Class Descriptions

This presentation will address the topical application of low-dose herbal preparations in clinical practice. Botanicals discussed will include Aconitum napellus, Corydalis yanhusuo, Atropa belladonna, Hyoscyamus niger, Datura stramonium, Veratrum viride, and Arnica montana, among others. Chemistry, actions, traditional use, dosage, application forms, and case examples will be reviewed.

This presentation will dive into the design and findings of clinical trials sponsored by Gaia Herbs that have recently been conducted using full- spectrum herbal formulas. This research is exciting as the majority of published herbal research is focused on single ingredients or purified extracts. Learn about the process of designing a clinical trial for complex herbal products and be introduced to real life examples of full- spectrum herbal extract research.

This presentation highlights the life of Susan Anderson, MD, (“Doc Susie”) one of Colorado’s earliest women practitioners. Doc Susie was the sole physician in Grand County where she practiced for almost 50 years (from 1909-1956), including caring for the original homesteaders of the land where the current YMCA Snow Mountain Ranch stands. The material will also cover important information on cardiovascular health with a demonstration on how to make simple, heart- healthy herbal preparations.

Marginalized cultures with little means to expand the food larder often resorted to the practice of foraging. Often, entire families would search hillside, forest, meadow, and even desert for foods that could be cooked or preserved. We will learn about the foraged foods and herbs that sustained and empowered the culture during the early 20th century and explore foraging recipes and stories from Garcia's family. Escaped rosemary from the old missions and ranchos was free for the taking and feral artichokes had to be boiled for several hours with the water being changed to remove bitterness. Other commonly foraged foods included fennel root (the seeds were used in holiday cookies and Pan Dulce), wild onions and garlic often eaten raw from the Los Angeles hills, and black walnuts eaten atop ice cream or coated in honey filched from a wild hive. 

This class will focus on preparing a practical home first aid kit. It will cover some of the beneficial plant medicines to have around and how to treat common home first aid situations such as wounds, injuries, and pain. We will cover some common medicinal plants such as Chaparral, Yarrow, Echinacea, and Willow. The goal of the class is for participants to be able to treat some of the first aid circumstances that come their way.

Divination for health is not new or abstract. It has long been practiced in Indigenous communities as the foundation of herbalism. Before scientific identification of phytochemicals, many experienced plants “talking” to them or received some type of divine guidance. The practice of divining answers for spiritual and physical health should not be lost to the growing reliance on scientific research. Both pathways are advantageous for supporting the individual.

Hoodoo rootwork is an amalgam of herbal and spiritual practices from many cultures, influences, and practices throughout the diaspora. Rootwork was foundational to the survival of enslaved peoples and continues to be a thriving, practical, and effective tradition. The various approaches of rootwork focus on the wellness of the individual as a whole including the mind, body, spirit, environment, and relationships. 

Taxus brevifolia, Catharanthus roseus, Dicentra formosa, Asclepias spp., Larrea tridentata, Podophyllum peltatum, and Trichosanthes kirilowii and other low-dose anticancer herbs will be discussed. Besides a presentation of what is known about the chemistry, molecular actions, synergy, efficacy, and safety of these herbs from the literature, Eric will present on his 26 years of clinical experience using these herbs, primarily in patients with urological, renal, and gastrointestinal cancers.

This presentation will explore the remarkable life of Dr. Andoh, who ran one of the largest herbariums in the world, helped produce the Botanical Gardens at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and authored The Science And Romance Of Selected Herbs Used in Medicinal and Religious Ceremony. In the 1990s, as Dr. Andoh began to discuss iboga’s ability to support severe drug addictions like heroin, the plant's popularity began to take off and it has continued to gain traction. Dr. Andoh is also responsible in part for popularizing moringa.

This plant walk with Southwest School of Botanical Medicine co-director Donna Chesner will focus on Rocky Mountain beneficial plants.

We will discuss complementary practices between honoring the legacy of traditional and Indigenous herbalism practices around the world. We will cover the energetic uses and, clinical research of plants and the layers of emotional, physical, and spiritual attributes that each plant specifically has an affinity for. In the old ways, and often in traditional practice, herbalists took time to pause, observe, and know plants through interaction on this level.

Ayurveda literally means "the science of life" and focuses on the balance and interplay of all things in nature and how this affects health. This lecture will expose attendees to the world of Ayurvedic herbalism including teaching the fundamentals of Ayurveda, exploring Ayurvedic materia medica, and understanding Ayurvedic farming practices that influence the energetic and pharmacological properties of these plants.

This fascinating story will be told from a woman’s perspective. Herstory parallels the history of herbalism and the history of medicine. Women as health-givers were everywhere, though rarely recognized. We will sweep from prehistory to modern times: from the Goddess, through the Middle Ages featuring Hildegard Von Bingen, then onward to the Renaissance and to America with the Physiomedicalists and Eclectics. We end with modern times and the challenges that Wise Women and Wise Men now face as herbalists.

The works of Nicholas Culpeper contain some of the richest historical material in the Western herbal tradition in terms of understanding the uses of plants as well as a nuanced "energetic" view of health. However, these texts are not easy reading!  In this presentation we'll talk about key vocabulary and concepts to make these historical texts more accessible, as well as resources for how to learn more.

The focus of this walk will be on our native plants of the Rocky Mountains, and the stories they tell. We will explore their common, traditional and current clinical uses, best modes of preparation, ecological considerations, and mindful harvesting practices. Touching, tasting, and smelling are integral to learning and intimately knowing the plants. Many of our native plants require tender handling and thoughtful harvesting practices. We'll explore the meadow, wetland, and forest edges of the area.