Join A Thousand Leaves for our
Beginner’s Herbal Program
A self-paced, online herbal program for the aspiring herbalist
or anyone wanting to learn more about herbal medicine.
Are you seeking to feel more knowledgeable about herbal medicine and the body?
Are you longing for a better way to take care of yourself, your loved ones, and your community?
You’re not alone!
As access to healthcare and other essential services becomes increasingly uncertain,
and as we continue to navigate a system that subjects many to chronic stress, we believe it is more important than ever to understand, preserve and engage with the knowledge of herbal medicine.
We created the Beginner’s Herbal Program as a comprehensive, yet accessible journey for those who are both new to herbal medicine and those who have already started their journey but would benefit from the structure of a course and knowledge from seasoned, practicing herbalists.
Herbalism doesn’t have to be mystifying
Our goal for this course is to provide you with the guidance to help you feel empowered through herbal medicine - so you can support yourself, your family, and your community with more knowledge and confidence.
We created the Beginner’s Herbal Program to give you the tools, knowledge, and confidence that you need to start your herbal medicine journey.
After setting the foundation in Lesson 1, each subsequent lesson covers:
a topic on herbalism or body system
We will navigate the different systems of the body, what common ailments happen and what herbs are best used to support these systems.
herbs related to that topic or body system
By the end of the course you will have learned over 50 herbs, their medicinal uses and how they relate to each system of the body.
Applicable handouts and herbal recipes
Download and print additional resources to add to your own Materia Medica.
herbal preparations and how-to’s
Learn about the ways herbs can be used and prepared for everyday use and begin making your own herbal recipes at home.
This Pre-recorded, Self-Paced Program is Broken Down Into 11 Lessons That Cover the Basics of Herbalism
(and then some!)
lesson 1
Herbal Foundations
Energetics & Actions
Creating a Materia Medica
lesson 2
Herbs for Well Being
Herbal Safety
Infusions, Decoctions
lesson 3
Kitchen Medicine
Fire Cider/Oxymels/Vinegar extracts
lesson 4
Digestive System
Bitters
How to make your own Sauerkraut
lesson 5
Nervous System
Tinctures
lesson 6
Endocrine System
Herbal Powders
lesson 7
Immune System
Infused Oils
Salves & Balms
lesson 8
Cardiovascular System
Herbal Syrups
lesson 9
Respiratory System
Herbal Steams and Washes
lesson 10
Reproductive and Urinary Systems
Herbal Baths
lesson 11
Musculoskeletal/Integumentary System
External Herbal Applications
Plus you will learn over 50 herbs in depth and document them in your very own Materia Medica!
You also get access to our online herbal community!
With the program, you also get access to our online learning community, where students can connect and ask questions on the material they are learning about. This space shifts learning from a 'one-sided' experience into a collaborative, 'two-way' exchange.
“[The Beginner’s Herbal Program] is a great introduction to help empower yourself with plant medicine and caring for those around you; for helping you find the path to wellness that doesn't require somebody else. Plant medicine doesn't require degrees. It requires you just being intentional and thoughtful to make time for this practice in your life. It was a really great program for me and helped me realize ‘Yes, I'm on the right path. Yes, this is what's really important for me.’ So if you're called to this, listen.”
-Kristin P.
The Beginner’s Herbal Program isn’t just for beginners
We created this course to be accessible for those who have never studied herbalism before, AND for those who have been studying on their own for a while but maybe never had the structure or breadth of a formal course.
“This course is information packed. It’s an introduction, but it’s not basic - good for beginners but also good for people who might have a little bit more knowledge. LeAnn and Susan just know so much, and they'll tell you everything they know. It was a very well balanced course.”
-Elena N.
Meet Your Course Instructors
Leann Averell
LeAnn is a clinical herbalist and educator with nearly 20 years of experience studying and practicing plant medicine. Her teaching centers on sharing accessible herbal knowledge that empowers people to care for their health. Rooted in vitalism, she emphasizes individualized care and nourishing the body’s innate capacity for balance and healing, rather than relying on heroic models that seek cure-alls through forceful or symptom-suppressing interventions. Her classes invite students to slow down, observe deeply, and build meaningful relationships with the ecosystems they find themselves in.
LeAnn has studied with many respected herbalists over the years, including Rosemary Gladstar, 7Song, David Winston, Thomas Easley, and many more. Above all, she considers the natural world, and the people she works alongside, to be her greatest teachers.
