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THE INTEGRATIVE HERBALIST APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM ~ with Chad Cornell I.M.H.
A 2.5 TO 3.5 YEAR PROGRAM UNLIKE ANY OTHER AVAILABLE
This unique program is designed to take one from a beginner stage of herbal and holistic healing study to an in-depth practical ability to be an effective Herbalist and Natural Healer. Unlike many other herbal training programs, the focus is on a one-to-one transmission of knowledge from teacher to student. This allows the training to evolve in a way that is tailored to each student's needs, gifts, and goals. Medicinal plants, fungi, and wild foods are as crucial to our future as they were to our past. However, deeper and true healing often requires a more holistic and integrative approach. One that embraces the mind-body connection, the core pillars of ancient methods of healing, as well as our emerging understanding of quantum mechanics.
Our world is in desperate need of well-educated herbalists: healers, growers, harvesters, producers, and educators. As our healthcare systems become increasingly stressed and compromised, and the awareness of our culture improves, we are urgently in need of more holistic health professionals. The role of the herbalist is timeless, and as we move through great collective change and transformation in our culture and society, some might say that an increase of herbalists is indeed a healing response of Mother Nature herself.
As an uncertain economic and ecological future dawns upon us – reconnection, health, and self sufficiency are becoming increasingly important topics for many. There has likely never been a more important time to learn about emerging science and research into natural healing methods and the old ways, to know our wild foods and medicines directly, and to teach the next generations. Herbalism is a joy to learn; fascinating and magical, but it is also highly practical, and soul soothing to have a deeper relationship to our surrounding environment.
DIRECT LEARNING FROM INTEGRATIVE MASTER HERBALIST CHAD CORNELL
Chad Cornell, Integrative Master Herbalist, is committed to helping a new generation of herbal students who are inspired to carry the natural medicine ways forward and ensure that every family and community is holistically supported and connected. After two decades of full-time practice as a clinical herbalist, in addition to running a highly successful apothecary, Chad has created the course he wished he could have found when he was first starting herbalism.
Through Chad’s many years of learning from and working with medicine people, healers, yogis, doctors, and therapists within different cultures and backgrounds, he found himself resonating the most authentically with teachings that were personal, direct, hands-on. Out of an appreciation for these valuable methods of knowledge sharing, Chad has designed this course to create a diverse way of learning that balances the best of oral tradition, inner wisdom tradition, and modern technology and text. This allows the learning process to unfold in ways that are unique to each student, and it is how the Integrative Herbalist Apprenticeship Program was born and designed and it has been evolving ever since.
Though herbalism was an endangered art and science for some time, it is now undergoing a major resurgence. However, this path of study was not, and is not, simply about textbooks, verbal teachings, or videos alone. Human beings possess an innate connection to our own omniscience, and besides learning from books, we have the capacity to develop our own inherent gifts and abilities to learn in nonlinear ways. Such ways have been endangered in this information age that primarily emphasizes left brain learning. The path of the healer is not only about gathering information with our left-brains, but also learning to tune into the intelligence of our hearts, intuition, and creative imagination. Herbalists, like many great scientists have proclaimed, are connected to a vast web of planetary and cosmic intelligence that can guide us with direct insight. We simply need to remember how to deepen our connection with that part of us and put it to use in our practice for ourselves and others.
THE HOLLOW REED SCHOOL OF HEALING ARTS
The Hollow Reed School of Healing Arts & Herbals is a truly multidisciplinary herb school. We understand that herbal medicine is an essential tool in the kit of healers, but that it is best used along with other healing arts and modalities. Though the school has been growing rapidly, and Chad is an internationally renowned Herbalist, we are off the beaten path of commercial herbalist schools. We are focused on a genuine depth of learning, and a truly holistic approach to our students. There are many natural healing schools out there, and of course, some are better than others at what they do. Choosing the right school to study through is ideally based on factors such as the content, the teacher(s), the format of learning, the bio-region focused on, and, of course, your intuition. The school should resonate with your value systems, learning style, and goals. Your teacher should also ideally have a lot of hands-on experience helping others in therapeutic settings over many, many years. This is the power and potential of learning through the right teacher(s), or a teacher with a lineage of teachers behind him or her, as well as a vast array of personal experience.
