Testimonials
"Attending The Acorn School of Herbal Medicine has been a wonderful life changing experience. I have learned more about herbalism, vitalism and nutrition in the past two years than I ever imagined possible. I have also learned about myself and the type of practitioner I want to be in this world. Heather and Paul are amazing teachers and offer a comprehensive well rounded education, I feel so fortunate to get to come to class and learn from them each week!" - C.K.
"The Acorn School of Herbal Medicine has changed my life for the better. Heather leads by example, and speaks from embodied wisdom based on years of devotion to her medicinal garden of plants and her clients and students. Every minute of her expertise and guidance is gold.
Since I attended the Footprints in Medical Herbalism Program, I have become a better listener to my body by developing and practicing my skills in "courting" herbs. In class, we learn how to listen as we discover herbal allies for the organs and tissues of my body that I no longer take for granted.
I have also become a better listener of nature around me. I observe, recognize, and learn more about plants around me and in my continued studies; I am no longer taking them for granted either.
The 9 month live online course on Vitalist Herbalism was extremely well organized and prepared me for success. The exercises, projects and assignments kept me focused, while the weekly peer learning circles allowed me to connect with other learners and appreciate how herbs can affect us in different ways.
Herbal "care packages" for each well thought out course section contained everything we needed to make syrups and tinctures and pastilles and more. We not only got to follow Heather step by step in our kitchens, asking questions along the way, but we also had plenty more "raw material" to continue practicing making herbal preparations beyond class.
For those who can get there, Heather offers herb walks and daylongs at the garden which are so fun and fulfilling, as it too is a great blend of content, peer learning, and medicine making.
Heather and her team at the Acorn School of Herbal Medicine, along the guidance of fount of knowledge founder of the North American Institute of Medical Herbalism, made this learning experience enjoyable, immensely worthwhile and deeply enriching." - C.M.
"ACORN School of Herbal Medicine is an outstanding school. I have been a student for 2 years. As I get close to graduating I am compelled to share my experience. Heather, the school owner and instructor is beyond knowledgeable. I feel I have made the best choice for a Clinical Herbalist program. There is a great deal of support as you move through the curriculum. You leave each year with the entire program at your disposal to return too at any time. This school is not easy and it sets you up for a future of helping as many people as you are presented with. The format of community learning also helps to develop relationships with many other serious Herbalists as well as providing a kind of “think tank” atmosphere. I highly recommend ACORN as serious training for anyone wanting to learn how to care for themselves, their family and clients." - D.D.
"I was strongly guided to take the Advanced Herbalism course. Before discovering this school, I kept seeing acorns everywhere I went. Sure enough, it turned out to be the name of the school I attended! Acorn’s Advanced Herbalism program surpassed all of my expectations, and my own health improved immensely. Heather Luna, the school’s owner and director is knowledgeable beyond measure. Her years and dedication to running an herbal clinic and school truly sets her apart as a teacher and the school itself, as a top learning institution. Because of this course,. I now feel confident in assessing clients and in my own medicine making. Also, having the added benefit of learning from a Sage and master herbalist, Paul Bergner, was a huge blessing. Paul has been practicing and teaching herbalism since the 1980s. Years ago, he traveled to Scotland to visit an apothecary and was able to leave there with formulations from physiomedicalists remedies from the 1800s! This and so much other hidden herbal medicine is what makes this course thorough and well worth the cost. There is SO much information and magic packed into the course! If you are wanting to build your confidence as an herbalist, or take your own herbal practice to the next level, I couldn’t recommend any other herbal school higher than Acorn." - K.S.
"I am beyond excited with the programs offered. I was quite nervous with taking online classes as I’ve always preferred an in-person setting. Heather makes it easy and exciting to show up for each class. And the lectures from Paul are always so insightful, I feel like I can’t write down enough of what knowledge they share with us students. I’m excited to finish the whole program and be able to share the knowledge I’ll develop with friends, family and one day have a practice of my own. I highly recommend this program to anyone who is interested in herbalism, but more so to those who have a real desire to help change peoples lives." - R. M.
"As a student in the medicinal footprints program I cannot rave enough about how much I am learning that will benefit not only my future skill set as a practitioner but i will be able to help others with vitalist applications. This program is not just teaching herbal skills and nutrition but it is reconnecting me with my understanding of nature and its connection to my body, mind and spirit. I am very thankful and cannot recommend enough Heather as a teacher with such an incredible breadth of knowledge she is sharing with all of us future herbalists. If you are debating what program to take - this is it folks, it'll change your life:)" - K.F.
"The Advanced Herbalism course at Acorn Herb School has exceeded my expectations! From the comprehensive curriculum to the personalized guidance, every aspect of the program has been exceptional.
The depth of knowledge shared by Heather Luna is truly impressive, and learning from Paul Bergner has been life-changing. They provided a thorough understanding of advanced herbal concepts and encouraged critical thinking and application of the principles learned.
