Herbal Education Course

Learn Herbalism. Build Practical Skills. Carry the Knowledge Forward.

A 10-month, instructor-led herbal education program designed to give participants a strong foundation in herbalism, plant medicine, herbal preparations, food-as-medicine and everyday wellness practices.

Through monthly virtual classes, hands-on learning, guided practice, community connection and an optional in-person learning experience, students move from “I’m curious about herbs” to confidently understanding how to work with plants in meaningful, practical ways.

Now enrolling for the 2027 Herbal Education Course.

Individuals: Enroll in the full course or choose individual classes. Payment plans are available.

Organizations & Funders: Sponsor a seat and help make herbal education accessible to the people and communities you serve.

What Students Will Learn…

This course is designed to build foundational knowledge, practical skills, and confidence in working with herbs and plant-based wellness practices.

By the end of the program, students will have opportunities to:

  • Understand Herbalism

Explore the foundations of herbalism, plant medicine, herbal actions, safety considerations and responsible use of herbs.

  • Make Herbal Preparations

Learn foundational techniques for preparing teas, infusions, tinctures, syrups, salves, oils, and other herbal preparations.

  • Develop an Herbal Practice

Build an intentional home apothecary and develop practical systems for sourcing, storing, documenting and working with herbs.

  • Explore Food as Medicine

Learn ways herbs and botanicals can be incorporated into everyday cooking and nutrition practices.

  • Apply Herbal Knowledge to Everyday Wellness

Explore herbal approaches related to digestive health, immune support, nervous system wellness, women's health, topical care and other common wellness concerns.

  • Build a Portfolio of Learning

Document herbal studies, preparations, observations, and practical experiences as part of an Herbalist Portfolio and Herbal Lab.

  • Learn Within Community

Develop relationships with fellow students, participate in peer learning, and become part of a community interested in carrying herbal knowledge forward.

  • Explore What's Possible With Herbalism

Discover ways herbalism can intersect with personal wellness, community education, food systems, entrepreneurship, caregiving, cultural knowledge and future professional development.

Herbal Education Rooted in Real-World Wellness

Royally Fit approaches herbal education through a broader wellness lens.

Our work sits at the intersection of herbalism, nutrition, food-as-medicine, community wellness, education and practical everyday living.

Students aren't simply given a list of herbs to memorize.

We want students to understand how herbal knowledge can connect with the way people actually live, what they eat, how they care for themselves and their families, how they interact with plants and how knowledge is shared within communities.

With more than 15 years of combined holistic health and herbalism experience, the Royally Fit team brings practical experience, teaching experience, community health knowledge and a commitment to making wellness education accessible and relevant.

Our approach is:

Practical — Learn by doing, not simply by memorizing.

Accessible — Complex concepts are broken down into understandable, usable lessons.

Community-centered — Learning happens alongside other people who are exploring herbalism.

Food-connected — Herbalism is explored alongside nutrition and food-as-medicine.

Culturally aware — Students are encouraged to consider the traditions, histories and communities connected to plant knowledge.

Responsible — Herbal education includes appropriate discussion of safety, preparation, responsible use and the limits of herbal practice.

More Than a Monthly Class

Full-course students receive a structured learning experience designed to extend beyond the live classroom.

Your Learning Experience Includes:

10 Months of Instruction

Live monthly classes led by Royally Fit's herbal education team.

Digital Course Resources
Access to course materials, educational resources and a structured learning environment through Google Classroom.

Herbalism Workbook
A companion resource to support learning, reflection, note-taking, and practical application.

Herbal Lab
Opportunities to document and explore hands-on herbal learning and preparation.

Herbalist Portfolio
Begin building a record of your herbal education, experiences, preparations and growing knowledge.

Royally Rooted Apothecary Kit
A curated collection of materials to help bring your learning beyond the classroom.

Community Learning
Connect with fellow students through peer learning, discussion, and shared experiences.

Orientation & Student Welcome
Begin your journey with an introduction to the course, expectations, learning community and what to expect throughout the program.

Optional In-Person Learning Experience
Students who meet the requirements may participate in Royally Fit's hands-on in-person herbal learning experience in Pittsburgh.

