Women worldwide are seeking natural alternatives to pharmaceutical and surgical interventions for many women’s health concerns. There is a growing need for educators and professionals qualified to help women sort through their choices and find the optimal care options available to them. While there are many excellent western botanical medicine programs in the United States and Europe, no course focuses solely and extensively on the use of botanical medicines for women with this depth and scope.

Herbal Medicine for Women is a course for individuals and health care providers interested in learning how to effectively and safely use botanical medicines for women’s health. It synthesizes a unique blend of traditional herbal wisdom, clinical experience, and critically reviewed evidence. The tone of the course reflects a balance between traditional and scientific perspectives, honoring experiential knowing and women’s wisdom as well as formal research. Students receive high quality, professionally presented written instruction, assignments, and projects, as well as regular communication and instruction with Aviva Romm and other core faculty to review work and address individual questions. The Certified Women’s Herbal Educator receives preparation through this course to provide individualized herbal education as well as to teach herbal medicine classes. Participants can expect to complete the course in 18–24 months, however, there is no limit for completion, and once enrolled with payment in full students have lifelong access to course webinars, the HMW e-newsletter, and access to the student-only section of the website.

Who is Eligible for this Course?

There are no prerequisites for students wishing to take this course. Students with no prior background in midwifery, herbal medicine, or basic science may wish to supplement their enrollment in the course with additional reading materials or other learning opportunities. Instructors can make specific recommendations for students wishing to supplement their course training. For those with training and credentials in a health care field, completion of this course will supplement your current practice modalities. This course does not confer any credential to practice botanical medicine or any other form of health care.

What Students Receive

 All students in the Herbal Medicine for Women distance learning courses receive four handbooks:

• Foundations in Botanical Medicine for Women
• Herbs for Gynecologic and Menstrual Health
• Herbs for Childbearing Women
• Herbs for the Wisdom Years

Each handbook contains 10–16 lessons, medical abstracts, homework project assignments, and experiments for each lesson. Each lesson is also cross-referenced to related optional reading in major herbal medicine texts and books. You can download a copy of the complete curriculum by clicking here.

• Botanica: the Herbal Medicine for Women Newsletter

• Comprehensive written responses, evaluations, and personal instruction for all submitted required course work

• Four 1 1/2 hour teleconference sessions per year.

• Textbook of Botanical Medicine for Women by Aviva Romm (Elsevier/Churchill, 2009)

• Access to all archives of newsletters and teleconferences since the course's start in downloadable formats

• Bonus access to recordings of Aviva's talks from many other conferences

• Ongoing interaction with Aviva Romm and HMW students on the dynamic HMW Student Group where students discuss everything from course materials to clinical cases. This is a private group accessible to students only and where students also discuss many personal aspects of being herbalists, midwives, health care providers, mothers, and women.

• Certificate of Completion for all graduates of the program

Completion of the Certified Women’s Herbal Educator™ Program

The Certified Women’s Herbal Educator™ Program requires passing grades for all lessons and the successful completion of a women’s health reading curriculum, a final project, and a final exam. Students successfully completing this level of the course will receive Certification as a Women’s Herbal Educator through the program, as well as a special graduation gift. Graduation does not confer the right to practice herbal medicine or any form of healing art.

Continuing Education Credits

Herbal Medicine for Women has been approved for continuing education units for naturopaths (Oregon Board of Naturopathic Examiners) and midwives (Midwifery Education Accreditation Council).

Costs

Women’s Herbal Educator Certification™ Program: $1,250.00
 

Additional Expenses/Supplies

• Basic herb supplies for hands-on assignments (see supplies list)
• Principles and Practices of Phytotherapy (Mills and Bone)
• Obstetrics and Gynecology at a Glance (Norwitz and Schorge)

Students will need access to either an up-to-date women’s health textbook, internet access, or access to a medical library. Additionally, students may want to have access to women’s herbals for research projects.

International Students

International students (including Canada and Mexico) pay the equivalent fees to US students (in US dollars), but will be assessed additional shipping charges. Students in Canada and Mexico add an additional $25. All other international students pay an additional $50 for shipping. ALL international students must pay for the course in full and in US funds; all communication and lesson grading is done electronically (email).

Study Group Rates

We would like to facilitate study groups by offering a group course discount when three or more individuals register together. Please contact us for details.

Cancellation and Refund Policies

We want you to be happy with your program. Unfortunately, due to the proprietary nature of the materials, refunds cannot be provided.