Family Herbalist Program
Wednesdays, 9am – 5pm
February – December
358.25 Hours
$4770
This program is geared for intermediate students who are interested in moving beyond self-care in order to support their community with herbal knowledge in informal, relational contexts (e.g. family, neighbors, extended community, mutual aid networks). Participation in the Herbal Roots apprenticeship or a similar foundational program is a prerequisite for joining this program. Building on the foundation of the Herbal Roots apprenticeship, the Family Herbalist delves more deeply into the sciences and arts of herbal medicine through courses in medicine making, energetic systems, botany, plant chemistry, holistic human physiology, materia medica, herbal therapeutics, food as medicine, relational culture and justice in herbalism. Students also spend time outdoors, visiting diverse ecosystems and identifying and tending plants. By the end of the year, students will have a solid foundation in herbalism, both theoretical and practical, while being prepared to confidently address common conditions responsibly and safely.
Students completing this program receive a certificate of completion as a Family Herbalist and can choose to apply to continue with the second and third years of the Clinical Herbalist program if they desire.
Core faculty: Linden de Voil, Kristen Henningsen; adjunct faculty: Betzy Bancroft, Hannah Rae Behrens, Larken Bunce, Cedar Landsman, Netta Mae Walsh; guest faculty: Joann Darling, Julie Mitchell
For details about the teachers for each course, visit our Faculty page.
Family Program Course Breakdown
Botany (15 hours)
An introductory primer on the basics of field botany, plant anatomy and plant physiology and function. Students will learn basic botanical Latin, identification of vascular plants using the key system of plant ID, and to apply the knowledge of plant families to herbal practice.
Energetic Systems (27 hours)
This course explores the key elements and qualities that are inherent in everything in nature — including plants and humans. We’ll explore energetic systems that can be used to understand and work with these patterns, with a particular focus on the foundational qualities of heat, moisture, and tone. We will develop an understanding of concepts of vitality, elements, and energetics, and introduce some of the shared concepts that are present in traditional systems of medicine, even as they differ in specifics.
Food As Medicine (17.5 hours)
An exploration of whole-food nutrition as our first and most fundamental medicine. We will discuss traditional dietary theories, energetic qualities of foods, the practical application of dietary medicine, and the role of specific foods and food constituents in our materia medica.
Justice in Herbalism (21.5 hours)
An introduction to a healing justice framework that proposes herbalism as a tool for justice and liberation. While all classes at VCIH draw from this framework and further explore the impacts that oppression, privilege, and injustice have on the study and practice of herbal medicine and health, this course lays the groundwork for self-exploration, healthy communication, critical thinking, and action in relation to these integral topics.
Herbal Skills Practicum (43 hours)
This course offers students opportunity to practice and hone herbal identification, cultivation, harvesting, and processing skills, as well as to explore various ways of relating to and gathering knowledge about plants. Students will build on previous experience through direct connection with Vermont botanicals in the forest and field and learn more advanced techniques of herbal medicine making with a focus on efficacy. Students will also be encouraged to explore participatory, heuristic and intuitive research methods.
Holistic Physiology (44 hours)
This course explores the major systems of the body through the lens of an herbal practitioner. Students will develop a working level knowledge of anatomical terms and a deeper understanding of human physiology, with focus on the therapeutic implications of herbal medicine.
Materia Medica I (59.5 hours)
In-depth review of forty-five core botanicals, including botany, harvesting, identification, preparation, dosage, indications and contraindications, phytopharmacology, energetics, historic and modern use, sustainable use, and relevant research. In addition to class time, students will spend time exploring ten plants through personal embodied research.
Medicinal Landscapes (12 hours)
Offers a chance to spend extended time interacting with plants in their own environments–including woodland, field, wetland, bog–throughout the growing season. Each class will consist of a field trip to a local area rich in plant diversity where students can practice botany skills and become familiar with plants in the context of their ecological communities.
