Become an Herbal Aromatherapist™
Throughout this online aromatherapy program, you will learn how to work with herbs, essential oils, hydrosols, and other herbal products in your home apothecary and in professional practice. Here is a glimpse into some of the topics we'll study together:
Foundational Principles
We’ll begin by studying the foundational principles of both herbalism and aromatherapy. As you move through the program, you’ll learn to work with essential oils, hydrosols, herbs, and other plant-based products. Science and research are blended with traditional practice and ethnobotany in this program. By the time you complete it, you’ll be able to custom formulate effective herbal products and aromatherapy blends for your family, friends, and clients with confidence. You’ll learn how to practice safely, effectively, and with a focus on sustainability.
Foundational
Materia Medica
You’ll study around 100 aromatic and medicinal plants and their aromatherapy products (essential oils and hydrosols) in depth throughout this program. Botany, chemistry, and scientific research that gives insight into the therapeutic applications and safe use considerations of each plant are covered, as are indications for use, historical and traditional application methods, and specific remedy-making techniques. You’ll also learn how to grow most of the plants we cover in your own garden.
Apothecary: Remedy Making
It’s time to set up your apothecary! In the remedy-making modules, you’ll learn how to craft custom-tailored herbal products and aromatherapy blends with a wide variety of applications. You’ll learn how to make everything from personalized aromatherapy inhalation blends to luscious body butters, medicinal salves, herbal teas, soothing herbal honeys, and more. You’ll have plenty of opportunities practice as you go so you can feel confident in your remedy-making prowess.
Botany and Plant Identification
As we dive into the botany module, you’ll learn about how plants are each given a unique scientific name that is recognized all around the world and about how plants are organized into families that have unique characteristics. We’ll look at the significance of plant parts and how they relate to herbal and aromatherapy practice and we’ll also study plant identification so you can learn how to look at a plant when you want to identify it.
Phytochemistry of Herbs & Essential Oils
Phytochemistry might sound a little intimidating, but it’s really just a fancy word for plant chemistry – the study of the tiniest elements of the aromatic and medicinal plants we love so much. We’ll get a little bit nerdy with it but the lessons are easy to understand and beginner friendly. These modules will give us useful information that we can use to make sure our herbal products and aromatherapy blends are both effective and safe for our family, friends, and clients.
Safety and Sustainability
Safety and sustainability are key to a successful personal or professional practice. Throughout the program, you’ll learn how to create effective blends that will be safe for a wide variety of clients. Contraindications for clients and their health concerns, drug interactions, and plant-specific safety considerations are all covered. You’ll also be given a list of resources that can help you continue to practice safely as you add more plants to your materia medica.
Anatomy and Physiology
Understand how the body works, how imbalances can manifest, and how we can work with aromatic and medicinal plants to help support overall wellness. In these modules, we’ll learn how to apply what we’re learning about plants to help us support our bodies and achieve our health and wellness goals.
Pathophysiology and Therapeutics
As we learn about the body and how plants affect it, we’ll also learn about some of the common ailments humans experience and how we can work with plant-based products (herbs, hydrosols, essential oils, etc.) to help support wellness. These lessons are filled with scientific evidence to illustrate the efficacy of the plant products we’ll be looking at, and are sprinkled with historical and traditional ethnobotany.
Cultivating Your Apothecary Garden
Whether you’re limited to a windowsill or balcony, have an average size urban backyard, or have plenty of space to work with, you’ll be well equipped to cultivate a beautiful apothecary garden. In this module, you’ll learn how to grow aromatic and medicinal herbs for your apothecary. You’ll be surprised at how little space you really need to be able to grow enough plant material to craft your own hydrosol or make an herbal salve.
Client Assessment and Energetics
If you choose to follow our certification track (additional purchase required), you’ll learn to complete a successful client intake interview, develop your assessment skills, and will have plenty of opportunities to practice working with clients one-on-one. You’ll submit case histories and case studies as part of your assignments. You’ll also learn more about how plant and human energetics work together so you can craft better formulas.
Crafting Custom Formulas
A well-made formula is like a custom-tailored piece of clothing made specifically for you. It fits perfectly. We’ll cover blending techniques and other considerations for creating personalized formulas that are well-matched to your client’s energetics, health-related goals, and relevant safety considerations.