Help Someone Learn the Language of Plant Medicine

For many people, herbal education is deeply appealing but the cost of training can place it out of reach.

Royally Fit is inviting organizations, foundations, healthcare organizations, employers, community partners, and individual supporters to sponsor seats in the Herbal Education Course.

Your sponsorship can help someone gain practical knowledge in herbalism while building their confidence, expanding their wellness toolkit and connecting them with a community of learners and practitioners.

What Does a Sponsored Seat Provide?

A sponsored full-course seat can provide a participant with access to:

  • 10 months of instructor-led herbal education

  • Monthly live virtual classes

  • Herbalism foundations and plant identification concepts

  • Herbal preparation and medicine-making education

  • Hands-on learning and practical application

  • Herbal approaches to everyday wellness

  • Food-as-medicine education

  • Herbal support for areas such as digestive, immune, nervous system and women's health

  • Course resources and educational materials

  • Community learning and peer connection

  • An herbalist portfolio and herbal laboratory experience

  • A certificate of completion

  • The opportunity to participate in Royally Fit's in-person learning experience

Your Organization Can Help Make the Difference

Organizations can sponsor one participant, a small cohort or an entire group of seats.

We welcome conversations about sponsorship models that align with your organization's mission, including workforce development, community wellness, maternal and family health, culturally responsive education, employee wellness, community health worker development and access to holistic health education.

Interested in sponsoring students?

Start The Conversation Today!

The Curriculum

A 10-Month Journey Into Herbalism

Each month builds upon the previous one, moving students from foundational herbal knowledge into practical applications, preparation methods and deeper exploration of specific areas of wellness.

Module 1 — Introduction to Herbal Healing
Build a foundation in herbalism, plant medicine, terminology, herbal traditions, responsible use and what it means to begin an herbal practice.

Module 2 — Medicinal Preparations & Herbal Actions
Learn how herbs are prepared and explore foundational concepts related to herbal actions and formulation.

Module 3 — Teas & Infusions
Learn the foundations of making herbal teas and infusions and explore how different preparation methods affect the finished preparation.

Module 4 — Tinctures
Explore tincture-making, extraction methods, formulation considerations and responsible use.

Module 5 — Nervous System Support
Explore herbs and wellness practices traditionally used to support relaxation, stress management, sleep and nervous system wellness.

Module 6 — Immune Support & Preventative Wellness
Explore herbs, nutrition, lifestyle practices, and foundational approaches to supporting everyday immune wellness.

Module 7 — Women's Health
Explore herbalism through a women's wellness lens including traditional uses of herbs and considerations for different stages of life.

Module 8 — Gut Health
Explore digestion, the gut ecosystem, food-as-medicine and herbs traditionally associated with digestive wellness.

Module 9 — Herbal Kitchen Concoctions
Bring herbalism into the kitchen through culinary preparations, infused foods, beverages and practical food-as-medicine applications.

Module 10 — Topical Herbalism
Learn about topical preparations and explore how herbs can be incorporated into salves, oils, balms, baths and other self-care practices.

Classes are held virtually from 6-7:30pm

Beyond the Curriculum

Students also explore:

  • Herbal safety and responsible use

  • Plant identification and observation

  • Building a home apothecary

  • Herbal sourcing and storage

  • Documentation and herbal record keeping

  • Herbal formulation

  • Food and herbs

  • Cultural and traditional plant knowledge

  • Community applications of herbalism

  • What Can I Do With Herbalism?

Royally Fit's Herbal Education Course is an educational program designed to introduce students to herbalism, plant-based wellness, traditional herbal practices, preparation methods and responsible use.

The course does not provide medical, nursing, naturopathic, pharmaceutical or other licensed healthcare training. Course content is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease or to replace individualized medical care.

Students are encouraged to work within the scope of their training and seek appropriate guidance from qualified healthcare professionals when needed.

Learning Packages:

  • Bite Size - Single Class

    Join us for a single class to get the feel and see if our teaching style matches how you’d like to learn

  • Cherry Picking - Choose 5 Classes

    Join us for 5 of the classes that you are most interested in. Simply review the list of classes, noting the ones you’d like to participate in.