Plant Chemistry and Herbal Actions (26 hours)
This class will introduce herbal actions and basic concepts of chemistry in order to understand better how plant compounds affect the body. The definitions of and mechanisms behind common and complex herbal actions will be covered, as well as individual herbs and plant families in which some of the actions commonly occur. The class will focus on understanding how tissues in the body respond to phytochemicals. We will connect chemistry with tastes, energetics, extraction and absorption to better understand how the herbs are working and how best to use them effectively.
Relational Culture (28.5 hours)
An introduction to the theory and practices of Relational Culture, intended both to support a generative, inclusive learning environment and to build a shared foundation for herbal work that’s rooted in ecological and social interdependence, celebration of difference, and collaboration towards mutual liberation.
Therapeutics I (45 hours)
Following our study of human physiology, this class will provide a basic understanding of common self-limiting health conditions and their care using herbs, nutrition and holistic approaches.
View the book list for Herbal Roots here. Many of these titles are available via our online Bookshop.org shop, a non-profit online bookseller that supports independent bookshops and donates 10% of sales to us.
“…[D]edicated teachers, who are wells of wisdom and dedication, are the sources of a terrific program. You can take your training as deeply as you are willing to go, both for family/community herbalism and clinical herbalism. I am grateful to them for this wonderful experience!” – Barb Alpert, Clinical Herbalist student
Family Program FAQs
Yes and No. We’re committed to continuing to offer in-person and on-the-land experiences at VCIH on the beautiful former Goddard College campus. But, being in-person is no longer required for our Family or Clinical programs. We use a “low-residency” model, which means a significant portion of the curriculum is offered online, via live Zoom classes, and about a quarter of the curriculum is offered in-person for those who can travel to intensives. So, students who are able are invited to join us in “residence” during 2 intensives each year, or they can attend these intensives virtually, in real time, via hybrid classroom technology.
This format is different from many online programs in which students go at their own pace and engage with other students and faculty via forums. Instead, our programs use a cohort model where all students move the curriculum simultaneously, attending classes live and interacting with each other and faculty in real time, each week. We focus a great deal on building community and student relationships and our students tell us that they are surprised by how engaged and connected they feel, despite being online.
Wednesdays, 9-5 ET
Most days include a 1.25 hour lunch break plus multiple 10-15 minute breaks throughout the day and between classes.
Yes! We take two weeks off in May, three weeks off in August, one week around Thanksgiving or Indigenous People’s Day. The year ends mid-December and, for folks continuing into future years, classes start again in mid-February.
There are three 6-day intensives. The first takes place online at the start of the year (mid-February) and two hybrid in-person/online summer intensives occur in June and September. Applicants are given exact dates with their acceptance letter.
There are three intensives each year and attendance at each one is required. The orientation intensive in February is offered online for everyone, while the summer intensives are offered in hybrid format, both in-person and online. You don’t have to attend these in person. You can also choose to attend some intensives in person and some virtually.
We highly encourage students to attend at least one intensive in person, but we understand that there are a variety of reasons that may not be possible for everyone.
We understand that the expense of travel and housing during intensives, in addition to taking extra time off work or extending childcare, even when attending remotely, adds to the expense of the programs. This is, in part, why we don’t require folks to attend in person, so that they can minimize added expenses, as needed.
We use Zoom for Education, an expanded-capacity and more secure version of Zoom, coupled with GSuite for Education (aka Google Workspace), which we have been using for the past 10 years to host student email, a robust online classroom platform, school calendar, student forum and document storage.
All classes will be offered as synchronous, interactive, live content and will also be recorded and provided to students for review or make up. All classes are closed captioned and auto-transcribed, as well.
You will need access to a computer with high speed internet during class days and throughout each week. Hard-wired connections (vs. wifi) work best for Zoom, if possible. We strongly recommend students use laptop or desktop computers with cameras and audio enabled, as phones and tablets do not support the full functionality of Zoom or Google Classroom, both of which are required for participation in live classes, note-taking, and for completion of homework throughout each week.