CUSTOMIZED LEARNING & PACE OF STUDY
This course has been developed to suit the student as an individual and to take learning herbalism to a new and integrative frontier. We value direct interactions between our students and practicing herbalists, as well as a customized learning approach. What we know, and have known about health, healing, and the science of nature and our cosmos is rapidly changing. Herbalism must adapt along with the new challenges and opportunities we face. Today's crisis, when approached properly, can lead to tomorrow's evolution.
This program does have core essential and foundational traditional learning modules that must be completed, but it also has optional electives to choose from to complete your studies and refine them to your personal goals and gifts. As a student you are given timeline goals, but also given the room to go at your own pace as life demands. Our philosophy is that one should not have to experience financial stress and pressure to learn the ancient healing arts. Instead, you can purchase one educational module at a time and go at a pace that you can afford. Learning herbalism, and the healing arts in general, should be kept enjoyable and accessible to all.
Part of the reason that this program is designed as it is, is to focus on crucial teaching sessions between instructor and students - it’s where we can find the ‘teachable moments', and make examples out of your own personal health challenges or some of those of loved ones around you. It is also where students ‘ground’ all of the content that they have been learning and help it to land inside themselves in a way that is applicable going forward. Because this school was not created for large groups of thousands of students en mass we are able to nurture small batches of budding herbalists and healers in an intimate way that blooms unique and effective practitioners. This, as you will see in the student testimonials below, is a highly personal journey and takes time. You might consider this school to be like a small organic farm or production, as opposed to a corporate one designed with a focus on large volume, large profit, and lower quality harvests.
Our intention is to help grow effective herbalists and natural healers that are also educated on some of the very specific and unique challenges that are emerging in our times. We seek to offer this educational path as efficiently, affordably, and holistically as possible.
HOW DO WE STUDY?
Ideally, we can meet in person, though the ways in which we learn have changed a lot since the internet and it is now easier for students to study over a distance. All kinds of educational institutions are offering courses via online classes and cyber meetings, which offers benefits such as reduced travel time and rapid accessbility to content. The downside of this technological format is that we can lose the connection between teacher and student, in addition to relationship development between students on a similar path of learning. Keeping this essence of real connection is foundational in properly learning any healing arts such as herbalism.
With the Integrative Herbalist Apprenticeship Program, once a student purchases a module, they are invited to our online school learning hub. This is a place for students to connect, co-inspire, and share as a collective if so desired. It is not obligatory to share or engage with other students, or to attend our group huddles in person or online. This feature is offered as an opportunity to connect with other students and enhance your learning. If you live locally, or you are able to travel, then you will have the opportunity to attend guided plant walks and retreats. If you live far away, we have designed a method to orient you to your bio-region as well.
The school learning hub is also where you access all the course content for your core studies: directions, questions, digital workbooks, and videos. As you work through your studies you will then book times to meet with your teacher, as well as have the option of participating in monthly online group lessons and sharing huddles. We are also collectively building a wisdom vault; a digital forum of videos, articles and podcasts on a variety of topics related to herbalism, healing, and self realization.
HOW LONG IS THE COURSE?
This is a course designed for the serious student and committed future practitioner, who passionately wants to help others and the planet. It is for those who are looking to truly explore and integrate the diverse concepts of holistic medicine. This means we are not simply focused on anatomy, chemistry, nutrition or phyto-medicine from a Western perspective alone. We also integrate key understandings from Eastern Medicine, Ayurveda and TCM. We value and explore Shamanic and Indigenous teachings, quantum healing and mind-body medicine, while we integrate them with important discoveries related to modern science. This terrain is both wild and ancient, yet rational and intuitive. It requires a deep personal devotion, and it takes time to integrate the content and essence of the teachings in a genuine, practical, and meaningful way. To be an effective herbalist is a bit like being a gardener – of others. It requires intuition and vision, like an artist or musician. It also requires passionate research and study like a good detective or scientist. These are just some of the qualities we develop in ourselves along the path of studying the healing arts and herbalism.
In the Integrative Herbalist Apprenticeship Program, we strive to encompass all of the above information and experiences in a personalized and unique program of study. We work with the student’s timeline and ability (both energetically and financially) to absorb the learning necessary to become a competent and confident Herbalist and Natural Healer. On average, this program and approach takes between 2.5 and 3.5 years of committed study by the serious student.
