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Herbal FAQs
What am I paying for? Why doesn’t my insurance cover this? In the old days, didn’t healers work for free?
There are a few different ways to work with me, but the short answer is you are paying for acquiring education and for preventive suggestions.
For a private consult, my fee takes into account the time I spent preparing for your visit, and for the time we spend together, as well as the time I’ve spent learning and earning the experience you need.
When you attend a workshop or class series with me, the fee covers the cost of handouts, supplies and samples, and preparation for the event as well as the time we spend together.
Insurance doesn’t cover my work for the same reason it doesn’t cover most preventive care or any education regarding prevention and self-healing- simply, there’s no profit in it. The straight fact is that insurance companies are for-profit entities with shareholders, not altruistic arbiters of society’s wellness.
And yes, the arrangement of a village healer dispensing advice and remedies for free may well have existed in a time when the villagers provided housing and food and the other necessities of life in exchange for their care. For now, though, my landlord and electric company and student loan provider expect US$ in payment and so must I.
However, I am open to barter arrangements, on a case-by-case basis.
For a private consult, my fee takes into account the time I spent preparing for your visit, and for the time we spend together, as well as the time I’ve spent learning and earning the experience you need.
When you attend a workshop or class series with me, the fee covers the cost of handouts, supplies and samples, and preparation for the event as well as the time we spend together.
Insurance doesn’t cover my work for the same reason it doesn’t cover most preventive care or any education regarding prevention and self-healing- simply, there’s no profit in it. The straight fact is that insurance companies are for-profit entities with shareholders, not altruistic arbiters of society’s wellness.
And yes, the arrangement of a village healer dispensing advice and remedies for free may well have existed in a time when the villagers provided housing and food and the other necessities of life in exchange for their care. For now, though, my landlord and electric company and student loan provider expect US$ in payment and so must I.
However, I am open to barter arrangements, on a case-by-case basis.
Are you licensed/registered/certified?
No. And neither are any other Herbalists in the United States. There are no certifying or licensing bodies in the US, so while an Herbalist will earn a certificate for educational programs attended and hours of training completed, it’s only as valid as the school is- which can mean a great deal in the Herbal world, or it can mean nothing.
As Ryn and Katja of the Commonwealth Center for Holistic Herbalism say, “We license things that are dangerous- like performing surgery, or giving somebody prescription drugs, or driving a car- because you can kill people with all of those things.” Herbalism shouldn’t be this dangerous- I’m sharing knowledge and experience, not asking you to put your life in my hands.
This may seem frustrating, but it’s actually an opportunity to take back control and responsibility for your health. Instead of visiting an Herbalist and expecting to just be told what to do because they’re the expert, there should be a shared sense of responsibility because while the Herbalist certainly knows a lot of stuff you don’t, you ultimately know the most about yourself. You can choose who to work with and decide if what they suggest is actually working for you.
There is an American Herbalist’s Guild that registers Herbalists who have completed their set of requirements, including training hours and documented clinical hours. However, this only really benefits client-facing Herbalists who have several years of clinical experience and the patience to document everything, so be wary of expecting all Herbalists to fit the AHG’s specifications.
As Ryn and Katja of the Commonwealth Center for Holistic Herbalism say, “We license things that are dangerous- like performing surgery, or giving somebody prescription drugs, or driving a car- because you can kill people with all of those things.” Herbalism shouldn’t be this dangerous- I’m sharing knowledge and experience, not asking you to put your life in my hands.
This may seem frustrating, but it’s actually an opportunity to take back control and responsibility for your health. Instead of visiting an Herbalist and expecting to just be told what to do because they’re the expert, there should be a shared sense of responsibility because while the Herbalist certainly knows a lot of stuff you don’t, you ultimately know the most about yourself. You can choose who to work with and decide if what they suggest is actually working for you.
There is an American Herbalist’s Guild that registers Herbalists who have completed their set of requirements, including training hours and documented clinical hours. However, this only really benefits client-facing Herbalists who have several years of clinical experience and the patience to document everything, so be wary of expecting all Herbalists to fit the AHG’s specifications.
How often should I schedule an appointment?
Ah, the old “it depends” line. But really, it does depend.
I like to schedule 2-3 sessions close together, within about 2-4 weeks of each other, in order to set up and foster an understanding of what and how to implement the work we decide on.
Then, I like to space out follow-up appointments 4-6 weeks apart, to give you a chance to really get the herbs and other changes working in your life. Depending on the nature of the complaints you’re trying to address, we may have only a few follow-ups before you are satisfied with your progress and continue on your own, or we may check in every month or two for an extended time. Everyone’s mileage will vary.
