An Herbal Mentorship Approach
Mentorship, much like a traditional apprenticeship, is one of society’s oldest forms of experiential education. In many cultures, herbal training occurs almost exclusively in a setting where experienced herbalists work closely with others to share their accumulated wisdom. The structure of these relationships varies widely, but all have in common the desire to share information while offering support, guidance and critical feedback. Our mentorship process supports individuals to become confident, skilled herbal educators. Often those who have completed extensive training in herbal medicine (which may or may not have included a clinical component) are actively seeking the support and guidance of an experienced herbalist to act as a mentor. Community is an essential aspect of herbalism. Herbalism is all about relationships, after all – the relationships we have with each other and with health as well as the relationships we have with plants. One of the most special relationships within herbalism, though, is the relationship between herb mentor and student. Most herbalists eventually find some sort of mentor – it’s a very natural expression of how our herbal knowledge is passed along and is the traditional way that herbalism was passed from one generation to another. Many herbalists at some point … Read more