A JOURNEY TO WHOLENESS & RECONNECTION
For one to learn to help others, we must first learn to help ourselves. We need to address our own obstacles to our most authentic, fearless, and awakened life. If we learn how to position ourselves in a healthy alignment with nature, we can become a conduit of healing for ourselves and others. Though the earth struggles, and our future may appear uncertain, one thing is for sure: the plants and other methods of healing that we will cover in this program are profoundly helpful for all the challenges that we may face. Keep in mind that as herbalists, we are not only interested in healing diseases and survival. We are focused on what it means for us, as human beings, to bloom into our authentic and whole selves, reaching our true spiritual potential.
Herbalism is not a religion, it is an art and a science. However, it does include an element of philosophy and spirituality. Holistic methods of healing transcend any perceived divisions of separation between us – our races, our religions, or our ideas of division. This also involves the understanding that healing and dis-ease can, and often do, require addressing all levels of our being. Just as a “salve” heals a cut or wound, “salv-ation” can heal a deeper wound in the mind, heart, or soul. Again, that does not require that we are – or are not – in a religion, this is a topic of spiritual wholeness and remembering our place in the sacredness of creation.
With the plants and methods of healing we explore, there is no concept of prejudice nor reverse prejudice, they heal us all the same and that is a primary lesson from the plants themselves. They teach us about our oneness and the majesty and compassionate side of nature. Part of our healing involves decolonizing our minds and rewriting the programming we’ve had since birth and over the centuries. If you are not interested in exploring the perspective that our physical world is interwoven with a subtle or spiritual reality, or that we all have some waking up to do, then this is likely not the course for you.
This is a practical “nuts and bolts” herbalism course, however it also has plenty of what some might refer to as “spiritual content.” Our world suffers today under materialism, and the arrogance and greed that often accompanies modern science. In these approaches there is no place for sacredness and spirituality and that is a part of why we see so much disharmony in our world today. There is always a place for modern medicine – the gifts of diagnosis, surgery, and even certain pharmaceuticals – once all other methods of natural healing have failed.
In today’s age, science has become $cience in many cases, while disease and illness have become a business. Big Pharma is now farming us, our animals, and our plants, and not without dire implications. The challenges that we face are real, as the same companies that produce toxic food and many other harmful chemical products are also providing the so-called medicines for our illness. As it happens, we can’t just close our eyes and make it go away. This is a part of what motivates many healers and herbalists: to keep the good medicine flowing despite corporate interest attempting to steer us away from or ban its use altogether. There is a natural path to stay well and address disease, and like the old folk healing traditions, we can each play a role in keeping that path open with the wisdom of nature’s gifts alive for the next generations.
There are layers of awakening that we are going through that are challenging, and at times even painful. When we live our lives with faith in what we do and we are whole in ourselves while working together, we will all be stronger and able to meet that challenge. Increasing numbers of us are waking up and seeking out new ways of healing and feeling well – as a positive contribution for ourselves, our loved ones, and the collective. Our work then is to cultivate a life that enables us to thrive, and in so doing, teach and embody our wisdom for the next generations to harvest and plant once again – both literally and figuratively! To do this we best stay close to our green allies and fungi, and to each other!
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO QUALIFY FOR THIS PROGRAM?
To apply for this program, you can fill out the application at the bottom of the page and email it to [email protected] Please ensure that you have read the full course description below. You do not require any other educational institution certificates. After your application is received then you will be contacted for a short interview to make sure the program is a good fit for you and the school.
Qualifications:
One: You have a commitment to a process of growth and learning that will be fun and expansive, however at other times feel mundane, challenging, and requiring discipline.
Two: You hold a great respect and compassion for the natural world, all of life, and our future generations. It is your care for yourself, the world, and others that motivates you.
Three: You possess a commitment and capacity to find the money (= energy) to invest financially in your education and process. This may increase slightly depending on which electives are chosen.
Four: A commitment to continuously explore how you can practically integrate your love of herbal medicine and natural healing methods into a lifestyle that supports you and those around you in ways beyond the typical financial goals of our culture. In other words, you may apply your interests in a way that could grow you an income, however, you can also become a valuable resource in your community as a caregiver, grower of herbs, medicine maker or healer.
