Herbal Fundamentals: An Introduction To Herbal MedicineBuild your home apothecary with confidence and soul. This introductory series is a hands-on invitation to reclaim your role as the healer in your home. Bridging scientific rigor with ancestral wisdom, we move beyond the theoretical to get you working directly with the plants from day one.
Each week, we immerse ourselves in the study of one vital plant ally. We explore its biological actions on the body and its spiritual signature, learning how to harmonize our internal landscapes with the wisdom of the earth. Together, we will hand-craft a physical remedy for you to take home, ensuring you walk away with both practical medicine-making skills and a deeper connection to the Wise Woman Tradition. Whether you are looking to support your family’s wellness or simply seeking a more nourishing, grounded connection to the local plants in your backyard, this series is the perfect first step. No experience is needed—just a curiosity to learn and a desire to heal. |
Herbal Fundamental Students making herbal oxymels in class
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Why Herbal Fundamentals? The Nourishing Toe Dip
Many are curious about the healing power of plants but feel overwhelmed by dense textbooks and complex terminology. This course is designed to be your grounded, hands-on entry point. We strip away the noise and focus on what truly matters: the plants beneath your feet and the wisdom within your body.
- Local & Accessible: We focus on the common, abundant plants that grow close to home. You’ll learn to trust the medicine in your own backyard, making your practice both sustainable and affordable.
- Low Commitment, High Reward: Six focused, 60-minute sessions designed to fit into your life while providing you with a lifetime of practical skills.
- Expert, Evidence-Informed Guidance: Benefit from 15 years of science teaching paired with deep clinical herbalism. You’ll learn techniques that are safe, effective, and rooted in biological understanding.
- A Sanctuary for Beginners: This is a safe, supportive space for absolute beginners. No prior knowledge is required—only a willingness to reconnect with nature.
- Honoring the Whole Plant: We practice the Wise Woman Tradition, using folk and ancestral preparations. This ensures we honor the plant’s full spectrum of nutrition, chemistry, and spirit.
Meet Your Instructor
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My journey into herbalism started with a PCOS diagnosis—and the frustration of being offered only limited symptom management.
I chose a path of true, foundational support, and through the restorative power of plants and a dedicated, holistic approach, I guided my body back to true vitality. This personal transformation became the bedrock of my work. I bring 15 years of high school science teaching (Biology & Chemistry) together with the Wise Woman tradition to make this empowering knowledge accessible to everyone. My approach bridges deep scientific rigor with spiritual herbalism, focusing on the local, abundant plants growing in our own backyards. By teaching folk preparations and ancestral traditions, I help you create plant medicine that is both effective and practical. For over a decade, I have served as a Clinical Herbalist, Registered Yoga Teacher, and Reiki Master, offering full-spectrum support for mind, body, and spirit. If you are seeking compassionate, evidence-informed guidance to begin your own relationship with plant medicine, I am here to hold that space for you. Every remedy we work with is personally formulated by me and crafted with integrity in our state-certified facility right here in Sandy Hook. |
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I recently completed Alyssa’s Fundamentals class at Herbs Love and Yoga and it has left me absolutely inspired and excited to learn more. Alyssa is a fantastic teacher and guide into the world of Herbalism and I feel so grateful to have found her and her shop. You can feel the healing the moment you step through the apothecary door!
Alyson A.
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I completed the Herbal Fundamental Course with Alyssa and it was phenomenal. She is thorough in her teaching and gives you just enough information to help you learn without overwhelming you. It was a wonderful "toe dip" into herbals and I have easily carried the learning into my home where I'm now starting to create my own herbal remedies. Thank you Herbs, Love, and Yoga!
Sherrie M.
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I absolutely loved this “toe-dip” into herbalism! The online class was well thought out & interactive. Alyssa’s knowledge and her passion for herbalism is incredible. I’m hoping there’s a part 2 -there’s so much more to learn at a basic level. It’s the perfect intro class.
Terri P.
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I thoroughly enjoyed the Herbal Fundamentals course and feel I have a wonderful foundation for using herbs. Alyssa is an amazing teacher and incredibly knowledgeable.
Stephanie B.
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I took the Herbal Fundamentals class with Alyssa. She was so knowledgeable and I really enjoyed the class. I'm a beginner when it comes to this and I am able to replicate what we did in class at home. Looking forward to the next session!
Jessica S.
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In-Person Course Details + Registration
Runs once a year in September
Description
Herbal Fundamentals Level 1 is a 6-week in-person (or virtual live) journey designed to introduce you to the art of plant medicine through hands-on practice and soulful connection. This course is a nourishing entry point into herbalism, created to help you reclaim the wisdom of the earth and the vitality of your own body—no prior experience is needed. Each one-hour session is a focused deep dive into a single plant ally and a traditional medicine-making technique—including teas, tinctures, vinegars, oils, and salves. Beyond the chemistry, we explore the spiritual signatures of the plants and the body systems they support. You will learn to work with herbs that nourish the nervous system, digestion, bones, circulation, liver, and skin, all while deepening your relationship to the Wise Woman Tradition. class details + Registration
Class will meet on Saturdays from 12:30-1:30 pm on the dates below
September 12, 19, 26 October 3, 10, 17 Class 1 (Sept 12): Tea Infusions for the Nervous System with lemon balm Class 2 (Sept 19): Tea decoctions for the digestive system with ginger Class 3 (Sept 26): Nutritive Infusions for mineralized bones + tissues with oat straw Class 4 (Oct 3): Tinctures to support heart health with hawthorn Class 5 (Oct 10): Herbal vinegars to support liver health with dandelion Class 6 (Oct 17): Herbal oils + salves to support skin health with calendula Investment: 6 class series: 275 Single class: 50 |
Runs once a year in January
Description
Take your herbal practice to the next level. Herbal Fundamentals Level 2 is designed for students who are ready to move beyond the basic medicine-making skills. This 6-week immersion bridges the gap between following recipes and the art of herbal formulation. Each one-hour session focuses on advanced medicine-making methods—including syrups, elixirs, oxymels, and double decoctions—while working with pairs of potent plant allies. We deepen our study of the body’s internal landscape, exploring the immune, respiratory, reproductive, and urinary systems. As we work, we continue to honor both the biological actions and the spiritual signatures of these plants, learning how to create complex remedies that address the full spectrum of wellness. You’ll finish this series not just with new remedies for your apothecary, but with the grounded confidence to begin formulating your own custom blends. class details + Registration
Class will meet on Saturdays from 12:30-1:30 pm on the following dates:
Jan: 9, 16, 23, 30 Feb: 6, 13 Class 1 (Jan 9): Herbal Honeys for the Immune System with Garlic + Elderberry Class 2 (Jan 16): Herbal Cough Syrups with Mullein + Elecampane Class 3 (Jan 23): Reproductive Elixers with Raspberry + Vitex Class 4 (Jan 30): Medicinal Mushrooms + Double decoctions Class 5 (Feb 6): Oxymels for a Healthy Mind with sage + gotu kola Class 6 (Feb 13): Urinary Tract Wellness + Creating Herbal Formulary with uva ursi + corn silk Investment: 6 class series: 275 Single class: 50 |
Interested in completing your herbal fundamentals course online self-paced?
