June 8 - 11th, 2018
Slocan, BC
KHC 2016 Workshop Descriptions
DOWNLOAD the workshop schedule HERE.
Pat Crocker
Plant Wisdom: Being Well
Are we listening? Are we paying attention to the heady aroma that enters our nose and goes straight to our heart? Are we hearing the centuries-old song bourn on summer breezes, sometimes whispering, sometimes shouting, but always with the same messages: 'I can help' and ‘I can delight’. In this talk Pat wants to remind you of your innate knowledge of the Wisdom of Nature. Slip through the green arbor and let her take you back to the concepts behind Eden, Paradise, GAIA and Plant Healing.
The Power Of The Black
While green is often hailed as the eco-health standard, now food research is revealing that dark-colored herbs, fruits, and vegetables are nutritional powerhouses due to the intense doses of antioxidant anthocyanins they contain. Pat shines a light on the dark side of nature and comes up with interesting black edibles for garden beds and borders, as well as the kitchen and the medicine cabinet. In in her talk Pat will looks at the nutritional benefits of eating black, blue, crimson, and purple herbs, fruits and vegetables. She identifies black varieties of interesting edibles that can be woven into gardens as ornamentals, medicinals and as food. Pat will also prepare her Little Black Salad so that participants can taste the power of black.
Culinary Herbalist Pat Crocker is the bestselling author of 18 cookbooks including the Kitchen Herbal, Healing Herbs Cookbook and The Juicing Bible. Her books have sold over 1.25 million copies and have been translated into 8 languages. Pat has been honoured twice by the International Herb Association’s Professional Award for outstanding contributions to the Herb Industry. She is past president of the Ontario Herbalists Association and actively participates in the Herb Society of America and the International Her Association. To learn more about Pat visit her webpage at http://www.patcrocker.com/
Bev Maya
Sweet Surrender: unlocking the keys to insulin balance & hormone health
It has been said that, when a woman eats chocolate, it stimulates the production of the same brain chemicals as being “in love”. Perhaps we are all “craving” to be loved more, causing us to eat more sugar. The pancreas is the gland that secretes insulin, whose role is to help manage blood sugar. Dietary choices, stress, and estrogen balance can contribute to changes in insulin balance. In the presentation, “ Sweet Surrender: unlocking the keys to insulin balance & hormone health”, Bev will explain the connection between stress and insulin imbalance and provides tangible natural solutions to maintaining healthy insulin balance.
Beyond Counting Sheep: Botanical Pearls for a good night’s sleep
Did you know that the nervous system, immune system and the endocrine system are really one big network? That’s why there are so many interconnecting factors involved in getting a good night’s sleep. Join Bev as she delves into the pieces of the puzzles that are critical for achieving consistent deep and restful sleep.
Dr. Marisa Marciano ND
Culinary Herbal Medicine
Culinary Herbal Medicine is an emerging topic that has been growing in the herbal community over the last few years and in this workshop Dr. Marisa will explore cooking with herbs and understanding ways of applying herbal therapeutics creatively through food and drink. It will emphasize the culinary applications of herbal medicine in the kitchen (both modern & traditional) and how we can include herbal medicine making directly into everyday life through increasing the medicinal applications for foods and beverages that we are creating in the kitchen.
Herbal Pharmacy & Plant Based Medicine Making Intensive – (see herbal intensive page for description)
Dr. Marisa Marciano is a licensed ND in private practice at Evoke Integrative Medicine in downtown Vancouver BC where she focuses on the use of custom herbal formulations alongside dietary & lifestyle counselling to achieve meaningful results for her patients. Also an academic & clinical faculty member at BINM, Dr. Marciano is a passionate educator for the power of plant medicine and is creator of the popular online resource ‘TheNaturopathicHerbalist.com’, which integrates traditional herbal wisdom with contemporary medical research, and empowers others to achieve health by reconnecting with ancient & effective “ecological healing” techniques that are inherently in tune with Nature. To learn more about Dr. Marisa visit http://thenaturopathicherbalist.com/
Dr. Kim Masuch ND
Sprouting Your Kids: Let food be thy medicine
Join in the discussion about everyday diet for children, focusing on creating health through everyday foods and herbs. In this workshop Dr. Kim will cover how we can be proactive and preventive about health by adding certain herbs into our meals every day, rather than reactive and only treating the issues as they arise. In this session participants will learn about healthy diet choices, supportive herbs as foods, and even ways to support healthy immune systems based on a healthy flora of bacteria in the digestive tract.
