice diagnostic skills during the month in between classes. January 26th: Facial Diagnosis and Pulse taking. February 9th: Tongue, nail and sclera diagnosis: muscle testing and dowsing. March 15th: Formulation - with case studies. April 12th: Effective models for doing consultations May 31st 12th: Case Presentations, exam and wrap up The Herbal Clinic is a required part of the course and, each month students will be asked to do consultations and develop their own style of doing an initial intake. You will receive several good models for intake forms. The focus is on teaching essential skills to be a clinical herbalist. The clinics meet on Sunday from 10:00-3:00 p.m. on January 27th, February 10th, March 16th, April 13th, June 1st. After that, they will meet on Wednesdays from 6:30-9:30 p.m. on July 9th, August 20th, September 24th, October 22nd and November 19th. Tommy and Madelon will be available to mentor and support those of you who would like to go on to do clinical work. Advanced Training with Matthew Wood and Phyllis Light The weekend intensives with Matthew Wood and Phyllis Light will cover materia medica, assessment skills, case histories, and stories from their herbal practices. The focus will be on how to get to the root cause of physical complaints. The classes cover advanced anatomy and physiology and the inter-relationship among body systems. Saturday and Sunday, February 2-3 Matthew Wood will introduce the five primary tissue states, an exciting approach based on nineteenth century herbal energetics and will explain how to apply this approach to the Respiratory and Digestive systems. Herbs for the Respiratory System - Broad and Subtle Uses Wild Cherry, Rose hips, Hawthorn, Yarrow, Agrimony, Lobelia, Black Cohosh, Elderberry, Plantain, Coltsfoot, Anise seed, Pleurisy root, Sweet Everlasting, Raspberry, Red root, Sumac,Eyebright, White Pond Lily, Sage, Bayberry bark, Elecampane, White Horehound, Thyme, Cayenne, Angelica, Ginger, Garlic, Grindelia, White Pine, Horseradish, Propolis. Herbs for the Digestive system -Broad and Subtle Uses Peach leaves, Yellow Dock, Turkey Rhubarb, Lemon Balm, Wild Yam, Blue Vervain, Lobelia, Catnip, Agrimony, Chamomile, Crampbark, Slippery Elm, Fenugreek, Burdock, Butternut bark,Poppy seed, American Ginseng, Tag Alder, Bittersweet vine, Gentian, Blackberry, Bayberry bark, Sweet Flag, Meadowsweet, Goldenseal, Black Walnut, Ginger, Queen Anne's Lace, Gravel Root. Saturday and Sunday, March 29-30 Phyllis Light will discuss broad patterns of dysfunction in the reproductive system and will teach how to pick up imbalances before they become disorders. From her unique folk herbal perspective, she will teach how to address infertility, polycystic ovarian disorder, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, fibrocystic breast disorder, cervical dysplasia, PMS, menopause and enlarged prostate. She will offer information on folk remedies, food, stress reduction and lifestyle changes that enhance reproductive functioning. Some Herbs Covered - Blessed Thistle, Alfalfa, Black Cohosh, Blue Cohosh, Cramp bark, Fennel, Fenugreek, American Ginseng, Kelp, Motherwort, Queen Anne's Lace, False Unicorn Root, Gravel Root, Saw Palmetto, Red root, and Partridge berry. Nutritional Supplements and Foods - A discussion of vitamins, minerals, and specific foods that support healthy reproductive function. Skin, Hair, Face, Tongue - Signs for Assessment Saturday and Sunday, May 17-18 Matthew Wood will focus on the Nervous and Endocrine systems in relation to the five primary tissue states. Some Herbs for the Nervous system - Broad and Subtle uses Blue Vervain, Lemon Balm, Borage, Agrimony, Chamomile, Oats, Prickly Ash, Wood Betony, St. Johnswort, Motherwort, Skullcap, Passionflower, St. Johnswort, Lobelia, Blue Cohosh, Rosemary, Gingko, Black Cohosh, Mullein. Some Herbs for the Endocrine system - Broad and Subtle uses Queen Anne's Lace, Sumac, Vitex, Pulsatilla, Bugleweed, Motherwort, Black Walnut, Chickweed, Wild Yam, Irish Moss, Borage, Lemon Balm, Blue Vervain, Burdock, Myrrh, Angelica, Licorice, Spikenard, Devil's Club, Blueberry fruit and leaf, Blue Flag, Fringe tree, Dandelion, Goldenrod, Gravel Root The total fee for the Diagnostic training, the Clinic and for the Advanced Training with Matthew Wood and Phyllis Light is $1250. There will also be an option of doing two components separately. The fee for the diagnostic classes is $500. The Intensive weekends with Matthew Wood and Phyllis Light are $750.