The Ohlone Center of Herbal Studies - Berkeley, California » Blog

Creating Successful Herbal Practitioners for Clinical Practice

ohlone — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 22:02:01 +0000

By Pam Fischer

Executive Director, OHC

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The Ohlone Center for Herbal Studies is a unique place.

We are a small school run by clinical herbalists. Our desire is to mentor powerful budding herbalists and send them into their community with the tools they will need to navigate the various challenges that face their careers. After students graduate, Ohlone continues to play a supportive role as in helping students actualize their dreams.

We are proud of the successes our students are having. Some have started their own clinics, others their own medicine lines. Many having thriving professional practices where they help people realize their health goals — people who represent many different threads of our community, from every walk of life.

After 15 year of educating herbalists and watching who succeeds (and who doesn’t), we have recognize that a key component to success is the time that we spend with our students on personal development and supportive dialog on the creation of their passion and a vision for it in the world. We help them to find alignments that are supportive to their vision. We work hard at this and the graduates over the last 4 years are a measurement for our success.

The amount of individual attention that our students receive prevents us from educating on a massive scale, so you will not find online classes or impersonal groups. Rather our classes are small and our teachers meet frequently, directing curriculum to both achieve what is needed for professional knowledge and what is needed for each individual’s vision. No two classes are the same. In a very real sense, we are becoming an intentional community with a mission.

Traditionally Herbalism is a oral tradition, one studies directly with a master, often for a life time. Our program is from 2 to 4 years. There is no faster route. In fact, rather than simply undergoing the one year of clinic training required for certification, students often sign up for a second year. Our commitment is to mentor our students, to help foster their dreams, and create strategies for success.

This involves more than just learning about plants. It is an exploration not just in plant information, but also in our student’s internal process focusing on who they think they are and what limits they set on themselves. To be a successful clinician or practitioner, you need to be powerful within yourself. We try to remove the barriers to this power.

Our student clinic is one of a handful in this country. It provides needed supervised practice when students are most vulnerable. Directly after students receive their education they often think they can heal the world and, as a result, sometimes approach clients with a bit of cockiness or hubris rather than coming from a place of gratitude, curiosity, and humility.

The Ohlone Clinic is a supportive place that student learn the realities of peoples lives and the difficulties that keep healing from taking place. We practice multiple techniques and strategies and learn to shift them when they are not working. In this way, we are able to foster in our students the mental, emotional, and spiritual grounding from which they can build a successful practice and be a force of true healing and inspiration in the world.

Hardly Strictly Herbal: Local Medicine Series

ohlone — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:11:03 +0000

A fundraiser for the Charlotte Maxwell Complimentary Clinic, a free clinic for low-income women with cancer

The Ohlone Herbal Center and The Scarlet Sage Herb Co. are proud to announce Hardly Strictly Herbal: a Local Medicine Series, a new teaching salon in San Francisco. This DIY self-care series of herbal topics will be taught at the San Francisco Charlotte Maxwell Complimentary Clinic space at 2601 Mission St, Suite 201, at the corner of 22nd St. This five month-long lecture series is held from 4 to 6pm the LAST Sunday of each month, March through July. The cost is sliding scale $20 to $50 each, or all 5 classes for $100. Proceeds benefit CMCC and local teachers.

We are excited and inspired to introduce a drop-in lecture series to the SF community that supports local teachers and health + healing. We hope you will join us in building a culture of self-care and community health! The series highlights participatory healthcare for co-creating a transformative shift away from the healthcare climate and crisis in which we are currently involved.

Hardly Strictly Herbal teachers include local author and urban homesteading expert K. Ruby Blume of Institute for Urban Homesteading, local garden teacher and bodycare product maker Tanya Stiller, parent, herbalist and artist Frieda Kipar Bay, certified Nutrition Educator and whole foods chef Denise Goitia, and 13th generation herbalist and wholistic dental educator Rupam Henry.

Class list:

Urban Herb Farmer: Grow Your Own Culinary and Medicinal Herbs in the City

Taught by K. Ruby Blume, Sunday March 25

Botanical Bodycare: Lotions and Creams

Tanya Stiller, Sunday April 29

Parent as Healer: Sowing Seeds for the Next Generation of Witches

Taught by Frieda Kipar Bay, Sunday May 27

Kitchen Herbalism

Taught by Denise Goitia, Certified Nutrition Educator & Whole Foods Chef, Sunday June 24

Holistic Dental Presentation

Taught by Rupam Henry, R.D.A, HHC, CTP, Sunday July 29

Women’s Wisdom Workshop Series

ohlone — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 01:23:52 +0000

We are excited to announce our guest lecture series for 2012: Women’s Wisdom Workshop Series!