I like to schedule 2-3 sessions close together, within about 2-4 weeks of each other, in order to set up and foster an understanding of what and how to implement the work we decide on.
Then, I like to space out follow-up appointments 4-6 weeks apart, to give you a chance to really get the herbs and other changes working in your life. Depending on the nature of the complaints you’re trying to address, we may have only a few follow-ups before you are satisfied with your progress and continue on your own, or we may check in every month or two for an extended time. Everyone’s mileage will vary.
What should I expect? What do you expect?
For a private consultation: These specifics are laid out in the New Client Documents you’re asked to complete when scheduling your first appointment- check out the Informed Consent letter.
In practice, you can expect me to ask you a LOT of questions, some that won’t make much sense, and to spend a lot of time talking about your history. I’m seeking patterns that we can interrupt and that we can use to your benefit.
For a class or workshop: Expect a lot of information! Bring a notebook, ask questions, fill out the handout. I don’t usually just give you the information on the handout- it’s there as a template for you to record the information that’s specifically important to you.
I usually bring things to sample too, and sampling is never required. There’s usually a visual presentation, and lots of interaction with you the audience.
In practice, you can expect me to ask you a LOT of questions, some that won’t make much sense, and to spend a lot of time talking about your history. I’m seeking patterns that we can interrupt and that we can use to your benefit.
For a class or workshop: Expect a lot of information! Bring a notebook, ask questions, fill out the handout. I don’t usually just give you the information on the handout- it’s there as a template for you to record the information that’s specifically important to you.
I usually bring things to sample too, and sampling is never required. There’s usually a visual presentation, and lots of interaction with you the audience.
Why pay for what I can learn for free?
This is an EXCELLENT question. Basically, learning from me or any other Herbalist saves time and provides interpretation.
There is so much free content available online, as blogs and social media posts and podcasts and websites. And there’s low-cost content too, in the forms of membership sites and Patreon subscriptions and even books- don’t forget them!
But it could take years to wade through all the options, to sort out the good information from the poor quality or the downright wrong, and to understand the context of it all. I refer you to a FAQ above- Are you licensed/registered/certified?
Good, thorough herbal education comes from Herbalists with a lineage- my teacher was Maia Toll, whose teacher was Gina McGarry, whose teacher was Rosemary Gladstar, whose teacher was Juliette de Baïracli Levy, whose teachers were the Romani gypsies.
When I learned from Maia, I also learned from her teachers. When I learn from my other influences like Linda Shanahan or Maria Noel Groves or Ryn Madura and Katja Swift or Tammi Sweet, I’m also learning from all their teachers.
When you learn from an Herbalist who you really resonate with, you’re also learning what they learned from their teachers, and you’re getting the benefit of all their collective experience. The more people you study with, the more resonance you will find.
Herbalism is both an Art and and Act, and no amount of purely self-study will situate you in the community that is Herbalism. To quote Katja Swift quoting jim mcdonald,
“Herbalists exist because their communities come to them in need, herbalists exist because their communities support them.
Herbalists learn because their communities ask them questions and share their own experiences and wisdom.
Herbalists exist as a part of an ecosystem made up not just - or even mostly - of plants, but of the connections between plants and place and people.”
There is so much free content available online, as blogs and social media posts and podcasts and websites. And there’s low-cost content too, in the forms of membership sites and Patreon subscriptions and even books- don’t forget them!
But it could take years to wade through all the options, to sort out the good information from the poor quality or the downright wrong, and to understand the context of it all. I refer you to a FAQ above- Are you licensed/registered/certified?
Good, thorough herbal education comes from Herbalists with a lineage- my teacher was Maia Toll, whose teacher was Gina McGarry, whose teacher was Rosemary Gladstar, whose teacher was Juliette de Baïracli Levy, whose teachers were the Romani gypsies.
When I learned from Maia, I also learned from her teachers. When I learn from my other influences like Linda Shanahan or Maria Noel Groves or Ryn Madura and Katja Swift or Tammi Sweet, I’m also learning from all their teachers.
When you learn from an Herbalist who you really resonate with, you’re also learning what they learned from their teachers, and you’re getting the benefit of all their collective experience. The more people you study with, the more resonance you will find.
Herbalism is both an Art and and Act, and no amount of purely self-study will situate you in the community that is Herbalism. To quote Katja Swift quoting jim mcdonald,
“Herbalists exist because their communities come to them in need, herbalists exist because their communities support them.
Herbalists learn because their communities ask them questions and share their own experiences and wisdom.
Herbalists exist as a part of an ecosystem made up not just - or even mostly - of plants, but of the connections between plants and place and people.”
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