Susan Marynowski
Susan has an avid mind and is always interested in learning something new and teaching others. She has studied and practiced herbal medicine since the early 1990s, and she holds a certificate from Dr. Tieraona LowDog’s “Foundations in Herbal Medicine” program, as well as advanced training in cancer therapeutics, metabolic syndrome, herbal botany, herbal first aid, and functional blood chemistry analysis.
Susan regularly leads “wild weed walks” to examine edible and medicinal weeds, as well as teaching in more formal settings at the UF Integrative Medicine Program, the Florida School of Traditional Midwifery, the Academy for Five Element Acupuncture, the Florida Herbal Conference, and other venues.
How to Enroll Now in the Self-Paced course:
Click on the Enroll Now button below
You’ll be taken to the checkout page where you’ll sign up for the course
Check your inbox for an email confirmation with login details
Login to your student dashboard, click on Beginners Herbal Program, and learn at your own pace!
Check Out More Experiences From our Past Students
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"This class propelled me on a life-long path toward remembrance. LeAnn and Susan debunk hierarchies, reminding us that humans are not superior to the natural world and the importance of remaining cognizant of systems of oppression."
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"I am so grateful I committed to learning from LeAnn and Susan. They offered a very grounded, practical, action-oriented, and socially informed way of working with herbs. I now feel much more equipped to craft medicine, to offer guidance to others; and after taking this course, I feel much more confident simply considering myself an herbalist."
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![Illustration of a plant with five elongated leaves]()
"This course was a journey! I've learned so much about myself, the plants, and my community. I love that I gained skills and could immediately apply the knowledge. It was a practical and thorough curriculum."
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![A line drawing of a passionflower with large leaves, a long stem, and curly vine.]()
"Suddenly I have such a meaningful, wholesome, earth honoring, and safe way to help the ones I love. It was a dream to share 3 months with Leann and Susan. They are the mentors I had been searching for, for a long time."
FAQs
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No. Unlike our live courses in the past, this self-paced program does not include assignments or formal assessment, so a certificate is not offered. It’s also important to know that herbalism in the United States is a community-based and traditional practice, not a state-licensed profession, so certification is not required to work with herbs. We explore this more in the course.
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A huge part of the course is experiencing and interacting with the herbs covered in the course. If you live locally in Gainesville, FL you can buy your herbs and some supplies from us at A Thousand Leaves herb shop. If you live elsewhere, we encourage you to support your local herb shop! If you need help finding one, you can let us know where you live and we will help you find the best resource in your area.
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You’ll need access to high-speed internet to watch the videos included in each lesson and a computer or tablet (we do not recommend using a phone to access the material).
You’ll also want to get a minimal amount of supplies, herbs, and materials if you plan on creating your own herbal preparations (which we highly suggest you do!)
We offer handouts with suggested resources and supplies in the course.
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1 year: We have found that giving a time limit encourages and motivates our students to complete the course and implement what they have learned. We believe this amount of access is reflected in the cost of the program.
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The pre-recorded part of this program is about 20 hours, but you may want to re-watch certain videos and/or take notes throughout. You will also need time to do your own research on the herbs covered in each section as well as experimenting and creating your own herbal preparations.
In the past, our live version of this course, we covered one lesson each week. You may want to adopt the same practice for yourself to allow ample time to learn and absorb the material. You could also stretch out this timeline depending on your own schedule.
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Yes! This course is very accessible to beginners. We like to call it “beginners plus” because there is so much included plus some clinical information not found in all beginner herbal courses. As a beginner, this self-paced course is perfect because you can re-watch any material and really absorb it!
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Yes! Our students who have studied herbs on their own have found this program helpful in the continuation of their herbal studies, and many of them have expressed that it helped discipline them in their practice.
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At this time, we do not offer payment plans.
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As this is a pre-recorded online course with all materials delivered upon purchase, we can not offer refunds.
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This is a self paced course. Self paced learning is a style of instruction in which learners progress through the material at their own speed and on their own schedule. In contrast to traditional classroom-based learning, self paced learning is directed by the learner, not the instructor. There isn't homework or assignments graded, simply suggested ways to engage with the material. An advantage of self-paced learning is that it provides flexible learning options for participants with tight schedules by removing the pressure of deadlines.
We do have Q&A from past recordings on your videos at the end of each lesson, and sometimes we offer live Q&A’s as our schedules allow for it.
What we do have that is unique is our community space that you get for free when you sign up. This is sort of like a Facebook group, but it is not on Facebook! This is a space for you to ask questions, and engage with your fellow students on the material you are learning about in the program.
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As of now, we are unsure if we will offer a live course in 2026, but if we do we will be announcing it here!