This collection of women herbalists have been movers and shakers who have powerfully transformed herbalism in our Northern California communities. Tap into this resource by joining Ohlone as we take an adventure into the divine feminine and honor the wisdom of our women.

All Women’s Wisdom Workshops are $100 a day, advanced registration is required. To read full class descriptions, teacher bios, and sign up click on the link to their individual pages.

Ayurvedic Constitutional Medicine with Western Herbs

Taught by Candis Cantin Kiriajes, Saturday February 11

Wild Cultivation of Chinese Herbs

Taught by Peg Schafer, Sunday March 11

Aroma Herbalism

Taught by Kathi Keville, Sunday April 15

Herbal Therapeutic Treatments for the Thyroid

Taught by Christa Sinadinos, Saturday and Sunday August 18-19

Plant Energetics

Taught by Karyn Sanders, Saturday and Sunday September 8-9

Wild Edibles

Taught by Autumn Summers, Sunday October 7

Free Herb Walk in San Francisco

ohlone — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 22:20:33 +0000

The incredible Alemany Farm (alemanyfarm.org) is hosting an urban herb walk by Katie Delwiche, a former student at Ohlone, this coming Sunday morning Sept. 18th, 2011 from 10:00-11:30, with a potluck to follow. Learn remedies to stay healthy through autumn and winter. This is a free and kid-friendly event. More info on Katie’s blog:
http://wiseleaf.wordpress.com/2011/09/07/herb-walk-at-alemany-farm-sept-18th/

Herbal Medicine Show

ohlone — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 21:07:19 +0000

Come celebrate the culmination of the herbal Intensive Program, with the apprentices, faculty and friends! We will be hosting an herbal craft fair consisting of our herbal potions, lotions, and elixirs. The student’s homemade medicines and other herbal goods will be available for purchase.

There will be food and drink available for purchase, as well as musical entertainment for all to enjoy! We will also provide free student guided herb walks through the neighborhood.

The Medicine Show is free to attend, however, having some extra cash is advised. All of the proceeds from product sales will go directly to the students to help them jump start their new medicinal herbal careers!

Friday, October 7th from 3 to 9pm.

You can RSVP and share this event on facebook!: https://www.facebook.com/ohlonecenter#!/event.php?eid=282476755111466

City Schools: Reflections from an Urban Herbalist

ohlone — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 19:38:57 +0000

Reflections from an Urban Herbalist

By Pam Fischer, August 2nd, 2011

Many herb schools are located in the sacred temple of the woods. In these places there is more immediate access to the mindfulness of the plant spirits. There the pace of life slows and we are reminded by the breeze and the buzzing of bees about the present moment. In these temples we find teachers who have created these sanctuaries from the very depth of their hearts. They magnify their love for plants and animals creating a haven in which to learn. The human spirit loves to dance and frolic in these beautiful places.

The urban school has a different flavor, often a bit more edgy and geared toward how to serve. In these spaces we attempt to carry the plant energies from wild areas back to the place of the greatest suffering and pain. In these centers we teach not just about the herbs but how to hold, protect and feed ourselves.It is a warriors path, and not right for all. The vibration quality of the city is much more maniac, constant distractions of noise, lights, and sensory stimulation creates a far different experience. The urban herbalist must carry the wild within them. The city atmosphere requires us to perceive and respond to things quickly with both compassion and urgency all while staying grounded and centered. No easy task in the midst of so many distractions. Urban schools are also a creation from the hearts of the teachers and the manifestation of their work in the world. The urban herbalist is edgy and forthright…a reflection of the world in which they walk.

Mother Theresa work to relieve pain and suffering called her to the most impoverished areas of India, many carry on her work as nameless army doing amazing things to transform the state of the world. The urban herbalist are doing no less in the trenches of the inner city.

We are a hand in timesof cultural mental illness that provide type of sanity and direction to healing. It is not our task to care for (creating dependence) rather to enable all to care for themselves physically, mentally and spiritually (creating independence). We are herbalist, but also counselors, social workers, botanists, chemists and visionaries. We often feel inadequate to the task at hand, but are called forth to spite this feeling to that of the world needs.

Atava Garcia Swiecicki: Love Potion No. 9

ohlone — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 20:33:49 +0000

Ohlone teacher Atava Garcia Swiecicki is featured in the examiner.com article “Love Potion No. 9: It Only Works If You Intend It To” by Rheba Estante. She discusses love potions, herbalism and one of her workshops.