  • Basket Full - Full 10-Month Course

    Join us for the entire course, filling your basket full of useful herbalism knowledge, tools and gems that have been acquired over 15+ years of practice

  • Sponsor a Seat — Organization-Funded Enrollment

    Organizations may sponsor:

    • Individual Seats — provide one participant with access to the full course

    • Community Cohorts — sponsor multiple participants connected to your organization or community

    • Learning Experiences — support hands-on learning, educational materials or the in-person retreat

    • Program Sponsorship — discuss a larger partnership designed around your organization's goals

  • In-Person Learning Retreat

    Meet us in Pittsburgh, Pa for a 4-day, hands-on Learning Retreat, where we will practice the skills we’ve acquired together, share additional medicine making tips and recipes, learn about biodiverse medicinal plants and explore ways to utilize them.

Enroll in Herbalism Course Today!

Meet the Instructor

Aquene Watkins-Wise

Nutritionist • Herbalist • Wellness Practitioner • Educator • Community Health Advocate

Aquene Watkins-Wise is the co-owner and Chief Advocating Officer of Royally Fit, a wellness organization working at the intersection of nutrition, herbalism, food access, community health and holistic wellness.

Her professional background spans nutrition education, herbalism, wellness programming, community health advocacy, lactation education, teaching and public policy.

Aquene has spent years developing and facilitating educational experiences that help people build practical knowledge they can use in their everyday lives. Through Royally Fit, she has facilitated more than 100 nutrition and cooking demonstrations and developed community-based programming connecting food, wellness, agriculture and health.

Her approach to herbal education is rooted in practical application, community learning, food-as-medicine and respect for the cultural knowledge and traditions that have shaped plant-based wellness across generations.

Her goal is simply to help students move from being curious about herbs to becoming confident, thoughtful and responsible students of herbalism.

Learn With Aquene!

Help Us Expand Access to Herbal Education

We believe knowledge should not be limited by a person's ability to pay.

Through sponsorship, organizations can help more people access structured herbal education while supporting the development of practical wellness knowledge that can travel far beyond the classroom.

Whether your organization is interested in sponsoring one student, supporting a cohort, funding educational materials or exploring a larger partnership, we'd love to start the conversation.

Let's make herbal education more accessible together!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • No. The course is designed to welcome beginners while providing opportunities for students with existing herbal knowledge to deepen their practice.

  • The core course is delivered virtually through live monthly instruction. Students may also have the opportunity to participate in an optional hands-on in-person learning experience in Pittsburgh.

  • Yes. Students may register for individual classes or choose a package that better fits their learning goals.

  • Yes. The Basket Full package provides access to the complete 10-month Herbal Education Course and its associated full-course resources.

  • Yes. Payment plans are available for eligible purchases through Afterpay on the Royally Fit website.

  • Students who complete the full course requirements receive a certificate of completion from Royally Fit.

  • No. Royally Fit's Herbal Education Course is not an accredited. The American Herbalists Guild (AHG) does not accredit or approve herbal schools or training programs.

    Students who complete the course receive a Certificate of Completion from Royally Fit documenting their participation and educational experience.

    The education and study hours completed through this course may be documented as part of a student's broader herbal education when pursuing the educational requirements for application to the American Herbalists Guild's Registered Herbalist (RH) membership. AHG currently requires applicants to document a minimum of 800 hours of education in clinical herbalism, in addition to substantial clinical experience and other requirements.

    Completion of Royally Fit's course does not guarantee acceptance as an AHG Registered Herbalist. Applicants are responsible for documenting their education and meeting all current AHG requirements, which include educational, clinical, professional and application requirements.

  • Yes. Royally Fit welcomes organizations, foundations, employers, healthcare organizations, and community partners interested in sponsoring individual seats or cohorts.

  • Absolutely. We can work with organizations to develop a sponsorship arrangement for a small cohort or larger group of participants.

  • The course may be a good fit for wellness professionals, caregivers, parents, community members, educators, aspiring herbalists, food and nutrition enthusiasts, community health workers and anyone interested in developing a stronger foundation in herbalism.

  • No. Herbalism education and healthcare treatment are not the same. This course provides educational information about herbs and traditional plant-based wellness practices and does not replace individualized medical care.