Community Herbal Clinics

Our clinics offer individuals personalized education in self-care with herbs. We offer consultations in our professional clinic and in our supervised student clinic, supporting clients in Vermont and beyond via virtual services.

We look forward to welcoming you.

The Nature of Herbalism

The gentle use of herbs to support the human physiology is both an ancient art and a precise science. Herbalism has a long tradition of helping with both common complaints and more serious chronic conditions. Historically, ailments ranging from difficult digestion, colds and flus, and insomnia all the way to clinical depression, autoimmune conditions, and cancer have been responsive to the use of herbs both as teas, extracts and powders and as part of a healthy diet.

Herbal practice is based on the belief that the human body is a resilient and intelligent system that has the potential for adaptation and self-healing and that properly crafted herbal formulas can assist and encourage the body in its healing processes. All traditional medical systems understand that every person is physiologically, emotionally and energetically unique — herbalism is not one-size-fits all.

At the same time, we know that health is not only a goal or characteristic of the individual. Instead, we understand health and healing to be a property of larger social and ecological systems — an individual cannot be truly healthy in a sick society nor in a sick environment. We believe that the systems of domination and extraction that shape our culture cause harm and prevent health for all of us. We believe that dismantling these systems — and building systems of care in their place — is integral to the work of herbalists, not just on behalf of our clients, but in support of liberation and justice for everyone and the planet, our home.

The Role of the Herbal Practitioner

We at VCIH believe that the herbalist’s primary role is as an educator and partner, encouraging and supporting your goals for improved health and wellbeing. Herbalists neither diagnose nor directly treat disease. Rather, we focus on educating you, the client, about how to best enhance your body’s innate healing capacity. We strive to offer care that is client-centered, trauma-informed and affirming of all bodies and experiences of illness and healing.

Our intent is to help you achieve the highest state of health consistent with your own goals, centering your needs and agency. We will consider your individual constitution and circumstances, along with the resources you have access to, and recommend the most appropriate herbal, dietary and lifestyle changes specifically for you.

Our goal is to serve as part of your healthcare team; we collaborate with a diversity practitioners, including medical providers. We believe the best care is the care that works for you and, very often, that means using an integrative approach.

Our clinical services and herbs are available through sliding-scale payment and no one is turned away for lack of funds.