Classes – Thyme Herbal

Thyme Herbal Classes

Brittany’s three year herbal apprenticship program explores the study of holistic herbalism drawing on traditions of Western Herbalism, Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine. Courses are open to students who are interested in supporting career goals in herbalism and other healing arts, as well as to those who are interested in exploring the study of herbalism for personal development and home use.

Click on the green dots below to explore the following course offerings in this order:

The Art of Home Herbalism

This apprenticeship is designed to introduce you to the world of western herbalism and give you the tools to be an effective and empowered home herbalist. It will strengthen your relationship with your environment and your health through plant identification, growing, wild-crafting, gathering and storing of medicinal plants. We will also explore introductory body system therapeutics, medicine making techniques and the rich cultural heritage of using seasonal and local foods as medicine for health and well-being.

These all day classes are intensive, fun and exciting, hands on and interactive. You will meet the plants in their environment and learn the art of herbal medicine as it relates to your health and the earth.

The Art of Home Herbalism Online

Brittany’s introductory apprenticeship and most popular class, the Art of Home Herbalism, is now available as an online course. This is a unique herbal program, set up similarly to an online course offered through a college or university. Running March through November, each month a new module of material will be released. All students will register and begin the program together – working at their own pace throughout the month, students will be able to ask questions and share experiences through an online forum board. There will also be a monthly discussion groups where students will have the opportunity to check in with Brittany and each other, ask questions and clarify concepts. While students are encouraged to keep up with monthly material, each student will have access to course materials until March of the following year, giving each individual the opportunity to go back and review concepts and work at their own pace.

The Art of Home Herbalism Online will cover all the same topics that are covered in the in-person version of the class, as well as a few more that have been included to account for some of the experiences picked up or inspired during class time.

The Advanced Apprenticeship

This course is open to those who have taken The Art of Home Herbalism or to students who have completed a comparable course of study with another herbalist.

With an introductory foundation in plant medicine, the body and energetics already in place, this course dives into the depths of constitutional medicine using the tools and wisdom of Ayurveda – the 5,000 year old healing tradition of India. The tools of Ayurveda offer the opportunity to move past seeing health as a series of diseases and symptoms to an understanding of the unique constitution of each individual. With this authentic assessment in place, there is the opportunity to support balance and optimal health of mind, body and spirit through diet, herbs and lifestyle. In this course, we will learn the basic philosophical and energetic underpinnings of Ayurveda including the 3 Gunas, the 5 elements and the 3 Doshas and how they manifest in balance and imbalance; in the universe, plants and the human body. We will focus on the use of herbs from the western material medica, adding the energetics and applications of the Ayurvedic perspective. During the later part of the course students will have the opportunity to complete community intakes and present those case studies to the group for feedback and support.

Regardless of your future goals, adding Ayurveda to your herbal practice will refine and hone your skills and dramatically improve the accuracy of your ability to assess and offer support. This course is inspirational and will nurture the deepest part of yourself as the keeper of your own health as well as that of your community.

Ritual for Reconnection

The integration of simple rituals into everyday life, throughout the seasons of the year and at major life thresholds create containers through which we can navigate our world and more deeply connect with ourselves, others, culture, and place. Ritual and ceremony have long been used to bridge gaps, transcend difference, gives thanks, heal, move through transition, and connect more deeply with our world. All spiritual systems use ritual as a way to cultivate connection with the unknown and help create context and meaning. In this course, we will explore the elements of ritual and aspects of earth-based spirituality to learn how to create simple and more involved rituals and ceremonies for ourselves, our families and within our communities – giving us the tools to develop a deeper sense of connection within all aspects of our lives. We will also explore ritual as a contextual life tool for helping us to remember – remember our roots, our deepest, most authentic selves, intentions for our lives, our ancestral stories, and how to follow our hearts, even amidst challenge and chaos.

Conferences, Events and Workshops

Every year Brittany and Thyme Herbal travel to local and regional events, festivals and conferences to offer workshops and vend. These events are wonderful opportunities to connect wtih the herbal community!