Dr. Kim Masuch ND is a naturopathic physician trained at the Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine, and has a special interest in women and children’s health. Dr. Kim moved her practice from the Vancouver area to the Kootenays several years ago and now enjoys a thriving practice in Creston BC. She is a passionate supporter of people’s ability to reclaim their health and herbs are one of the tools she uses to help them reach that goal. To learn more about her visit http://organichealthclinic.com/
Marion Mazzocchi
Vibrational Essences: Healers of Body, Soul and Spirit
Vibrational essences are the energies of flowers, gems and other forms of nature infused in water and preserved in brandy. They have been used for healing for centuries, though it wasn't until the 1930's that these energies were rediscovered and used by English physician Dr. Bach. Vibrational essences work on the emotional, mental and spiritual level of our being. Come and find out more about essences and how they may assist you in restoring balance and harmony in your life.
Marion Mazzocchi has been making and working with vibrational essences for almost 20 years. She has trained with several essence "gurus" such as Steve Johnson (Alaskan Flower Essences), Sabina Pettitt (Pacific Essences), and Ian White (Australian Bush Essences) as well as with the Flower Essence Society in the US. Marion is also a Registered Craniosacral Therapist and Reiki Master and combines these therapies for powerful, gentle healing for her clients. To find out more about Marion visit http://www.elementalenergies.ca/
Sarah Orlowski
Herb Growing in a Permaculture Garden
This workshop will focus on growing herbs using methods suited to a permaculture garden. Many herbs have multiple functions and therefore are well suited to the principles of permaculture. Learn how to grow herbs successfully, while at the same time strategically working them into the design and function of one's sustainable garden.
Wild Herb Walk
This wild plant walk will cover plants, trees and shrubs of the Kootenay region. Topics to be covered include proper identification, Latin names, common names, identifying features, related plant family members, edibility, historic and contemporary medicinal uses, various technological uses and fun stories.
Panel Discussions:
A Day in the Life of an Herbalist
Join in the lively discussion as our panel of seasoned herbalists share the joys and challenges of being an herbal practitioner; the differences experienced by rural and urban herbalists; and the direction that they see herbalism going in the future. Speakers
Bev Maya, James Christian, Colleen Emery and Evelyn Coggins.
Colleen Emery
Medicinal Ferments
Fermented foods have long been documented & utilized for their health benefits including supporting and nourishing the human microbiome. A balanced microbiome regulates the immune system, metabolism, sustains the gastrointestinal tract, supports mood and brain function and produces crucial vitamins and nutrients. Combining the ancient art of herbal medicine making with traditional fermentation practices yields innovative and outstanding results. Join Colleen as details the benefits of fermented foods and medicine while demonstrating several fermenting techniques that combine well with various herbs and herbal formulas. Samples will be provided.
Colleen is a Master Herbalist and Clinical Aromatherapist is the founder of Emery Herbals Dispensary, Healing Suites and Teaching Centre in the heart of a Winlaw, British Columbia. Involved in the Healing Arts for over twenty years, Colleen brings a diverse toolbox of skills that have been honed through formal education, apprenticeship, clinical experience and connection to generational folk arts. Educated and experienced in both Eastern and Western focused Herbalism, Colleen specializes in Family Wellness providing affordable care for all ages. Colleen offers a dynamic array of workshops and programming for both adults and children including an Apprenticeship program and the ever popular Children's weekly Herb Club. Passionate about providing open access for wellness support, Colleen co-founded the Kootenay Wholistic Fair which funds free, holistic clinics hosted throughout the Kootenay region. Colleen also sits on the West Kootenay Permaculture Cooperative Association's Board of Directors as Education Coordinator facilitating the Homesteading 101 skill building workshops in the region. To learn more about Colleen visit http://www.emeryherbals.com/
James Christian
Chamomile through the Ages
Through the lens of the Chamomile plant, we will look back through the ages and discuss the plant-person interactions that have occurred as humans have tried to catalogue and classify their experiences with the medicinal plants around them. In this journey, that will begin by exploring when plants began to grow on this planet, we will explore key historical figures and examine the doctrines that governed plant use through various civilizations. We will weave in tradition, folklore, scientific exploration and personal experiences with this plant to paint a deeper picture of the intricate and interwoven lives of plants and people.