Distilling Hydrosols and Essential Oils
Learn how to distill plant material for its hydrosol and essential oil at home, either on your stove or outdoors in your garden, using a variety of equipment. We’ll cover crafting hydrosols with inexpensive tools you probably already have in your kitchen as well as how to work with artisanal stills. After you’ve completed this module, you’ll be equipped to begin stocking your home apothecary with handcrafted artisan hydrosols and essential oils.
Working with the Mind and Emotions
Aromatherapy is a part of herbalism that is beautifully suited to working with the mind and emotions. Learn how to work with aromatic plants to help you and your clients feel better mentally and emotionally, whilst also utilizing other herbal therapies to support the process.
Building a Thriving Business
Learn how to take everything you’ve learned and use it to create a thriving business so you can make a living doing what you love. We’ll cover business development, marketing, best practices, and some tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years that will help you build your successful business more efficiently.
Resources, References and Bonuses
I’ll share my favorite resources for high quality ingredients and supplies with you in this module, along with some outstanding references that I recommend and some bonus materials I’ve put together to help you in your studies and practice.
600+ Hours of Education
The content for the herbal aromatherapy home study program is released over the course of two years.
New modules of lessons open monthly.
If you choose to add the certificate track to your purchase, you have en extra year to review your lessons and submit your projects and assignments to earn your certificate.
As a student, you receive lifetime access to the course materials.
Click here to view a general outline of this program’s curriculum.
Two Options
Home Study Track
Learn all of the same information you would learn in the certification program.
No required assignments or projects.
For people who want to learn to work with herbs and aromatherapy for themselves and their families but have no wish to practice professionally or build an aromatherapy-focused business.
Completion does not qualify you for professional membership with aromatherapy organizations such as NAHA and the AIA.
$2700
Certification Track
Learn all of the information you would learn in the home study track.
Complete the hands-on assignments and projects and receive personalized feedback from Erin as you submit them.
Earn a certificate of completion that qualifies you for professional membership with aromatherapy organizations such as NAHA and the AIA.
For people who wish to practice aromatherapy in their communities or build an aromatherapy business.
$3000
Enrolled students receive:
Email access to the instructor as you make your way through the program. This program is designed to feel like a one-on-one program even though it is delivered solely online. I’m here to answer your course-related questions, discuss the course material, and - for those who choose to go with the certification track - offer thoughtful feedback on your class assignments, case reports, and projects whilst you are completing your studies.
Lifetime access to the written course materials and instructional videos I’ve created for you. Every month throughout the two-year program, you will receive access to a new block of content which may contain a mixture of written lessons, educational videos, resources, and for certification track students, hands-on assignments. While the program is mostly self-paced, I recommend that you try to keep up with the monthly schedule if you do want to finish the program within two years.
Unlimited access to all the printable downloads I’ve created for you, including beautiful, detailed printable profiles for all the plants in the Materia Medica modules (we will be studying about 100 plants in detail) and printable lessons should you wish to study away from your screens.
Access to exclusive bonus content that I create for students, even after your program ends.
You'll also receive:
a complete set of client intake and evaluation forms (certification track students only)
an exclusive set of Business Development Worksheets that I’ve designed especially for you to help you bring your business idea to life, revitalize your existing business, turn your hobby into a business, or build an income-generating side hustle
This Program Is for You if...
You want to participate in a more in-depth program with the option to upgrade to a certification track that includes one-on-one interaction with your course instructor and personalized feedback on your projects and assignments.
You want to learn more about working with herbs and essential oils in one easy-to-understand program.
You appreciate an approach to aromatherapy that focuses on efficacy, safety, and sustainability.
A foundation in scientific research is important to you.
You want to take your aromatherapy or herbalism training to the next level, whether you’re just beginning your studies or have already earned certifications.
You value cultivating a deeper connection to the plants themselves as you develop your herbal or aromatherapy practice.
You dream of owning your own plant-based business so you can earn a living doing what you love, or you want to expand your skill and add another modality to your current practice.
You want to learn more about growing your own herbs so you can have access to the highest possible quality materials for your apothecary.
You want to learn how to distill your own hydrosols and essential oils at home with affordable, high quality equipment.
About Your Instructor
Hi, I’m Erin! I am a clinical herbalist, certified professional aromatherapist, urban homesteader, forager, and organic gardener. I grow organic food and over 100 kinds of aromatic and medicinal plants for my own apothecary, many of which I distill for their hydrosols and essential oils right here in my garden.
