Embarking on a journey to become a herbalist can be complex given the myriad of online courses available today. Identifying quality, in-depth training demands careful consideration to avoid misinformation that can result from less clinically experienced herbalists.

I’ll always be an herbalist, and up until recently I was working on becoming a professional member of the American Herbalists’ Guild (AHG). I’ve decided to take a different direction in my herbal education for now, but through the process I learned a lot about the process of how to become a registered herbalist through the AHG. At the very least, I hope this information can guide you in finding a high-quality herbalist certification course and help you discern if becoming a registered herbalist is in alignment with your goals.

Key Considerations When Choosing a Course

1. Instructor's Expertise: Seek a mentor with significant experience in practicing herbalism and preferably someone with expertise in other natural healing modalities such as acupuncture, massage, or nutrition therapy. This will ensure well-rounded lessons and a comprehensive learning experience.

2. Course Duration and Content: Although shorter 6 or 8-week certificate courses may be attractive, for those pursuing a career in herbalism, a longer, more in-depth program is advantageous. Programs offering 1 to 4 years of study, including practical clinical sessions under supervision, can provide a solid foundation.

3. Motivation: Understand why you're drawn to herbal medicine, as it can shape your learning trajectory and ensure your success. Many are inspired by personal experiences with chronic illnesses, dissatisfaction with western medicine, or existing expertise in other healing practices like massage, nutritional therapy, acupuncture, or yoga.

Choosing the Right Herbalist Certification Program

Consider these tips while evaluating programs:

1. Accreditation: Check that the program is recognized by credible organizations like the American Herbalists Guild (AHG) or the National Association of Certified Clinical Herbalists (NACCH).

2. Hands-on Training: Opt for programs that include practical training or internships for a firsthand experience. Wildcrafting and foraging wild plants are important skills to develop, but it’s also a good idea to learn herbal medicine traditions from around the world.

3. Curriculum Focus: The program's emphasis—Western, Eastern, or clinical herbalism—should align with your interests and objectives.

4. Requirements: Review prerequisites like education level or prior field experience to ensure eligibility. Some courses require prior education or training to be able to grasp the concepts discussed.

5. Reputation: Seek recommendations from other students, conduct research, and ask about student outcomes to find reputable programs.

Training Programs

There are so many herbalism workshops both locally in most cities and also online from around the world. If you’re new to the field, it may be hard to figure out where to start. Here’ a few of the ones I attended and/or considered when I was looking up programs. Please keep in mind I have yet to attend most of these programs, they just looked comprehensive to me, or I have heard anecdotes about a positive experience from past students.

Virtual Training Programs

Learning herbalism over the internet is super convenient and is my preferred way of education. It does have some limitations since it is harder to learn more hands-on topics such as assessments of the pulse of a client or physically preparing herbal medicines. My approach utilized mostly virtual classes but also attending some in-person workshops. I have underlined the courses that I have actually attended in the list.

Virtual training programs

Here are programs that can be used as credit towards an application with the AHG, at least as of 2023. Please check the AHG website to ensure whatever program you pick will count towards your application.

• Portland Community College

  • Herbalism Online Professional Series (Year 1)

• International Integrative Education Institute

  • Professional Herbalist Series (Year 2)

  • Professional Herbalist Series (Intermediate)

• East West Herb School

• California College of Ayurveda

In-Person Training Programs

In-Person herbalist training programs are something you should search for for in the area where you live. You may need to check regularly since these are often a scheduled one-time event. It may be helpful to search “Herbalism Events Near Me”. You can also look up stores that primarily sell herbs and see if they are aware of any events coming up in the area.

A Closer Look at the American Herbalists Guild (AHG)

The AHG, established in 1989, is a respected body promoting safe and ethical use of herbs while fostering the professional development of herbalists. It offers various membership categories and awards the Registered Herbalist (RH) title to professionals meeting certain criteria—education, experience, examination, ethics, and continuing education.

To obtain the RH title, one needs to complete at least 500 hours of herbal education, have a minimum of two years professional experience in herbal medicine, pass a written examination, adhere to the AHG's Code of Ethics, and commit to 20 hours of continuing education every two years.

Log Your Experience

As you go through your education, I recommend keeping a detailed log of all the classes, study sessions, clients and the number of hours spent on each as this will make your application process go a lot smoother. I used a spreadsheet in google drive to track mine so that it would be available at all times to take a quick note. You can check the American Herbalists’ Guild website for specifics on what information to keep track of.

Membership Fees

Fees for professional membership with AHG include annual dues of $135, an exam fee of $300, and an initial registration fee of $75. Associate membership, for those interested in herbal medicine but not meeting the professional membership requirements, has annual dues of $75.

Alternatives to American Herbalist’s Guild

There are pros and cons to credentialing with any association or guild. I personally believe that everyone should just do what works best for them. If you think you’d attract more clients or have better success becoming a member, then go for it!

On the other hand, I’ve also spoken with many herbalists who feel that being a member of the guild is not necessary to get clients or have notoriety as an herbalist. Most non-herbalists I speak with have never even heard of the AHG before talking with me about it.

Personally, I was working towards professional membership for several years, but recently I feel like what I wanted to do with my herbalism education is shifting so I decided to table that idea, at least for now.

You Do You!

Something I love about herbalism is that you get to choose how you want to get your education. Though I have attended many courses, much of my education is self-led study from reading books written by really experienced herbalists, biochemists and other natural health practitioners.