Professional Herbalist Course

Comprehensive Clinical Training in Herbal Medicine

The Professional Herbalist Course is our flagship program for those serious about entering the herb profession as a practitioner — or for dedicated students seeking the deepest possible clinical knowledge across both Western and Chinese herbal traditions.

Led by Dr. Thomas Avery Garran, this course bridges decades of clinical experience with rigorous academic foundations. You’ll develop diagnostic skills, formulation expertise, and clinical confidence through in-depth video lectures and guided study that draws on the strengths of both major herbal traditions.

What Makes This Course Different

Most herbal training programs focus on one tradition. The Professional Herbalist Course is built on the unique integration of Western herbalism and Chinese medicine — giving you a toolkit that most practitioners simply don’t have. You’ll learn to think about plants, patients, and healing from multiple angles, making you a more versatile and effective practitioner.

• Diagnostic frameworks from both Western and Chinese medical traditions
• Advanced formulation strategies — combining herbs with precision
• Clinical case analysis and treatment planning methodology
• Pharmacology, herb-drug interactions, and safety considerations
• Practice management and professional development

Course Syllabus

Lesson 1: History of Herbal Medicine — A planetary approach to the history and evolution of herbal medicine traditions worldwide.

Lesson 2: A Balanced Diet — The Key to Health — The foundational role of nutrition in health and healing, bridging Eastern and Western dietary wisdom.

Lesson 3: Using Food as Medicine — Practical applications of food as therapy, including traditional Chinese dietary therapy.

Lesson 4: An Introduction to Ayurveda — Understanding the ancient Indian healing tradition and its relationship to herbal medicine.

Lesson 5: Chinese Medicine Fundamentals — Jingqi and Yin/Yang Theory — The cornerstone of Chinese medical theory, essential for understanding how herbs work within this framework.

Lesson 6: Five Phase Theory in Chinese Medicine — One of the foundational theories that informs clinical decision-making and herbal formulation.

Lesson 7: Chinese Medicine Anatomy and Physiology — Visceral manifestation theory, organ relationships, and how they guide herbal prescriptions.

Lesson 8: Qi, Blood, Fluids, and Spirit in Chinese Medicine — Understanding the vital substances and their role in health and disease.

Lesson 9: Disease Causes in Chinese Medicine — A comprehensive framework for understanding why illness occurs and how to address root causes.

Lesson 10: Western Herbal Medicine — Physiomedicalism — The Western herbal tradition through the lens of physiomedicalism and its modern applications.

What’s Included

• In-depth video curriculum: Comprehensive video lectures covering both traditions in depth
• Digital Library access: Full access to approximately 30 searchable texts — classical references, monographs, and clinical resources
• Professional forum: Connect with fellow Professional Herbalist students and Dr. Garran
• Herb & tincture shop: Access to restricted herbal products available only to enrolled students
• Direct mentorship: Personal access to Dr. Garran for clinical questions and guidance
• Quizzes & assessments: Test your knowledge as you progress through the curriculum
• Certificate of completion: Professional recognition upon finishing the course

Who This Course Is For

• Those considering entering the herb profession as a clinical practitioner
• Existing practitioners wanting to deepen their knowledge across traditions
• Graduates of the Home Herbalist Course ready for advanced study
• Health professionals seeking to integrate herbal medicine into their practice
• Serious students who want comprehensive, not surface-level, herbal education

About Your Instructor

Dr. Thomas Avery Garran brings more than 30 years of experience in the herbal medicine field. A student of Michael Tierra and other renowned practitioners, he is the author of Western Herbs in Chinese Medicine and Growing Chinese Herbs. He practices what he teaches — growing medicinal plants on his farm in Huntington, MA and maintaining an active clinical practice.

As caretakers of the East West School of Herbalism — one of the oldest and most respected schools of herbalism in North America — we bring decades of experience as practitioners, teachers, and mentors to some of the most well-known herbalists in the world.