Life at any age and stage has its challenges and stressors. This workshop discussed how stress impacts our bodies and the herbs that can help build resilience to both physical and mental stresses. Gain a better understanding of adaptogen history, use, archetype, and preparations. Learn practical applications for these herbs and leave with a newfound appreciation for herbal adaptogens.

Three hours to focus on keeping ourselves well as we age: - To include recent research into ageing - Practical ways to put into weekly/daily practice - Taking care of ourselves, our senses, our bones, our blood, our brain, our skin - Nourishing our inner lives and more. Notes included.

This is a case study presentation on my journey as a caregiver and herbalist for my mother over a 10-year period. We will explore research, current medications, ideas, protocols, herbals, food, nutrition, and behavioral challenges. I will share problem solving ideas, health promoting situations, and personal experiences including my favorite formula, “Elder Respect”.

This class focuses on the multiple forms that digestive disorders can take, and how to manage them with nutrition and herbal medicine. We will discuss gut dysbiosis and its causes, and the many highly effective traditional solutions. We will particularly focus on Chrohn’s disease, ulcerative colititis, GERD, and celiac disease.

In the face of deep poverty and great challenges, compassion, determination and friendship has lead to over 100,000 individuals having access to clean water in Guinea, West Africa. Learn about Motherland Rhythm Community’s ongoing BioSand Water (BSF) filter initiative which is transforming lives in West Africa. BSFs are based on traditional slow sand filters removing pathogens and suspended solids from water.

Understanding how our minds got “here” can increase our sense of efficacy (“I am confident”), agency (“I am able”), and compassion (“I am worthy”). Reviewing landmark research on ACES and resiliency, we will calculate our ACE and resiliency scores, learn what it says about our health and target areas to focus. We’ll look at the results of this work in under-resourced communities and the take-aways for us all.

Explore the health benefits and effects of Bitters! Beyond improving digestion, this constituent has actions in the respiratory tract, reproductive tract, immune health, and more. Dive into the world of bitters and the plants that contain them. This workshop will include a discussion of the health effects of bitters and how to harness the healing properties in everyday life, as well as a tasting of herbal bitters.

Throughout history, fermentation has been a staple of traditional diets in every culture. Learn how you can incorporate these timeless practices into your diet and life for deep nourishment and reconnect to the microbial community within your own body and the soil around you. This course includes a monthly Q&A with Linda Conroy!

Calendula, one of the easiest herbs to grow, is useful in so many ways! In advance of this summer's harvest, come to this workshop to learn 10 recipes and applications of this vital plant for beauty and vitality. A Recipe handout is included.

Learn a harm reduction approach to assist individuals experiencing chronic alcohol consumption and the detoxification and recovery process. Explore herbal remedies that provide organ protection against the effects of chronic use & examine research on herbs that facilitate the body's natural alcohol elimination pathways. Discuss nourishing herbal connections that promote the restoration of recovery & vibrant health.

The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis, which controls our stress response and hormone levels like cortisol, influences brain function and gut health. When this system is overstressed, it can disrupt our gut bacteria, leading to issues like brain fog, anxiety, and depression. Explore how adaptogens and nourishing food support this system to restore balance and promote healing.

Mary Lou will share knowledge gathered from 15 years of urgent care experience with the goal of keeping you and your loved ones healthy and out of urgent care. We will learn to evaluate and herbally treat the most common ailments seen in the urgent care setting: sore throats, sinus infections, fevers, coughs, wheezing, wounds, and joint injuries.

Effective resistance requires endurance, resilience, and the discipline to stay healthy through stress and challenges. We'll explore herbal remedies, spiritual practices, nourishing foods, and self-care tools to create a heart-healing toolkit for navigating tough times. Prioritizing self-care, being prepared, and embracing support are essential for overcoming adversity and empowering ourselves and the world.

Through a lens of Black and feminist frameworks, we will learn how herbs can be utilized daily and intentionally to support our human nervous systems. We will expand our capacity to access our breath for transformation and explore how herbs can be used in simple yet effective ways to create healing spaces. The focus will be on healing for women, black people, brown people, and communities of color.

How can herbs effect the brain? They can enhance mood, make us more alert, and even make us smarter! Over the centuries, people have used herbs for all of these brainy reasons and more. Learn how to learn better! Liz Johnson, herbalist, will go over herbs that effect the brain, how to use them, and offer a treat or two with brainy herbs in them. Come and make a brainy brew for yourself.

Learn about particular herbs and foods that enhance digestion and best deliver herbs deep into bodily tissues. When digestion is improved, nutrient absorption is as well. These herbs can be used on their own or combined with other herbs to improve digestibility. We'll cover common Eastern and Western herbs and learn how to combine them in different concoctions for digestive wellness for women and the whole family.