Moreover, the supportive community made the learning journey even more enriching. Interacting with fellow herbal enthusiasts and exchanging ideas added a dynamic dimension to the course.
I highly recommend the Advanced Herbalism course at Acorn Herb School to anyone passionate about deepening their understanding of herbal medicine. It's a transformative experience that equips you with the tools and knowledge to confidently navigate the world of herbalism in the vitalist tradition." - M.S.
"Acorn has been such a blessing for me. I was in a pinch and needed a school to continue my education. It has been so much more than just an herbal school for me. It has been more of a spiritual journey of healing and love. I am so grateful I found Acorn. The people who suggested the school were correct about it being such an enriching environment of growth." - C.C.
"Heather Luna and Paul Bergner are incredible teachers. Acorn is remote, but feels intimate due to weekly meetings and much student and teacher feedback. Working with clients at the Acorn Clinic while enrolled in their Clinical Residency and Roundtable program was an amazing learning experience. I’d 100% recommend." - S.R.
"This wonderful school has changed my world. After completing Acorn Footprints programme, I embarked on the Advanced Programme. I was so impressed by the teaching style, my amazing teacher - Heather, and of course Paul who share such wisdom I feel you can't get in any other course, it's more than just herbalism they teach, it is ways to help people change their life through all aspects. I cannot rate this school enough and I am so happy I picked this one to study with. With endless gratitude!" - J.N.
"Acorn offers one of the best trainings I have taken, I am about 1500hrs trained past university level (lots of trainings, I say this as a comparison, there are a lot of wishy washy training programs out there full of fluff, this one is NOT one of those) and Heather and Paul have a program that is beautifully put together, thorough and engaging. If you have any draw to study herbs Acorn is a program that brings you beyond knowing what an herb does. They offer you the knowledge and experience of how the body's energetic vital force not only works with herbs but how it in fact is the most important part of healing and how we use herbs to work with its innate strengths and physiology. If you want to become a clinical herbalist, not a hobbyist instagram herbalist but a real working with humans to help them discover the true health that rests within their body this training is superb to ready you for that!" - N.H.
"Learning from Heather and Paul was such a transformative experience. I grew closer to the earth and healed my relationship with my body. Acorn School truly changed my life and I am so grateful!!" - S.S.
"I signed up for the nine month course and it was much more than I expected. It altered my life. It was empowering I feel confident taking charge of my health and people I love. I learned about my body and now I'm able to treat an autoimmune disease I was not aware I had.
Heather's passion and care made the course a lot of fun while conveying a broad base of knowledge in depth. I loved it so much I decided to continue my education in alternative medicine and I enrolled in a naturopathic program." - I.K.
"I am currently a student in the Advanced Herbal Program at Acorn School of Herbal Medicine. I am so impressed with what I am learning here. It has had a significant impact on my physically, mental, and emotional well being for the better. I have NEVER felt better in my life and I'm am going on 60. I am witnessing profound changes in my fellow students health as well. I feel honored to work with Heather Luna and Paul Bergner. The knowledge and resources they have given us that we get to keep is outstanding! There are many herbal schools out there but this one is a clinical school, it is a very different school and I have done a few others herbal schools and apprenticeships. We get hands on clinical practice with real clients and get to work with many different clients with many different health issues. We have round table discussions with our teachers and fellow students so that we can work on real cases, and help guide and coach hundreds of clients to empower themselves to change their own health. Not many herbal schools can you work directly with real clients and not just read how to help a client from a book. Hands on practice with real clients is profound training. I have also used their free clinic and have ben working with a third year clinical herbalist. She has been such an incredible support and a wonderful coach to me. She has come up with herbal formulas, recipes, and flower essences to help many of my health issues I have been dealing with for many years. I see and FEEL so many improvements in my health! It is so inspiring and hopeful! This herbal school goes to the root of all health issues which is in healing our digestive system, using herbs to help clear our livers, feeding our body's the correct foods, nutrients and herbs that support our cells and give us vitality and energy. Food is medicine first and foremost and we are taught about how food intolerances can cause inflammation in the body and are the root of most health conditions and diseased states. We are taught and use specific herbs to heal different tissue states and learn different Vitalist practices so that we may bring up our own Vitality in our body's so that we may do and follow our passions to help ourselves, our family's, our communities, and to heal our planet. Oh the formulas!! We are given these beautiful herbal compounds not just single herbs to help heal different tissue states and conditions. Herbs work better synergistically in the body not by themselves. This is profound clinical knowledge. We learn how to use herbs in different ways, not just in a tincture form. There are many different ways to take herbs so that they also taste good and clients are compliant and can see and feel their health improving.
This school offers ancient wisdom and knowledge that has been handed down from thousands of herbalists and electric practitioners, and physicians going back to Egyptians times.
I feel so blessed and honored to have chosen this school and it has truly impacted my life and my health in such beneficial ways. I can not say enough about this school, and my teachers and what I am learning here. Vibrant Health and Blessings to all!" - M.G.