Five: Ideally, you will have the ability to travel at one point during this program for personal instruction and practicum in a forest retreat with Chad Cornell. This is not essential as there are other ways for you to accomplish your goals of knowing the plants and lands around you.
Six: A sincere commitment to undergo unsupervised self-study and to carry out assignments and prescribed practices. Some assignments will be very rational such as writing a paper. Others will be very creative such as creative visualization, dream-work, meditation, journeying, or the art of medicine making.
Seven: To recognize that you are not simply consuming information but becoming a vessel and a carrier of a living tradition that has been passed down for thousands of years. Ideally, your quest is rooted in seeking deeper relationships and reconnection, both within and without. It is about becoming a walking embodiment for the teachings to radiate through you as a living transmission.
WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?
Currently, there is no official authority for regulating who can call themselves herbalists. However, in Canada there are generally three main ways to become a recognized professional Herbalist (According to the Canadian Council of Herbal Associations):
This program will take place over approximately a 2.5-3.5-year period depending on your own inspiration and lifestyle. The total number of estimated hours of study is 1255 which is just about 4 hours per week. Due to the natural flow of our lives, this will depend on life schedules, vacations, etc. You do not pay by the month; you pay by the module. There is a limited number of people able to fit into this program at one time, so it is expected that you make steady progress on the modules. If your life changes course and you need to take a break from your studies, it is best to bow out of the program to make room for another wanting to join until you can return.
DISTANCE LEARNING
As previously mentioned, the course can be made available for those who do not live near Winnipeg, via meetings online or even by telephone if need be. We will be doing video or audio recording at the group meetings for those who cannot make the group dates.
THE COURSE WILL INCLUDE:
– Personal instruction (45 minute to 1 hour meetings - an average of 2 per module).
– Reading assignments using textbooks, handouts, or specific web articles.
– Audio and film recordings of Master Herbalist, Chad Cornell discussing relevant topics.
– Short essays, audio and video recordings, and other assignments on various topics will be assigned to ensure the information is being well integrated.
– Verbal discussions, written quizzes, and case studies to ensure you are integrating the information in a usable fashion.
– Field exams and excursions where you will be asked to identify plants in the wild, demonstrate healing and assessment techniques, and so on.
TESTIMONIALS FROM STUDENTS
"I am so impressed with the Integrative Herbal Apprenticeship program taught by Chad Cornell, M.H. Before embarking on this journey, I had bits and pieces of knowledge, with no way to bring it together. This program has helped me develop a well-rounded understanding of all aspects of plant medicine and healing as a general practice. It has taught me that herbalism isn't a career choice but an honour, and I am truly grateful and honoured to carry the tradition. The apprenticeship program has been a gift, and I am excited to continue with it. I would highly recommend this program to anyone who feels called to deepen their relationship with the plant medicine world, as well as their true authentic Self."
~ Annie Crema, Squamish B.C.
“My journey into the program started from my passion to provide efficacious healing for my community, but it has also permeated the deepest layers of being, to really help me understand why Chad reminds us ‘Healer, heal thyself’. That healing has provided deeper understanding of the teachings, and greater empathy for the journeys of the members of my community. While it hasn’t always been easy, the increased practice of discipline is unto itself a healing process that provides great wisdom that was well known to our ancestors.”
- Chaley Martens, Winnipeg, MB
"The Integrative Herbalist Program through Master Herbalist Chad Cornell allows one the space and opportunity to cultivate experience and knowledge from vast areas of interest in the herbal medicine world. Throughout my time as an apprentice herbalist, I have undertaken learning topics such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic practices, anatomy, herbal remedies, healing with whole foods, among others. The integrative approach allows each apprentice to follow their own path of interests, while still adhering to the outline of the Herbalist Program. The Apprentice Program instilled a drive to learn and experience what I could not have thought possible before, such as working with energies, astrology, and breath work. Additionally, the summer herb retreats out onto the land, rejuvenating oneself from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, while seeing directly for yourself the wild Manitoba plants and herbs in their natural environment. The Integrative Herbalist Program in short not only taught me about herbs, healing, and health, it taught me about myself and how to navigate and integrate myself more holistically into our world today."