James Christian is a Medical Herbalist, having studied with the College of Phytotherapy in the UK and achieving a B.Sc. in Herbal Medicine and is currently completing his third and final year of a M.Sc. program at the University of Central Lancashire studying Herbal Medicine with a specialty in Herbal Education. He maintains professional membership in the College of Practitioners of Phytotherapy (CPP) in the UK and is a previous member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (NIMH). James is the past-President of the Modern and Traditional Herbalists Guild of BC and past Board Member of the Canadian Council of Herbalists Associations (CCHA). Currently he is the Director & Dean of School of Western Herbal Medicine at Pacific Rim College. James is very passionate about nature and the environment. He travels to various parts of the world to study their use of indigenous medicines. Aside from working with medicinal plants in South Korea, James has spent time in Peru, Nicaragua and Costa Rica studying their local use of plants as medicines. James is also passionate about growing plants and currently has over 50 different varieties of medicinal plants in his yard which he uses to make his own medicines. https://www.pacificrimcollege.com/
Evelyn Coggins
Herbal therapy in 2016: The intersection of traditional herbal knowledge and Western science
Does the traditional use of plant medicine and the Western scientific model have to be mutually exclusive? In this workshop Evelyn will discuss some the ways in which cultural differences, the misuse of language and the exclusion of traditional plant knowledge from the scientific process have interfered with the efficacy and safety of herbal treatments. Workshop attendees will leave with insight into these confounding factors and their implications for modern herbal practice and the wider issues of climate change and environmental health. (Participants planning to attend this workshop might wish to read the following book to augment this talk The Once and Future World by J.B. Mackinnon 2014 ISBN 978-0-3070-036219 – 3)
Evelyn owns and operates a clinical practice in Pemberton BC, serving clients primarily in the Sea to Sky corridor. Passionate about the health of the planet, Evelyn also offers herb walks in BC’s Coast Mountain Range either on horseback or on foot. She is a graduate and faculty member of Dominion Herbal College and holds a Masters of Health Science degree in botanical medicine from the University of New England NSW. This training enables her to incorporate current evidence-based herbal protocols into her traditional practice. Evelyn lectures at Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine where she is an adjunct faculty member of the Botanical Medicine Faculty. Visit Evelyn’s we page a http://www.herbsforhealth.ca/Herbs_For_Health/Welcome.html
Jazz Mattu
Botanical Business Bootcamp(WARNING: This boot camp will seriously affect the health … of your clinical practice!)
Almost graduating? Just starting up your clinic? Want to ramp up your clinical practice? This is fast paced, information packed boot camp will give the goods … not the hype or theories but the simple, real, practical information, tips and strategies to create a road map to a successful clinical practice. From simple startups strategies to real advanced techniques to help you take your practice to the next level is what you’ll get! This seminar is on the fast track and not for the faint hearted but anyone regardless of their experience can benefit from it. Presented by an herbal practitioner with over 25 years’ experience in trenches who has walked the walk and will share the tools, skills and tips from a real life experience. Join us and accelerate your practice!
Managing Men’s Health Issues - the Way Mother Nature Intended!
In this informative seminar Medical Herbalist Jazz Mattu, will share with participants his experience of helping men over the past 25 years to deal with some key issues associated with Andropause, BPH, Prostate Cancer and Erectile Dysfunction. This is a chance learn for yourself or others the information needed to help men take back charge of their body!
Jazz Mattu is a practicing Medical Herbal Practitioner, Independent Sales Rep & Broker, Live Blood Cell Analyst, Bodywork Therapist, Lecturer/Educator and a Natural Product Formulator. He is the founder of Elixir Herbal Healthcare and Health Yourself to Wellness Brokerage. He is amongst the leaders in natural medicine education and has lectured at Wild Rose College of Natural Healing, West Coast College of Massage Therapy, Coastal Mountain College of Natural Healing Arts and at the Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine. He has also lectured at Dominion Herbal College in Clinical Pathology, Differential Diagnosis, Clinical Diagnosis and Phyto-Pharmacology. Jazz also works as the Clinic director where he supervises the student training clinics. Jazz is the Past President and a current Peer Review Examination Board Director on the board of the Canadian Herbalist’s Association of British Columbia, a Registered Clinical Herbal Therapist of B.C., Past President of the British Columbia Holistic Healing Association and a member of the Dominion Herbal College Advisory Board. He is a long standing professional member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (U.K). It is his believe that optimal health is a balanced integration of mind, body and spirit and those human beings have the innate power to heal themselves and to assist in the healing of others. To learn more about Jazz visit http://www.chaofbc.ca/business-directory/6094/mattu-jazz-mnimh-clbca-rht/
Michelle Cubin
Beating the Bugs with Essential Oils
Essential oils have more than just “a nice smell”. They are potent tools to help eliminate viruses and kill bacteria. In this workshop Michelle will share with you some of the best antiviral and antibacterial essential oils and how they can be safely and effectively used to keep you happy and healthy.