My practice is based in the Pacific Northwest. I have a special interest in mental health, psychology and trauma-informed practice, and I have studied with several treasured herbal forebearers, including David Winston, Rosemary Gladstar, and many others. I am so honored that you are considering studying with me and I truly look forward to getting to know you over the course of the next few years.
With gratitude,
Erin
Enrollment is currently closed.
To be notified when enrollment next opens, please enter your contact information in the sign-up form below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How long do I have to complete the program?
The educational content of this program is released in module-sized blocks once a month over the course of 2 years. Aside from the regularly scheduled content releases, it is self-paced, so you can take as long as you need to complete it. Most people will be able to complete it within 2-3 years whilst dedicating a few hours of study to the program each week.
Students who purchase the optional certification track have an extra year to turn in their projects and assignments.
Q: I’m already a certified aromatherapist. Will this program help me?
Aromatherapy programs vary widely both in quality and in content. I designed this one to be the most comprehensive, holistic, science-backed, from-the-ground-up program available. It greatly exceeds the educational requirements for NAHA professional membership qualification.
While some of the information will be a review for you (essential oil chemistry and aromatherapy basics, as well as some basic essential oil blending techniques), you will also learn plenty of new things to help you better your practice, including how to work with the herbs themselves (and know when to choose an herb over an essential oil), how to cultivate an aromatic garden, how to build a thriving business, how to distill hydrosols and essential oils, and how to increase sustainability and efficacy in your practice. We also focus a lot more on scientific research than some aromatherapy programs do.
Most aromatherapy programs teach or require anatomy and physiology as a separate class. Our program incorporates it into our lessons throughout the anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology modules. Each of these modules includes science-based information about practical therapeutic applications for a variety of common conditions so you can be equipped to help yourself, your family and friends, and your clients support your / their health and wellness goals with herbs and herbal products.
Q: I’m a beginner. Will this course be too difficult for me?
I have designed the curriculum to be completely beginner-friendly and I will be here to walk with you through it from beginning to end. It’s a great place to start and I’m happy to answer any questions you may have along the way.
Q: Is the course about herbs or aromatherapy?
Both. It’s an aromatherapy certification program rooted in a foundation of herbalism. You’ll learn everything you need to know to start a successful aromatherapy practice (or equip yourself to work with aromatherapy for your family and friends), but you will also learn how to work with herbs and how to know when to choose one over the other.
Q: Will this program qualify me for membership with a professional organization?
The curriculum for this program exceeds the educational standards set forth by professional aromatherapy organizations such as NAHA and AIA. Upon your graduation from this program (if you choose to earn your certificate through the optional certification track add-on), you will be eligible to apply for professional membership with them.
Q: Is this program a 200-hour certification program?
The curriculum for this program is equivalent to over 600 hours of training and exceeds the requirements for 200-hour programs.
Q: How much does the program cost? Do you offer payment plans or refunds?
The cost of the certificate track for the program is $3000 USD and we have several payment plan options available. You will be able to review your payment plan options when you enroll. The home study program without the certificate track is $2700.
Due to the nature of online courses, we do not offer refunds, so we recommend that you make sure this is the right program for you prior to enrolling. Once you have enrolled, you are responsible for paying the amount you owe the school in full. We are happy to answer any questions you may have prior to enrolling. Please feel free to contact us.
Q: Are you a certified aromatherapist? What qualifies you to teach? Can I trust your information?
Yes, I am a practicing clinical herbalist, certified aromatherapist and a professional member of NAHA, which is one of the leading aromatherapy organizations in our country. I have well over 2500 hours of education in the fields of herbalism and aromatherapy and am consistently furthering my own studies so I can continue to grow in my own practice and experience. I have grown over 150 kinds of medicinal and aromatic herbs for my own apothecary and distill hydrosols and essential oils here in my PNW garden.
Q: Will this course prepare me to work with clients?
This program is designed to take students from complete beginners to a level where they could build a successful aromatherapy practice and work with family, friends, or other clients on a professional level. By the time you earn your certificate, you will have a solid, science-based knowledge base that will equip you to practice as an aromatherapist. Some students will choose to use what they learn in their own homes, while others might wish to start a business or work within their own communities.
To work on a deeper clinical level addressing more complicated cases, especially if you want to expand your skills in the field of herbalism, further training will be necessary and I do hope to offer further clinical training in the future.
This program does not equip you to practice medicine, which requires a medical degree and a license to practice.