~ Ryan Kologinski, Winnipeg, MB
“The Herbalist Apprenticeship program with Chad Cornell is so much more than just learning about plants and herbs. It is a program that integrates all modalities of healing. You will deepen your connection with yourself while deepening your connection to Mother Earth and all living things. While learning how to heal others, you will also learn how to heal yourself and how to become “whole”. The practices you learn while working with Chad will serve you and will serve the people around you for the rest of your life. “
~ David Toews, Kenora, ON
“I feel blessed to have the opportunity to be guided through herbalism by Master Herbalist, Chad Cornell. His Apprenticeship Program has been a knowledgeable and heartfelt journey through science and spirit. I am confident that this knowledge, integrating past and present, ancient and current, will be the foundation in my practice of guiding others toward their path of healing.”
~ Stephanie Snadden, MB
"The Integrative Herbalist program has been an important part of my development not only as a healer, but as a more mature and whole human in general. Chad’s wisdom, friendship and guidance has given me a rich base and anchor in my personal growth. We come to this work to offer people healing through natural means. Chad’s program goes far beyond that, addressing balance on all fronts, physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. In this program we explore both east and west, ancient, and modern to bring together the medicine our time needs most. A strong sense of independence is earned through this process as well as the opportunity to recognize and overcome personal challenges and an invitation to explore and integrate our unique flavour and interests.
This program is for those called to reconnect with the wisdom of nature and enter into deep personal exploration. It’s for those committed to knowing themselves, helping others and bringing more balance to this world. For those ready to go on this transformative journey, I couldn’t recommend it enough."
~ Danielle Caners, MB
COURSE CONTENT OUTLINE
Please note that there are three levels, or stages, to the overall program. To graduate as a fully qualified Integrative Herbalist one must complete all three levels.
LEVEL I: PLANT MEDICINE KNOWLEDGE CARRIER: Level I comprises the first 4 modules. It steeps the student in the foundational wisdom and key principles of herbalism. It is designed to empower one to be a resource for knowledge and information related to plants for personal healing and to develop one’s understanding in how to use healing botanicals and make good medicine!
LEVEL II: EMISSARY OF THE HEALING ARTS: Level II comprises the 5 modules following Level I. This level takes the student deeper into the study of medicinal mushrooms, chakras and the subtle energy body, meditation, eastern nutrition, traditional methods of how to assess oneself and others, and much more. Upon completion, it enables the student to act as a valuable community and family resource, and to function as an emissary for methods of natural healing which move beyond plants.
LEVEL III: IN PRACTICUM TO BECOME AN INTEGRATIVE HERBALIST: Level III requires that you have completed your 3 electives and have written your final thesis. This level of studies is highly focused on the practical application of what has been learned thus far. We look further into specific approaches to common ailments, and the many details of a safe and successful practice. We move further into creating client intake forms, and an extensive practicum where students see clients and review their files with Chad Cornell. We will be going over some additional formulas and remedies, while we will also be focusing on the business side of your practice or venture in terms of insurance, regulations, and getting your gifts, services and products out into the world. Upon completion, you will be granted a certificate as well as given some final teachings as related to your practice.
PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR FULL DETAILS ON THE CONTENT OF EACH OF THE PROGRAM LEVELS.
Level 1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Level II ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Level III Client Practicum ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
B. Fermentation Essentials:
C. Entheogens - Modern and Traditional Use of Psychoactive Plants and Navigating Their Modern Resurgence:
D. Plant Spirit Herbalism & Non linear Ways of Learning:
E. Flower Essences, Vitalism, & Homeopathy:
G. Sweat Lodge & Lodge Medicines:
Graduation!
It is suggested that you partake in a small cleanse, a gentle fast, or visioning process, for clarifying your intentions for your practice ahead. This can be done on the land out at the yurt or elsewhere.
You will of course receive a beautiful certificate of completion for your office, apothecary or intake space!
APPLICATION ~
If you are interested in applying for a spot in the program, please answer the following questions and send them to Chad at [email protected]. The next step would be an in person, online, or phone interview to clarify any questions and make sure it is the right program for you. If all proceeds well, and there is a space available, then you can get started!
Please email if you have any questions!
204-786-0820
The Hollow Reed School of Healing Arts & Herbals
St. Norbert Arts Centre (100 Rue des Ruines du Monastere)
Ph: (204)786-0820
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