Michelle Cubin is the owner of Healing Hollow aromatherapy products. She started blending and researching essential oils in 2005 and now in 2016 you can find her company’s the blends in 60 retailers across Canada and the USA as well as two Healing Hollow locations. Visit http://healinghollow.com/
Keith Davis
Herb Walks
During the weekend Keith will be conducting several herb walks throughout the area surrounding the conference location. He will be focusing on plant identification and the different types of plants found in the diverse microenvironments of the region.
Harvesting Herbs in the Wild Intensive Day (see herbal intensive page for description)
Keith is a trained ecologist, wildcrafter, herbalist and author of several books on plant identification and the medicinal uses of plants. For the past 20 years he has shared his knowledge of plants in the wild with people throughout the Kootenay region, offering plant identification walks and presentations.
Gudrun Penselin
Herbal Pharmacy for Everyone - (with Paula Skalnik)
This workshop provides a practical, hands-on opportunity to learn about creating your own herbal preparations. The primary focus will be the creation of infused oils and using them for salve making. Time permitting we will add other herbal preparations such as cold infusions. In addition we will be covering basic, underlying principles for effective medicine making such as factors that influence/determine the quality of the final creation.
Earth Wisdom - Communicating with Plant Spirit
Every tree, every plant has a spirit unique to it. When we are humble and treat the plant world with sincere gratitude and respect, recognizing that we are only a strand in the web of life, each one of us has the ability to learn to hear their "voices" and receive their messages. Plants act as bridges in the universe, they are like conductors with their roots anchored and grounded in the soil while at the same time reaching to the sky. In this workshop you will learn through guided exercises how to connect to plant spirit and how to receive guidance and teachings from the wonderful world of Mother Earth. NOTE: This workshop requires the active participation of all students.
Gudrun has over 30 years of experience as a practitioner and teacher in complementary health. In her practice in northern Alberta she integrates herbal medicine, reflexology, Bach Flowers, iridology, sclerology, light and colour therapist and energy work. She has presented workshops and lectures all over North America and has become a featured guest on international radio shows. She is the creator of Bach Flowers Unfolding, an innovative publication on the Bach Flower Remedies and the instructional DVD Herbal Pharmacy for Everyone, A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Your Own Herbal Preparations. “I look on the Earth as our Mother who provides for us with unconditional love regardless of the abuse by the human race. In my practice and teachings I re-awaken in people this awareness and the connection to the Earth, a prerequisite for the healing of the planet and humankind. Due to my own strong connection with the Earth people are able to experience the spirit of plants and how the plants can serve us as teachers, guides and friends." To find out more about Gudrun visit http://rainbowhealing.ca/gudrun/
Krista Dawn Poulton
Menstrual Cycle Charting and Herbal Medicine
This workshop will be focused on addressing common reproductive challenges such as painful periods, acne, emotional changes throughout the menstrual cycle, also including reproductive pathologies such as dysmenorrhea, PCOS, fibroids and endometriosis. Additionally, she will discuss how herbs can assist a women transitioning off hormonal contraceptives and fertility/post-pill cleanses. Throughout the workshop she will be referencing cycle charting (basal body temperature, cervical changes and cervical mucous), as tool for patients and practitioners to assess reproductive pathologies and manage these conditions.
Krista Dawn Poulton BKin, Dip. Phyt. (RHT) is a graduate of Pacific Rim College and is in private practice in Victoria, B.C. She lectures at Pacific Rim College in the School of Western Herbal Medicine and offers workshops to the community on reproductive health. The focus of her practice is on reproductive health and family care. She is passionate about women’s health, particularly with reproductive empowerment. Her mission with her practice is to teach women to love and adore their bodies, address societal norms of body awareness and educate ways to shift reproductive issues with the use of herbs, diet and supplements. She also offers a variety of workshops in women’s health including the three part workshop series titled Moon Goddess: Women’s Knowledge of Menstruation and Ovulation. For more information about Krista visit http://www.kristadawnpoulton.com/