The Family and Clinical programs require live attendance at 65% of classes; you can complete up to 35% of classes asynchronously by viewing the recording and completing an additional make-up assignment. But this is a very participatory learning environment, with regular class times and assignments, and regular attendance is a requirement of both programs.
We strive to create an environment and community that is inclusive and affirming of diverse ways of learning and knowing, is trauma-sensitive, and acknowledges the barriers often present in traditional learning environments for disabled, chronically ill and neurodivergent folks. We also recognize that financial limitations, caregiving, and other individual and systemically-driven circumstances can impact student access to learning. While we can’t always mitigate these barriers for students, we strive to create flexible, supportive, and empowering experiences for the widest range of learners possible with the resources and skills available to us.
The foundation of our learning environment is the relational culture we build with each cohort, which prioritizes interdependence while embracing difference. While our programs are structured and academically rigorous, students are encouraged to engage material and assignments according to their strengths and learning goals. We foster a collaborative, non-competitive classroom and guide students to share resources and strategies for learning. Faculty are available to support students in tailoring assignments to their needs and deadlines can be flexed with prior communication. When circumstances prevent students from attending live, we have a system to support engagement after-the-fact (though this option is not unlimited). We have a teaching assistant and Academic Coordinator available for individualized academic support, while faculty advisors support students’ personal journey through the program. Students also meet each week with their advising group to connect and offer and receive resources and care.
While our online format is intended to expand access to a broader range of students, we also recognize that for some, the online format is itself a barrier and limits access to our programs. While we regret this impact, we have chosen to prioritize making herbal training (especially at the clinical level) more broadly available to the widest range of communities and locations beyond Central Vermont.
You can read our full accessibility information sheet here. Applicants and current students are also invited to ask any questions they have or request additional supports at any time. We do our best to be transparent about what we offer, the nature of our virtual and physical spaces, and the limitations of our structure and staffing. Please reach out if you need information we haven’t provided.
You can find a detailed description of our policies and practices here. By enrolling in any of our programs, you are agreeing to abide by these policies.
The tuition reflects a rate of $13/classroom hour for Herbal Roots Apprenticeship and $15/classroom hour for Family and Clinical Programs. We recognize that the total cost of attendance is significant and may appear to be higher than that of other advanced programs. We recommend researching the total number of classroom contact hours of all programs you are considering and comparing hourly rates for the most accurate cost comparison. In our research, we’ve found other live online or in-person clinically-oriented programs charge between $15 and $28/contact or classroom hour. While our per hour cost is at the bottom of this scale, the number of hours we offer is significantly higher than most other programs, increasing our tuition accordingly.
Books and materials are not included in the cost of tuition. Costs for the Herbal Roots Apprenticeship are approximately $100; costs for the Family Herbalist and Clinical Herbalist programs are roughly $300/per year (not including expenses for the camping trip in year two of the Clinical program). You can find a sample book and materials list here to give you an idea of what to expect. (Please note this is ONLY A SAMPLE list. The current list will be provided upon enrollment.)
Yes. The curriculum covered during intensives is included in program tuition. However, travel, meals and housing while at intensives is not included.
There are numerous housing options in the Montpelier-Plainfield-Marshfield area (AirBnB, campgrounds, hotels) and our local student community is often generous in hosting visitors. Students are responsible for locating housing during intensives and housing expenses are not included in tuition.
Yes! VCIH offers BIPOC Reparations and Need-Based tuition reduction opportunities. Visit this page for more information and to apply.
Applications should be completed at the same time as the admissions application. Unfortunately, tuition reduction is limited, so students must submit applications on time to ensure consideration.
Once our application deadline has passed, new applications will be placed on a wait list and you will be contacted if an interview slot becomes available.
Check out our detailed course comparison chart here.