Likewise, the intention we hold when making a love potion has a strong influence on the power and quality of the product. When we make our potion with the intention of attracting love, each time we take it we can reaffirm this intention. In this way, the power of the potion is amplified by our own intentions.

Love Potion No. 9: It Only Works If You Intend It To

Indigenous Lecture Series

ohlone — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 19:06:39 +0000

This monthly lecture series by leading herbalists starts January 2011 through June 2011. Each guest lecturer will also lead a workshop on the following Saturday (and some on Sunday as well) on the same subject.

Friday Night Lectures are 7-9 pm and Saturday and Sunday workshops are 10-5 pm. To sign up, please visit the “Classes & Registration” page under the “School” tab. Sign up for lecture at least 24 hours in advance (by Thursday 7 pm day before) for the $10 price.

Our speakers by month will be:

January 7-8th- David Hoffmann: Evolving Western Herbal Traditions
February 11-13th- Sage La Pena: Native American Herbal Healing
March 11-13th- David Crow: Principles of Ayurvedic Wisdom
April 8-9th- Luisah Teish & Xochipala Maes-Valdez: Indigenous Healing of Africa and Mexico
May 13-15th- Jeff Nagel: Taoist Herbal-Nutrition & Chi Kung Healing Traditions
June 10-11th Tibetan Healing Wisdom

Reserve your place for lectures and workshops now! Go to our classes page to register for the individual event you would like to attend and pay through PayPal!

Friday night lectures are $10.00 in advance (at least 24 hours before lecture) and $20.00 at the door. Weekend workshops are $100.00 a day.

Marion Souyoultzis’ Passing

ohlone — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 17:31:06 +0000

It is with great sadness that I inform you of Marion’s passing. Marion passed away on April 6th, 2010. She was 61.

She was a dear friend, a beloved teacher, a supportive colleague and a companion for the mission of Ohlone Herbal Center. We all will deeply miss the presence of her generous open-hearted soul as well as her continuous dedication to learning more, understanding all aspects of health and healing and the passion she brought to her teaching.

In addition to being a member of our community, she was a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She is greatly loved and will be deeply missed.

Marion’s official death notice can be found here

We will keep you informed as we learn of memorial services.

Herbal Non-Profit and School, Programs, Clinics and Accomplishments for 2009

Ohlone Herbal Center — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 17:15:25 +0000

Non-profit status
New Location
Program changes
Clinic
Herb Rooms
Projects
National status

The last two years have been a very exciting time for the Center. With a lot of thought and hard work, we have made some substantial changes.

Non-profit Status
In June of 2006, we began working on our transition to non-profit status. After many hours of paperwork and much waiting, we finally received our official non-profit status on June 9, 2009.

The Big Move
This June, we moved out of our cramped offices of the past 4 years into a beautiful space that will serve us well during the next part of our development. Our front windows look out onto the expansive lawn of Strawberry Park. Strawberry creek runs wild to the right of our door and the Berkeley Youth Alternatives garden are just steps away. We are busy this summer transforming our new space to meet our school and clinic needs.

Changes in the Program
Much has happened regarding the program. The school has expanded to include an 8 month, 3 days per week intensive course, which suits the needs of those students who cannot attend evening classes. Also, a San Francisco satellite 10 month program in Foundations of Herbalism offered for the last 2 years.

In addition, there have been big changes in the student clinic. Student clinic has extended its operation to be year round rather then 10 months. Our 400 hours of supervised training meets the professional requirement of the American Herbalist Guild (AGH). Our clinic sees close to 125 people a month, giving our students one of the best clinical herbal educations in the field. At the request of advanced students we have added a second year clinic program.

Herb Room
Tony Seifert now manages all our medicine making needs and we took on dispensary services for herb rooms at the Charlotte Maxwell Complimentary Clinics in Oakland and San Francisco. C.M.C.C. is a non-profit free clinic serving low income women with cancer.

We were approached by the Cavallo Point, Hotel and Spa in Sausalito for an employment opportunity for a graduate of our program. Katie Delwiche was hired and is now their resident herbalist. Our graduate Dixie Block was hired to work at the Harborside Clinic in Oakland. Our graduates Atava Garcia Swiecicki and Sharon Bargil, received professional status with the AHG.

Projects

There are a number of projects that we are currently involved in. Second year clinic student Tracey Brieger is working with East Bay Agency for Children (a social service agency) to help six preschoolers with severe behavior problems avoid the use of anti-psychotic medication using diet, herbs and exercise. Another clinic student Michelle Steinberg, will be spearheading an herbal wellness program at the Street Level Clinic in Oakland. Street Level is a day labor center for Spanish speaking immigrants. She will be developing a public service model for working with this population.

