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The abundance and diversity of herbs provides natural medicine for innumerable ailments. As they shift the body's vital energies and biochemistry, each herb reveals the natural patterns of disease and healing. Herbs unlock unique experiences of the body's healing relationship with the natural world we are surrounded by. Knowledge of herbs is an essential step in the training of a master clinician.

In this clinically focused, rigorous 10 month course on the medicinal use and pharmacology of herbs, you will learn the incredible language of healing with herbs. This is the most advanced course in herbal energetics (biocharacteristics) available. You will gain unparalleled training in clinical herbal strategies from Ayurveda, Chinese, and Greek Medicine (the roots of Western herbalism).

You'll explore classical formulas and the materia medica of hundreds of herbs using intuitive, active learning methods. Every step of the way, this course will supplement ancient intuition with modern accuracy and advancements in phytochemistry. As you learn to heal others, you will also gain subtle body awareness, increase your vital energy, and discover herbs that not only reduce disease, but are a perfect fit to your body type.

Every community needs a master herbalist who can support clients with insight and accuracy. Herbs remain the chosen medicine of 2/3 of the world. As community understanding of health & wellness grows, herbalism has become a rapidly growing field (see career options for herbalists). Enroll now to become the master herbalist in your community. Soon you will be blending formulas, seeing clinical patterns emerge, and gaining the expertise to heal those around you, naturally.

Tuition & Financial Aid

• Option 1: Enroll for only $299/month. Offer valid until October 31st. Payments start the month you register. See payment plan details here.
• Option 2: Register with a $600.00 deposit now and pay off tuition later. Save an additional $250 by paying your entire balance before the first day of class.

Click here to apply for a partial scholarship. Financial aid is offered based on income. Scholarships may not be combined with other discounts.

For complete tuition & fee information, please see our course catalog. Application / registration fees are non-refundable unless your application is denied.

Schedule & Format

• Entirely online, meets 3x/ week for discussion
• Prerecorded presentations designed by a team of herbalists and Ayurveda clinicians
• Active learning based homework to facilitate application & experiential knowledge
• All classes are recorded for those with schedule conflicts
• See our faculty.

• Build clinically effective herb formulas drawing from herbal strategies and perspectives in Ayurveda, Chinese Medicine, and Western herbalism.
• Address pathology in each organ system of the body.
• Build individualized herb formulas for each constitution with the right energetics (biocharacteristics).
• Make herbal products, poultices, skin rubs, medical oils, tinctures, infusions, and more.
• Assess the medical benefits (pharmacology) of new herbs you encounter, using the principles you've learned from the course, along with your direct experience using your 5 senses.
• Assess phytochemistry in a clinical setting, and analyze herb research, ensuring the herbs you select are an exact fit to the disorder, with scientific evidence.
• Start seeing clients and educating them about herbs, formulas and medicine to improve their health & wellness, with the same legal qualifications as a health coach.

• Formulations & Materia Medica

  • Clinical herbal strategies from Ayurveda, Chinese Medicine, and Western Herbal traditions.
  • 125 herbs and formulations from the Ayurvedic materia medica, including botany, phytochemistry, energetics (biocharacteristics) and clinical use (pharmacology).
    • We use an experiential teaching model so that the information you learn will be living, nut just encyclopedic.
  • Extensive knowledge of Western herbs, herbal actions, and their clinical use.
  • The essential herbs of Chinese Medicine.

• Botanical Awareness

  • Botanical field work includes identification of local plants & their biocharacteristics.
  • Tasting and sampling 42 herbs and Ayurveda formulas to enhance discovery & experiential knowledge of herbal energetics (biocharacteristics).
  • In-depth herb-body awareness experiments each week to master intuitive learning of herbs.
  • The main organic compounds of phytochemistry, and their effects on the body, improving your accuracy in the clinic.

• Clinic

  • 33 live in class herbal consults, 18 private clinical consultations
  • Legal considerations and laws surrounding a clinical herbal practice and medicine making.
  • Herbal medicine making - Formulating your own herbal medicines in your kitchen.
  • Herb-drug interactions and contraindications.

What if I already have a degree in Ayurveda, or have taken herb courses?

Credentialing

North Carolina School License

AADP Accredited

The Joyful Belly School of Ayurveda has provided advanced clinical training for Ayurvedic professionals since 2008. We are licensed to teach Ayurveda by the state of North Carolina, and accredited through the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP). We partner with the American Association of Biocharacteristics Clinicians (AABC) to support our graduates' clinical success in Ayurveda (Why AABC?). We are a member school of the American Herbalists Guild (AHG). Joyful Belly is also recognized by the National Association of Ayurveda Schools and Colleges (NAASC), and the Association of Ayurvedic Professionals of North America (AAPNA). Our founder, John Immel, is the current president of NAASC.

See why we are a leader in Ayurveda innovation.

* Laws vary by state and country. Ayurveda is an unlicensed profession in the United States, which means that Ayurveda is not regulated by any organization or agency. By the end of the program, you will be legally able to see clients in the United States. A certificate of completion is given to those graduates who successfully complete the program. This program does not give you a license to practice medicine. Please text John at 828-785-8213 if you have questions in this area.

Course Curriculum Includes

Botany

Graduates will be able to identify a plant, or its plant family, which will greatly facilitate their intuition surrounding herbs.

Herb Fundamentals

Graduates will be conversant in fundamental herb and Ayurveda concepts, and begin to apply these approaches in lab exercises and in a clinical context. Students will explore various methods of herb formula design.

Pharmacology of Herbs

Graduates will understand the mechanism behind pharmacological actions, significantly improving their accuracy of applying herb energetics in a clinical setting. They will be able to anticipate the pharmacological actions of herbs knowing their constituents, greatly simplifying their ability to learn new herbs.

Medicine Making & Ayurvedic Products

Graduates will gain confidence and proficiency in medicine making beyond simple teas, opening up a wide variety of therapeutic options.

Ayurveda Fundamentals (Energetics, Guna, Taste, Dosha, Pathogenesis, Tissues, Organ Systems)

Graduates will be able to apply introductory knowledge of Ayurveda energetics, constitution, and anatomy in a clinical setting.

Herbal Strategies for Pathology & Vitality

• Allergies & Autoimmune
• Female Reproductive Health (Menstruation, Pregnancy, Menopause)
• Bone & Muscle Health
• Cardio-vascular health, Heart, & Circulation
• Cleansing (Laxatives, Emesis, Urinary, Skin, Blood, Sweat)
• Digestion
• Endocrine System / Hormone Imbalances
• Infections, Parasites, and Wound Healing
• Liver, Spleen, & Anemia
• Lungs, Immunity, Ear, Nose, & Throat
• Fluid Management & Elimination (Kidney, Urinary, Lymph, Blood Plasma)
• Nervous System / Mental Health (Sleep, Depression, Anxiety, Tension)
• Tonics (Agni, Metabolism, Nutritives, etc)
• Male Reproductive Health
• Metabolism & Vitality
• Pediatrics
• Skin, Beauty, and Natural Aging
• Healthy Weight Loss / Gain

Materia Medica - Specific Herbs

Graduates will have an in-depth understanding of materia medica including hundreds of herbs on an academic as well as experiential level, so they can apply these herbs accurately in a clinical context.

Meeting with Clients