Introduction to Herbalism

Why take this course?

While aromatherapists love natural plant extracts (that’s what essential oils are after all!) there are many other herbal extracts that can easily be made at home. Herbal extracts combine beautifully with essential oils to enhance treatments.
Herbal infused oils such as Arnica, Calendula (marigold) and Comfrey are widely available from aromatherapy suppliers and are often used as base oils by aromatherapists. There are lots of therapeutic herbs easily available to make your own infused oils to treat a wide variety of conditions in your clinic.
Aromatherapy treatments can be enhanced with topical herbal treatments such as:
• Poultices
• Compresses
• Liniments
These techniques are deeply therapeutic and are easy to use when you know.

What will you learn:

How to make: herbal infused (macerated) oils. There will be a class demonstration of 2 infused oils and everyone gets a sample to take of each oil to take home.
How to make poultices, liniments & compresses (we will also try these out in the class)
Recommended medicinal herbal infusions (therapeutic teas) to accompany these treatments (including tea tastings).
Theory and safety of using these medicinal herbs and extracts.
Detailed handouts with recipes, guidelines.

Course Content

Herbal Infused/Macerated Oils

• How to make these
• Record keeping, cleanliness, GMP, storage of oils and ingredients, shelf life etc. The admin and legal requirements of making your own extracts for use in your clinic.
• Herbs suitable for infused oils for different ailments and treatments e.g. herbal infused oils to improve circulation, lymphatic function, relieve chest infections, enhance skin healing, ease aches and pains, relax muscles etc.
• For each herb: therapeutic action, safety (adults/children/pregnancy/any potential drug interaction issues/contraindications for use), ratio of recommended dilution etc.
• Combining infused oils with essential oils: enhancing the therapeutic action of essential oils, reducing exposure to allergens, safety for practitioners and clients etc.
• Adding local therapeutic herbs to aromatherapy treatments e.g. daisy, cleavers, mullein, plantain etc. Expanding your options for treatments in your clinic. Reducing the cost of buying in products by making some of your own.
• A brief overview of techniques for drying herbs properly, for people who would like to make extracts from their own garden.
• Recommended Herbal Tea Blends to Enhance Treatments
• Safe and effective herbal teas to recommend to enhance treatments e.g. improve general health, nourish the body, improve circulation, digestion, lymphatic function, pregnancy support, etc.
• Key safety and dosage information
• Using essential oils, herbal infused oils and water/vinegar/hydrosol/alcohol extracts in poultices, liniments and compresses.
• The benefits and suitability of each type of treatment.
• Recipe handouts

Practical demonstrations in class

Laura will make the following extracts in the class. Participants will get to handle and try out these extracts.
1. Infused oils: the whole process, including infused oil samples to bring home. Laura will make two different infused oils for two contrasting uses to help students to compare and contrast the different oils and understand how they would be of benefit in their clinic.
2. Poultices
3. Compresses
4. Linaments
5. Herbal infusions (therapeutic strength herbal teas)…including tea-tastings.
All ingredients used are certified organic

Can I learn more

Student who have taken this course have also take our Making Natural Cosmetics and Ointments course click here