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Vancouver Island Workshops and Classes in Herbal Medicine, 
Medicine Making, and Wilderness Medicinals...... for Everyone

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HERBAL APPRENTICE PROGRAM - In Person Program two days a month through the growing season.  
The Black Bear Herbal Apprentice program is for anyone interested in hands on learning about herbal medicine, medicine making, harvesting and wild medicinals. Now taking applications for next  spring 2023.
Click here for more information. Class size is small so please email if you are interested.

REGISTER AND START NOW WITH YOUR OWN INDIVIDUALIZED PROGRAM AN EXCITING COLLABORATIVE HYBRID OF ONLINE VIDEO COURSES AND INDIVIDUAL ZOOM or  IN-PERSON ONE-ON-ONE MENTORSHIP CLASSES.

The Black Bear herbal courses have undergone some changes over the last year, like most things in our world!  

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I'm offering two new courses.  They are a hybrid of online learning plus individual mentorship.  Start dates are whenever you wish to start.

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The courses are a combination of beautiful, in depth online programs, that I have been collaborating on with Pacific Rim College for the last year, with an additional offering of one-on-one mentorship via Zoom or in person classes with me.

 

The one-on-one mentorship/individual classes enable you to ask questions, and pursue avenues of enquiry that are of special interest to you.  If you are interested in delving into the world of healing plants please feel free to call or email me for more information. 

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There is a choice of two programs, both of which are run by Pacific Rim College Online.  I am offering the online courses plus one on one mentorship classes .   

The Home Herbalist and the Community Herbalist.

 

The courses are rich in sensory details and have in depth video instructional classes that include studying herbs in the garden, herb walks, making remedies in the kitchen, learning therapeutics and learning how to grow herbs.

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Home Herbalist Program

The Pacific Rim College Online Home Herbalist includes 46 hours of stunning step-by-step video lessons, a 490-page detailed and beautiful e-book to follow along with every lesson with a lifetime access to the videos. 

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The program includes:

  • How to identify and use Wild Medicinals

  • Materia Medica- a complete guide to the most important and common herbal medicines and how to use them

  • Herbal Therapeutics

  • Medicine Making - how to make your own salves, tinctures, syrups, oils and plasters and decoctions

  • Body Products and Gift Making

  • The Herbal Kitchen - using herbs in cooking

 

In addition to the online Home Herbalist I am offering 3 hours of individual one on one classes or mentoring as you study the Home Herbalist program online.

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Community Herbalist Program

The Pacific Rim College Online Community Herbalist program is a more in depth program Certificate Program, and includes 80 hours of stunning step-by-step video lessons and a 764-page detailed and beautiful e-book to follow along with every lesson.  It includes a number of topics such as:

  • How to identify and use Wild Medicinals

  • Materia Medica- a complete guide to the most important and common herbal medicines and how to use them

  • Herbal Therapeutics

  • Medicine Making - how to make your own salves, tinctures, syrups, oils and plasters and decoctions

  • Body Products and Gift Making

  • The Herbal Kitchen - using herbs in cooking

  • Backyard Gardening

  • Aromatherapy

  • Medicinal mushrooms

  • Botany

  • Herbal First Aid. 

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The Community Herbalist online allows you to use credits from the program to transfer to the full time Diploma in Phytotherapy at Pacific Rim, for those who wish to become a practitioner. 

 

In addition to the Community Herbalist online I am offering 10 hours of individual one on one mentorship or classes.

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The individual "in person" classes with Amanda can be either through Zoom, or in person (outdoors) if you are able to come to Cumberland.   

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When:

The online course can be completed at your own pace.  There is no time limit, and you have a lifetime access to the materials.

The in person or Zoom mentorship classes with Amanda are scheduled to suit your calendar.

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Cost:

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Home Herbalist Program: $995.00

Includes 3 hours of mentorship with Amanda either by Zoom or in person.  Payment for the course must be through Black Bear Herbs.  To register click here

 

Community Herbalist Program: $2938.95

Includes 10 hours of mentorship with Amanda either by Zoom or in person. Payment for the course must be through Black Bear Herbs.  To register click here.

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UK Registrants

Course prices in UK pound sterling are as follows:

Home Herbalist Progam: £560.00

Community Herbalist Program £1800.00

The UK prices are subject to exchange rates.  The exact price will be given when you enquire to register.

If you found us through Springwood Sanctuary please let us know because we will make a donation to the Sanctuary in your name.

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FOR INFORMATION ABOUT BOTH THESE COURSES PLEASE CONTACT ME BY EMAIL AT BLACKBEARHERBS@GMAIL.COM, OR PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL ME AT 250 897 2049.

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Amanda Howe MSc. RHP.

MEDICAL HERBALIST

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Amanda Howe has been a Herbalist for over thirty years.  She lives in the Village of Cumberland on Vancouver Island with her husband Jan who is a Mountain Guide, and their son Vijay.

Amanda is passionate about plants and has created a lush herb garden with an adjoining teaching

space at their home.

Their home and garden borders the Cumberland Community Forest - several hundred acres of 

protected temperate rainforest that is home to deer, beaver, wolves, salmon bearing streams, numerous birds,

 frogs and other beasts, thriving medicinal plants, and of course the black bears after which the Herb Garden is named.

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Amanda loves to teach and is happiest when she is in the garden teaching people how to grow, harvest, use and listen to the magic of the plants that are thriving there.

 

Amanda trained in England in the early '80's and became a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists in the UK. She subsequently went on to receive her MSc(Distinction) in Herbal Medicine from the University of Wales.  Amanda worked in England in a multidisciplinary clinic before moving to Vancouver Island twenty five years ago.

 

Since moving to Canada Amanda has been active in practice as a Herbalist and as a herbal educator.  She has served on the board of the provincial Canadian Herbalists Association of BC as well as the national Herbal Practitioners Council - the Canadian Council of Herbalists Associations (CCHA), working to ensure continued access to herbal medicines for Herbalists and the general public.  And she also sat on Health Canada's Natural Health Products Expert Advisory Committee.  

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Amanda and was involved in funded research projects with the Centre for Livelihoods and Ecology at Royal Roads University.

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Amanda teaches at Pacific Rim College in Victoria BC. as a teacher in their full time Herbal Practitioner training program

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"This is the most wonderful and amazing place to study herbal medicine. I have learned so much from Amanda Howe and my fellow apprentices over the last year. I would highly recommend any of Black Bear Herbs courses."

Trish Moroto, Herbal Apprentice Participant 2018

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