We'll discuss ways our nervous system gets thrown out of balance and how we can use herbs to restore that balance - in daily, restorative ways and when in acute crisis. We'll begin and end with a grounding meditation, in order to practice giving the nervous system some care, and in-between we'll cover a long list of allies ready to help you when the stress of here and now is too much!

Pregnancy, birth and postpartum are times of great power and great vulnerability for women. Plant medicine can help heal and support women as they grow and nurture their babies. Whether you are learning to care for yourself or for the women in your community, this class will help you feel confident using herbal medicine during the childbearing years.

This introductory workshop offers a concise overview of the multifaceted and nuanced human immune response. We’ll touch on different aspects of the immune system and how these components communicate and work together cohesively. We will discuss various traditional remedies to gently, yet effectively support this vital function in multiple aspects, and you may learn about some new ones too!

Lung & Respiratory challenges are a major concern for a growing number of the population. Many are searching for natural support for this delicate organ system. This workshop discusses how to support a healthy immune response & graceful respiratory activity with gentle, yet effective herbal allies. We will also discuss how our fungal friends may be the perfect complement to traditional lung and respiratory remedies.

Your menstrual cycle is as unique as you are! Discover the root causes of your period woes through the lens of the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda. Learn about the three menstrual types and which food and herb allies may be most supportive.

Explore new scientific discoveries, clinical trials, clinical reports, and testimonials about the Legendary Lion’s Mane! In this lecture we will discuss how important this phenomenal fungi may be to our neurological system, as well as other body systems. Also reviewed are some of the latest scientific studies that help to uncover the potential of Hericium erinaceus – both the fruiting body and the mycelium.

Does lion's mane (Hericium erinaceus) truly promote neurogenesis as some companies suggest? Or, does lion's mane promote neuroplasticity? What is the difference? How does all of this relate to lion's mane's traditional uses for improved attention, memory, and cognition? This workshop will take a deep dive into the neuroscience and psychological effects of lion's mane mushroom.

The paradigm of liver cleansing has changed dramatically as our understanding of liver function has expanded. We will demystify Phase 1 and Phase 2 detoxification, discuss why supporting and nourishing the liver may be a better approach than liver cleansing, and explore herbal and mushroom allies that can nurture our hardest working organ.

We will discuss and explore four species of functional mushrooms and review basic immune system functioning and the role the microbiome plays in immune health. Identify mechanisms of action within the body, as well as discover potential mushroom allies for immune health (and more). Finally, we will discuss beneficial herbs and nutraceuticals that may complement functional mushrooms in a formula.

Dr. Cho will discuss traditional knowledge, current research and cutting edge case studies, sharing the many ways mushrooms can help us. Many of these mushrooms are easy to cultivate on logs and DIY grow environments. You'll leave with a clearer understanding of which mushrooms you'll want to welcome into your personal apothecary and how to safely do so.

A woman’s life is one continuous change, deepening her connection with herself and her unique life. Understanding the different demands and tasks of each stage and calling and engaging allies, green and otherwise, is at the heart of this class. Just as a butterfly emerges from a cocoon, this extraordinary rite of passage, the metamorphosis of menopause, becomes your second spring.

Together, we shall deepen our understanding of our hormonal cycles within our bodies, illuminating the vital seasons of death and decay and the life they bestow—akin to the wondrous mycelial realm. We will explore how various mycology terms can enlighten our understanding of womb sovereignty and honor our cyclical essence.

As women, our hormonal tides ebb and flow throughout our lifetimes, and change is a guaranteed constant as we navigate a healthy and whole existence at any age. Discover how select medicinal mushrooms and herbal allies can help to holistically balance challenged hormonal tides, nurture our bone structure, calm our “fight or flight” response, and boost our brain and neurological systems!

Discover how mushrooms can nourish and support your skin naturally. Many fungi are rich in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds, and polysaccharides that help hydrate, soothe, and protect the skin. Mushrooms offer a wide range of benefits for skin care and healing. In this class, we'll explore the skin-supporting properties of different medicinal mushrooms and create a couple of samples.

A healthy nervous system is an integral component to all aspects of vitality. Let’s explore ways to nourish our individual and collective nervous systems and avoid the varied ways that our nervous systems are sabotaged. We'll discuss supportive foods, herbs, and lifestyle choices and identify neurotoxins in food and the environment.

This class is designed to empower caregivers of children to be more self-sufficient in treating children with herbs. Get to know a broad range of healing plants that can serve as a materia medica for childhood. Learn how to safely treat everything from head colds to head lice with herbal remedies.