"Being exposed to the variance of people, outcomes, obstacles, and successes [in the Free Clinic] has shown me how our therapeutics are just a starting point for devising a personalized treatment plan. I learned how both you as the clinician, and your client, need to be flexible and open to adjustments and trial and error. With so much fluctuation and variability from client to client (and session to session), it is important to constantly be open to learning from your mistakes and from your client’s outcomes, and to accurately investigate the information presented. This ultimately makes us better clinicians."
"Working with a variety of clients over the [school year] helped me expand my formulation techniques. Really spending the time to adequately tailor a formula to the client, and to select the best form of a formula, improves client compliance and clinical outcome. I find I enjoy this creative process, as if each formula I devise is a unique, personalized, gift to that person infused with my healing intentions. Seeing how other clinicians formulated for their clients was also a great opportunity to learn more from each
other and further refine this skill. It showed me how most importantly, we each offer something unique and special to our clients."
"Overall the transformation I have undergone during this program is life changing. I never imagined I’d be where I am today— looking at opening my own clinical practice, with a handful of clients who trust and support me—and I couldn’t feel more ready to begin this next chapter of my career." - L.B.
"One of the things that I was most surprised about this past year was that I learned that vitalism and nutrition can be the key to most conditions and that often you do not even need herbs. I initially thought that I would need to incorporate these gorgeous and inventive herbal formulas into each client’s protocols but often it is about the basics – sleep, nutrition, purpose, and movement – that make the biggest shifts and allow the body to start healing itself. I now often find myself wondering if herbs are needed at all for most clients."
"I will be forever grateful for this journey and the opportunity to learn from two amazing teachers... I can honestly say that I have grown immensely as a person and a practitioner this past year and feel more prepared than I could have imagined. I know the feeling of inadequacy shows that I will be able to keep growing and learning. This train ride is where I am meant to be right now in my life and I feel very blessed to be able to help those in need along their journey." - J.S.
"In reflecting on the first clients whom I supported during the initial months of this program, I can understand the sheer magnitude with which I have grown as a clinician. I attribute this growth to our hands-on experience, the round table meetings guided by expert teachers, and my interaction with this community of incredible herbalists that make up our round table.
Before the program, I felt nervous, inadequate, unprepared for professionally working with clients one on one. I was naive to the subtitles of conducting an interview, and was easily overwhelmed by complex conditions and personalities. However, now I feel confident that I can walk into the world, with the title of “clinical herbalist”, and really help people. It isn’t just theory- through this program, I have helped people.
Of the many wonderful aspects of this program, I highly value the clinical experience I have had the opportunity to gain. It has allowed me to refine my technique of cultivating an interview, developing rapport, diving deeper in follow ups, and seeing through the mist in order to identify the core of what is contributing to a person’s [health] case. In addition to the valuable experience of getting a handful of clients with different ailments/backgrounds/needs, I have loved the opportunity to work with my select clients for several months in a row. Our relationships have developed, we have learned from each other, and we keep uncovering new layers of things to work on.
Our weekly round table meetings have given me a lot of clarity around the issues I have faced and questions I have had about the body, therapeutics, supplements, herbs and nutrition. I believe that Paul is as gifted at explaining physiological processes in a precise and clear way as he is at inspiring and uplifting the spiritual heart of all who have the pleasure of calling them his students. Vice versa, Heather has been a persistent cheerleader for all of us, while holding a beacon of direction, guiding us to cultivate growth where we need to develop our skills the most." - E.B.
"This time spent in Clinical Residency & Roundtable has been such a game changer for me not only as a budding herbalist, but also as a person just trying to better themselves by taking more
chances in life and facing their fears."
"One of the more satisfying challenges of this program for me has been working with real world clients that are outside my circle of family, friends, and friends-of-friends. It’s one thing to consult with a loved one, and actually that’s really hard, but working with strangers has forced me to step into a leadership role after decades of cozying up in the shadows."
"Thank you for the opportunity to be part of this cohort and for the generous amount of knowledge that has been shared with me to pass on to those who seek it. I’m filled with so much gratitude and appreciation. I walk away from this program feeling competent in my skills as a vitalist practitioner and have actual case work with positive results to buoy me as I start forging my own path." - K.S.
"Although it’s impossible to quantify all that I’ve learned these past months in the clinic, it can be broken down into 4 categories - what I’ve learned in class, what I’ve learned from my clients, what I’ve learned from reading cases, and what I learned in Paul’s audio teachings...Paul’s audio classes were both taxing and essential, and filled in so many gaps in my herbal education. I’m very grateful for these teachings. Most impressionable for me were Healing as a Spiritual Path, Herbal Pairing and Modular Formulation, and Systemic Inflammation, Food Intolerance, and Autoimmunity. I feel like these 3 courses alone could set someone up to change lives." - S.R.