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”.

Herbs are living beings that grow and flourish in specific conditions. They nurture and heal us. Herbs have inherent characteristics that make them speed metabolism up or down, direct them inward or outward, clear infection and inflammation, or warm us. They affiliate with certain organ systems. We will explore these energetic properties, asking the herbs to share the benefits of their wisdom and experience.

Join Gina Rivers, MycoHerbalist and formulator, in an exploratory discovery of what makes the “functional” in “functional mushrooms”. From polysaccharides to triterpenes – you will leave with a thorough understanding of these amazing compounds, many of which are unique to the world of fungi.

Ever had a question about fungi like this and felt you couldn't possibly approach it yourself? This presentation and workshop will cover how to seek out academic literature on mycological topics, how to evaluate these different sources of information, and reading with an intent to answer your own questions on fungi.

Wu xing (五行), or the Five Elements, form one of the core principles of Chinese medicine. Guided by movement, sound, and the flavor of a representative herb, we will journey around the Five Phase cycle, exploring the primary associations with each phase, including direction, season, emotion, spirit, meridians, energetics, and personality.

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.

Knowing that greens, beans, minerals, and protein are 'so good for you' is one thing, but teaching clients, friends, and family members why certain foods are called cardio-protective, cancer preventive, or ant-inflammatory means more to the kind skeptics. Certain herbs are mineral rich, and we love that, but learn a bit more about why we care and what medicinal and nutritive actions these fabulous herbs claim.

Learning how to acquire adequate information in an organized fashion and in a reasonable time frame is the plague of most herbal students. Learn from a 40 year experienced herbalist who has quite a few tricks to jump-start your intake growth. Learn how to ask “delicate” questions, and how to get the information you really need.

This course discusses the Chinese Medicine(CM) theory behind tongue and pulse diagnosis. Learn basic CM terms & diagnoses: how they relate to pulse & tongue diagnosis as well as how they relate to modern human physiology. Learn to identify general health conditions via tongue and pulse diagnosis. This is an interactive workshop where you will get a chance to practice your new skills on yourself & other participants.

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.

I turned to the social sciences to learn how to communicate about invasive species and other sensitive, multi-faceted topics in science. What I learned completely transformed how I think, how I reflect on society, and how I conduct myself as a scientist. Join me in an open conversation about how we interact with science and each other.

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.

MDs may say the client is ‘fine', even when they still have troubling symptoms. Explore a method of discovery to find what sub-clinical health concern is happening in the body, and how to address it before it becomes a full-blown disease state. Includes case studies, how to get MD cooperation, and herb and nutrition protocols that have worked.

In this exploratory lecture, we will discuss how sub-intoxicating doses of psilocybin, combined with other allies, can influence neurite outgrowth, nerve regeneration, and re-myelination of nerves. We will take a deep dive into the science and clinical applications behind the Stamets Stack, as well as discuss the neurogenic synergy that occurs when psylocibin is combined with Lion’s Mane and niacin.

Join Cornelia in exploring the healing properties of an array of edible and medicinal mushrooms. She'll discuss ways that Fungi can become some of your best allies in achieving health and well-being. Fungi can be accessible, cultivate-able, and forage-able. They dovetail perfectly with the DIY way of life.

Even with centuries of traditional medicinal use around the world, we are just beginning to understand the science behind the enzymatic and chemical genius of fungi. Learn how we can begin to harness the healing properties of mushrooms from a mycophilic physician who has been gradually incorporating them into her clinical practice.

Pulse testing is a technique that helps us narrow down the choice of remedies, whether herbal, homeopathic, flower essence, or supplement, by feeling the effect that these remedies have on the pulse. In this hands-on class, Lise will take you through the basics of pulse testing, then we will work together to test various remedies and learn to discern different pulse reactions.

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.

We will look at herbal actions and pair them with energetics; we will look at the differences between cooling diaphoretics and warming ones, stimulating nervines vs calming ones, and many other categories where the energetic distinctions are important. We will look at how to fine-tune treatments and herb choices by matching the energetics of the herbs to the energetics of the illness and the underlying constitution.

We will look at simple but useful criteria for making determinations if a condition is hot or cold, excess or deficient, and how to choose wisely among our herbal allies. We will also look at our Materia Medica of plant allies: tonic herbs vs. activators, heating herbs vs cooling ones, herbs that work deeply or are surface releasing, and herbs that cause energies to descend or ascend, move inward or outward.

The flavors we consume play a crucial role in the overall functioning of our body. This workshop aims to educate you on the flavors and their corresponding organs and elements based on the principles of Chinese medicine theory. You will gain knowledge on the energy and direction of flavors within your body and which body types are most compatible with each flavor profile.

We'll discuss how to identify Trametes versicolor, true turkey tail, it’s possibilities in mycoremediation and land management, and explore the unique compounds found in this complex species. We will discuss clinical applications of this versatile mushroom and common preparations of extraction. Attendees will leave with the knowledge of how to easily identify true turkey tail and prepare their own turkey tail extract

Learn about how to formulate with familiar herbs, using an awareness of the temperature continuum, the moisture continuum, the temporal continuum, and other energetics such as trophorestoration and vital stimulation. We'll discuss the basic principles of Vitalist herbalism including removing obstacles to cure and providing the intelligence of Nature with the tools required to facilitate the free flow of Life Energy.