National Status
In October 2008, Pam Fischer, our executive director, was elected to serve on the National Board of Directors of the American Herbalist Guild.

It has been a very full last few years, but our vision is far from complete. A number of projects still await us including: a special training program for Midwives, Doulas and Herbalists to work with pregnancy; a Senior Health Advocacy program, working with a senior residence center in our neighborhood; networking with the Berkeley Youth Alternatives on teaching herbalism for gardening trade and the Urban Creek Foundation in planting the native medicines in our creek. Other projects include getting herb rooms into public service clinics and finding grant money to help support them. Our plan in 2011 is to begin a Marin satellite program.

Ohlone Herbal Center is the leader in the Western Herbal Movement in the Bay Area. Your support and contribution will help propel us forward. Herbalism is often overlooked as a model for health care in America. We believe we have something to contribute to the health care crisis at hand, offering affordable medicine that is both green, sustainable and free of pollution causing toxins. Any financial support you are able to give will help in the fulfillment of our dream.

Thank you for your generosity,
Pam Fischer, Executive Director on August 28, 2009

Herbalism Career Path Strong in Today’s Weak Economy

Ohlone Herbal Center — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 17:13:54 +0000

This statement might sound counter-intuitive to an aspiring herbal student or seasoned practitioner. However, given our current ongoing economic downturn and the difficult, controversial efforts surrounding healthcare reform, the reality is that the time couldn’t be better for herbal students and practitioners to actively involve themselves in their communities. The high cost of an emergency room visit, office visits that last 10-15 minutes and isolate health issues without regard for total health and the promotion and ease of access of prescriptive drugs (which often create additional health problems), are all strong incentives for people to look for something better; something that considers the health and well being of the whole person. Today, more than ever, people need to be and are becoming more proactive in addressing their own healthcare. This is a good thing in and of itself, yet daunting when you consider the number of people able to quickly Internet research symptoms and self-prescribe without the benefit of training or knowledge. A trained herbalist can and does offer knowledgeable holistic care that is affordable and effective. In fact, this is a primary mission of a serious Western Herbalist.

The Ohlone Herbal Center and its students are the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area herbal movement. Acting as an educational resource for medicinal herbs in our community, we are leaders and activists in bringing herbal medicine and knowledge to the people who need it. Be it through operation of our community clinic, supplying herbs to multiple other bay area free clinics or training herbal clinicians to work in them; we address our communities’ needs for health education. In addition, the Ohlone Center provides something most other schools don’t – we have an available Clinical Herbalists Group resource with a growing network of students and graduates and a unique referral system we make available to the public.

When starting an herbal training program, students are often concerned about the viable employment opportunities that await them. We are a community-based School on the cutting edge of the alternative health field. Our training and support networks offer everything needed to establish yourself as an herbalist. While much of the time studying at Ohlone is in the realm of the plants, not income, our program graduates are trained in starting their own private practice as well. After graduation we continue to help our herbalists with referrals, business services, ongoing workshops and clinician support groups. We actively create opportunities for professional positions by helping our community care clinics expand into plant based medicine. In addition, Ohlone Center has shown leadership year over year in developing modes of complimentary practice that translate into additional career opportunities for our graduates. There are multiple directions graduates can take; private practice, working with medical practitioners in complementary care facilities, free clinics, medicine making and/or manufacturing, teaching, sales, or consulting to name a few. What the Ohlone Center provides is an exceptional education which allows and encourages graduates to use their own business savvy coupled with the support of the Center in finding their individual niche within their own communities in private practice, healing centers, or hospitals.

Medicinal herbalism is the longest uninterrupted practice of healing art on the earth. It is still used as the primary medicine of 75% of the world’s population. In other first world countries such as Germany, Japan and England, herb effectiveness is recognized and used as part of the health care delivery system. It is a sustainable, non-polluting renewable resource with some answers for our worsening health care crisis here in the US. The herbalist plays an important role in today’s health education and prevention. Herbalism is affordable and healing; the plants tone and invigorate dysfunctions returning the body to health.

This current crisis provides well trained herbalists with great opportunities to make a living providing health education and herbs for healing to their community without injuring the planet or joining the rat-race. There is great opportunity in crisis. We can’t know what students and practitioners will do with the knowledge they have gained or imagine all the wonderful innovative businesses they will set up. But we can provide them with a solid network of herbal practitioners to call on for support and provide our unique referral service.

By Pam Fischer, Executive Director on August 9, 2009