Birth is a profound rite of passage, and a culture’s birth rituals tell us much about that culture’s beliefs and values. Returning to wild human birth is integral to healing our culture and the Earth. Discussion will include the perils of professionalized birth support and how to create community that supports woman-centered birth.

There are several ways to prevent and manage the itchy eyes, tickly throat, runny nose, and congested lungs that decrease our enjoyment outdoors. You will learn a few herbal ideas to help inhibit the inflammatory response, tone and restore the respiratory mucosa and lungs, modulate the immune system, and fortify the nervous and endocrine system while marveling at the amazing intertwined systems of our bodies.

Sleep and relaxation are fundamental to our health, yet they can be elusive in our modern experience. Join me for a deep dive into the mechanics, physiology, and psychology of sleep. We will discuss why we are so challenged as a society with this critical aspect of health, explore strategies that may help improve our relationship with sleep, and discover herbal and mushroom allies that may optimize our rest.

World-wandering is the best when you are healthy and thriving, but it isn’t always easy with the challenges of being on the road. Simple preparations and practices can make your journeys more likely to be happy, healthy ones, and make you better prepared when things go awry. This talk will share practical, simple strategies you can use whether you are traveling to Indiana or to India.

There are a variety of teas, tinctures, topical salves, and foods that can be used to prevent and alleviate illness by strengthening our immune systems. There are also antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral herbs that can be safely and effectively used to help us heal when illness or infection is already present. Learn how herbal allies, from astragalus to zingiber, can help us regain and maintain our health.

Herbal medicines can work deeply to support and restore health, even in situations where we are experiencing complex health issues or have limited energy or resources. Learn about how to consider, choose, and implement sustainable herbal therapies in situations where individuals are experiencing deep imbalances.

What is our cultural and historical inheritance of conquest, survival and resilience: our biological response to sustained stress? How does it drive our unconscious stress response, express our mental health, set our threshold for addiction, and influence our burden of chronic disease. Understanding “it’s not my fault, but it is my responsibility” can help us celebrate our survival and reclaim our cognitive map.

This foundational anatomy and physiology course explores the various components of our primary, innate and adaptive immune systems and finely details the wise and miraculous way the smallest parts of our being keep us safe and protected every day. We’ll also discuss herbal and food allies that help to fine tune these instruments so we may dance on in joy and balance!

In this highly informative session, we will explore the relationship between inflammation, disease, and oral health; and more importantly, discuss strategies for squelching the smoldering fire within.

Mounting evidence is suggesting that fungi play a crucial role in promoting gut and overall immune health. In this workshop, we will dive into the microorganisms that we coexist with. We will discuss approaches to enhancing gut and immune health, dealing with health issues related to the mycobiome, and strategies for enlisting or encouraging our funga allies in the interest of overall health.

Learn the latest in pain science and functional medicine with holistic practices to address the root causes of muscle and joint pain. Learn how hormones, gut health, food sensitivities, and biomechanics contribute to pain and explore natural solutions, including herbs, nutrition, and innovative therapies like shockwave treatment. Empower yourself with practical tools to eliminate pain and reclaim your vitality.

Discover the Female Erectile Network and find out what you’ve been missing! In a mind-blowingly informative, radically empowering, fun, funny, comfortable presentation, with unique anatomy images, classic and humorous art, and demos on my ‘vulva pillow’, you’ll get new integral maps of women’s bodies that will guide you to realizing your ultimate ecstatic pleasure capacity!

In a time when hypothyroidism and other thyroid disorders are epidemic, many of us are looking for more natural methods of treatment. We will examine the causes and treatment of the more common disorders such as Graves, Hashimoto’s, Wilson’s temperature syndrome, and post-partum thyroiditis. Nature has given us many extremely useful botanicals that we will discuss, as well as lifestyle and supplementation regimens.

Journey through the sacred gates of menopause. Starting long before 50 years of age for many women, menopause is a journey with many twists and turns. Homeopathy is a powerful ally to aid the body and it is a wonderful companion to herbal support. Let's travel down the sacred path & learn the process our body moves through, and how these powerful allies can provide a safer, more grounded pathway from Mother to Crone.

A general education course designed to introduce fundamental concepts to the fungally-uninitiated and to the novice practitioner. Our exploration will span from the lifecycle of mushrooms, to how mushrooms impact immune function. This course dispels common mycophobias, reviews the basics of mushroom cultivation & medicine making, & illuminates several key species and their affinities to act upon specific body systems

Weakened blood vessels and increased capillary permeability contribute to swollen limbs, varicosities, hemorrhoids, and other venous insufficiencies. Congestion through the heart and the liver can manifest issues of hepatic portal stagnation, which may also affect the efficiency of blood movement from the veins. Explore ways to enhance healthy blood flow throughout the body using herbs, nutrition, and lifestyle.