What education do you have?

[Persephone]

In the field of herbalism, that is. What makes you feel qualified to be an herbalist? Are you completely self taught? Did you take an herbal course? Go to a natural medicine school? Do you feel that just any BA/BS makes you qualified, combined with self study? Any higher degrees? Just curious. :)
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Katrina
http://herbwifemama.wordpress.com/
Herbwife's Cottage-herbal teas and more for the childbearing year

[crabapple]

My education is all informal, from neighbors and my mother when I was growing up, and later from other herbalists and most especially the plants themselves.

When I was younger I looked at a bunch of different programs -- I thought I needed letters after my name to feel legitimate. But I didn't feel like any of the programs were really compatible with my approach. And I've come to feel more and more than herbalism shouldn't be co-opted by professionals.
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Rebecca Hartman
Crabapple Herbs: http://crabappleherbs.com/
The Herbwife's Kitchen: http://crabappleherbs.com/blog/

[Henriette]

I started knee-high with me grandma, and after I got old enough, looked around for herbal courses - but they were all either very boring ("this is thyme. It's good for the stomach") or very boring and very expensive.

So I went to the SWSBM. Very very good, that was.

I've been doing nothing but herbs, since I got back from there.

And my MSc is in economics ... not even remotely related to plants. Eh.
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http://www.henriettesherbal.com - Henriette, herbalist, Helsinki

[cory su]

I have a B.S. in Cell & Molecular Biology & Zoology. I also studied in a Chinese medicine graduate program full time for over 2 years. I am also self taught & peer-taught. Generally speaking I think it is fine for everyone who works with herbs and has a love of herbs and their study to call themselves herbalists.
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http://aquarianbath.blogspot.com

[jim mcdonald]

[Persephone]

[Yarrowmoon]

in answer to the original question... over here in the UK if you want to be a practicing herbalist, you have to be university qualified (this will become law in the very near future if it isnt already) so I'm doing a degree course in herbalism. its certainly built up my knowledge base although frankly I think I will have been practicing 20 years and still feel like i have only dipped my toe in the water where knowledge is concerned. letters isnt everything - its the experience that matters IMHO :)
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...can often be found grubbing around in the hedgerows, wearing an odd hat of elderflowers...

www.hearthcraft.co.uk

[persimmon]

I have a B.S. in Biology and a Pharm.D (i.e. professional doctorate of pharmacy, in contrast to an academic doctorate/PhD).

None of this qualifies me in the slightest as an herbalist, but people do take me pretty seriously about supplement/drug interactions. As I work at a compounding/natural products outfit, having even the smattering of herbal knowledge I do seems to make people a lot more comfortable talking to me. The other day a lady prefaced her actual question with "Do you know Susun Weed's books?"

Aha, I said. You are in luck.

p

[GrannySam]

I was self-taught for about eight years, and attended herbal conferences as much as I could, then completed a correspondence course under Susun Weed.

Last year I attended the Appalachia School of Holistic Herbalism, taking the Traditionals course, and I have to say that filled in a LOT of blank spaces for me, as well as bonding with other local and not quite so local herbal types.

I dropped out of college in the mid-70's. Hindsight being what it is I wish I'd changed my major to biology or botany and stuck it out.

Blessings,
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Granny Sam
Traditional Appalachian Herbalist
www.grannysams.com
www.grannysams.blogspot.com

"We do not stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing."