Education is important to me and passing on the knowledge and traditions that have been shared with me is one of my goals. The following courses for those who are ready for a deeper dive into herbalism:
The Body’s Herbal Map: Connecting Herbal Knowledge to Body Systems
What happens when we stop looking at herbs and the human body as separate pieces and begin to see how they connect?
The human body is an intricate, interconnected whole. The respiratory system communicates with the circulatory system. The digestive system influences the immune system. The nervous system affects nearly everything. And herbs interact with these systems in equally fascinating ways.
The Body’s Herbal Map is a seven-week exploration of the human body through the combined lenses of nursing and herbalism. Together, we’ll build a deeper understanding of how the body’s major systems function, how they influence one another, how herbs interact with those systems, and how herbal actions can support the body’s natural processes.
Drawing on my experience as a nurse, anatomy and physiology instructor, and herbalist, I’ll help you make sense of anatomy and physiology in a way that is practical, approachable, and relevant to herbalism. Rather than simply memorizing structures, functions, or lists of herbs, we’ll create a mental map that helps you understand what is happening in the body, what an herb is doing within that system, and why that action may matter.
What We’ll Explore:
WEEK 1 - INTRODUCTION & HERBALISM FOUNDATIONS
We’ll establish the foundation for the course, including herbal terminology, ways of thinking about herbs and the body, and a framework for understanding herbal actions and how plants interact with the body. We’ll begin developing the map we’ll use throughout the course to connect anatomy, physiology, herbal actions, and whole-person support.
WEEK 2 - THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
We’ll explore how we breathe, how the respiratory system functions, and its relationship with other body systems. We’ll look at herbs traditionally used to support respiratory health, including plants such as mullein, thyme, elecampane, and marshmallow, and explore how their different herbal actions relate to the needs of the respiratory system.
WEEK 3 - THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
We’ll follow the journey of food through the digestive tract and explore digestion, absorption, and elimination. We’ll connect this knowledge with herbs traditionally used to support healthy digestion, including ginger, peppermint, chamomile, and digestive bitters, while exploring how different herbs can influence digestive processes.
WEEK 4 - THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
We’ll look at the heart, blood, blood vessels, and circulation—and how this system connects with the rest of the body. We’ll explore herbs traditionally associated with circulatory and cardiovascular support, including hawthorn, motherwort, and linden, and consider how their herbal actions relate to circulation and cardiovascular function.
WEEK 5 - THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
The immune system is more than just our defense against illness. We’ll explore this complex network and its communication with other systems of the body, along with herbs traditionally used to support immune function, including elderberry, echinacea, astragalus, and medicinal mushrooms. We’ll consider the different ways herbs may interact with and support immune processes.
WEEK 6 - THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
We’ll explore the body’s communication and control network and examine its relationships with digestion, immunity, circulation, and more. We’ll look at herbs traditionally used to nourish and support the nervous system, including lemon balm, skullcap, oatstraw, and chamomile, and explore how their actions relate to nervous system function and balance.
WEEK 7 - THE MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
We’ll explore the structures that give us support, stability, and movement, and consider herbs traditionally used to support muscles, joints, and connective tissues, including turmeric, willow, comfrey, and ginger. We’ll connect their traditional uses with their herbal actions and the physiology of the tissues they interact with.
MORE THAN JUST INFORMATION
Throughout the course, we’ll connect what we’re learning about the body to practical herbal applications.
I’ll share herbal remedies, recipes, and practical ways to work with plants, giving you opportunities to take what you’re learning and put it into practice.
But we’ll go beyond simply learning that “this herb is traditionally used for that.”
We’ll explore how herbs work in the body—their actions, the body processes they may influence, and why particular herbs may be relevant to particular systems.
You’ll begin to see the difference between memorizing a list of herbs and understanding why an herb might make sense within the context of a particular body system.
The goal is to develop a framework for understanding herbs, herbal actions, body systems, and the relationships between them.
HOW THE COURSE WORKS
This is a seven-week online learning experience combining recorded video lessons with live Zoom gatherings.
New material will be released throughout the course, giving you time to learn, absorb, and make connections before moving on to the next body system.
Our live Zoom gatherings will give us the opportunity to explore the material together, ask questions, discuss connections between body systems, and bring the herbal perspective into the conversation.
There will be a break during Thanksgiving week.
WHO IS THIS COURSE FOR?
This course is for anyone who wants to better understand the relationship between the human body and herbalism, including:
Herbalists and students of herbalism
Massage therapists and bodyworkers
Yoga teachers and movement professionals
Healthcare professionals
Wellness practitioners
Anyone curious about the human body and medicinal plants
You do not need an extensive science or healthcare background. We’ll build from the foundations and approach anatomy and physiology in a way that is understandable and relevant to herbalism.
WHY LEARN THE BODY’S HERBAL MAP?
It’s easy to learn herbs one at a time:
“This herb is good for digestion.”
“This herb supports the respiratory system.”
But what happens when we step back and look at the whole map?
The body’s systems don’t operate in isolation. And herbs don’t exist in isolation, either.
Understanding how herbs work in the body gives us another layer of understanding. Instead of simply knowing that an herb is traditionally associated with a particular system, we can begin to ask: What is this herb doing? What body processes is it influencing? Why might those actions be relevant here? And how does this system connect with the rest of the body?
That’s the deeper learning I want to offer through The Body’s Herbal Map.
This course is about more than memorizing anatomy, physiology, or herbal facts. It’s about developing a framework for connecting what you know about the body, what you know about herbs, and how herbs interact with the body.
My hope is that you’ll finish the course with greater understanding, curiosity, and confidence—and a new way of looking at the remarkable relationship between plants and the human body.
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
I’m a registered nurse, anatomy and physiology instructor, yoga teacher, and community herbalist. My years in nursing taught me to understand the body from a clinical perspective, while my work in herbalism has given me a different way of looking at the body—as an interconnected whole that is constantly responding, adapting, and communicating.
I love teaching, and I especially love making anatomy and physiology feel less intimidating and more understandable. The Body’s Herbal Map brings these pieces of my work together in one place: nursing, anatomy and physiology, herbalism, and my passion for helping people understand their own bodies.
COURSE DETAILS
7-week online course
Recorded video lessons + live Zoom gatherings
Begins October 15, 2026
LIVE ZOOM GATHERING DATES
October 21
October 28
November 4
November 11
November 18
December 2
December 9
EARLY BIRD TUITION
$350 through September 19
REGULAR TUITION
$395 beginning September 20
Visit the “Events” page to enroll
Come curious. Bring your questions. Let’s create a map of the human body—and discover where herbal knowledge fits within it.
ESSENTIAL HERBALISM FOUNDATIONS & HERBAL MEDICINE MAKING CIRCLES
Essential Herbalism Foundations & Herbal Medicine Making Circles is a six-month journey into the heart of plant medicine, created in collaboration with my mentor and herbalism instructor, Shelley Torgove.
Shelley shares her deep well of herbal wisdom through rich, self-paced online modules that teach you both the foundations of herbalism and detailed knowledge of over 20 powerful plants.
Each month, we gather in my apothecary for hands-on sessions where we bring the teachings to life—making herbal remedies, deepening our connection to the plants, and building confidence in your skills. We also grow together in community—sharing stories, questions, and support as we walk this healing path side by side.
This course runs twice a year and I am enrolling for February, 2027. If you’re ready to root into herbalism in both practical and soulful ways, we’d love to welcome you.