ONLINE HERBAL
SAFETY COURSE

Are you an herbalist who knows you need a stronger foundation in herb-drug interactions, dangerous constituents, and basic botanical safety?

Or perhaps you want to embark on your herbal journey with a solid foundation in herbal safety?

Our Herbal Safety Course lays a clear path for becoming a trustworthy and careful herbalist. You’ll learn about allergic and topical reactions; adulteration and contamination; and the herbs that should be avoided during pregnancy and lactation. You’ll gain the key herbal safety concepts needed to be a responsible and conscientious herbalist!

Earn your 25-hour Herbal Safety Certificate by completing the coursework at your own pace! You’ll have three months to earn your certificate but you’ll have lifetime access to all the materials.

Learn Why Herbal Safety is
Essential for All Herbalists

Online Herbal Safety Course Structure (25 hours)

Juliet Blankespoor

LESSON 1

Introduction

This lesson provides an overview of safety considerations related to herbal usage. It covers allergic reactions, toxic constituents, adulteration, contamination, and drug-herb interactions.

Woman small business owner in her artisan studio and office. She is wearing an apron and making handmade organic skincare products with ingredients of herbs, plants, and massage oils. She is reaching for a bowl of dried herbs.

LESSON 2

Essential Oils and Allergic and Topical Reactions

Essential oils are more concentrated than herbal medicines, thus requiring greater attention to safety considerations.

Ramanas rose (Rosa rugosa) harvest

LESSON 3

Adulteration, Contamination, and Notable Constituents

This lesson focuses on the potential for medicinal herbs to be contaminated with toxic substances or mislabeled.

Saint John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) and a firefly.

LESSON 4

Herb-Drug Interactions

Here, we delve into how medicinal plants can interact with both prescribed and over-the-counter medications in the body.

A mother and child. Photo courtesy of Jade Bealle.

LESSON 5

Pregnancy and Lactation

Learn about general safety information for the use of herbs during pregnancy and lactation.

Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) dressed up in frost.

LESSON 6

Serious Health Conditions and Concerns

This lesson emphasizes that herbs may not always be the sole support needed for serious health conditions.

Also included:

Herbal Safety Course

ALSO INCLUDED

Herbal Safety & Contraindications Guide

A reference guide to the herbs covered in our programs and the most common herbs of commerce.

A pregnant woman near a stream.

ALSO INCLUDED

Herbs to Avoid in Pregnancy and Lactation Chart

A resource of commonly encountered Western herbs inappropriate for internal use during pregnancy.

Aloe

ALSO INCLUDED

Herbal Safety
Resources

Our favorite herbal safety-related books, websites, and other resources.

Bonus Material ($59 value)

Water Hemlock

BONUS MATERIAL

Safety for Foragers + Gardeners: Poisonous Plants

Learn how to safely recognize the most poisonous plants commonly found in temperate North America and Europe–poison hemlock, water hemlock, and foxglove.

Poison ivy

BONUS MATERIAL

Safety for Foragers + Gardeners: Poison Oak, Ivy, and Sumac

Learn how to recognize and avoid these common skin irritants.

Herbal Safety Course

BONUS MATERIAL

Client Safety for Clinical and Professional Herbalists: Ethics, Conduct, Integrity, and Professionalism

Learn the legalities and ethics of clinical herbalism in the United States.

Meet Your Instructor:

Juliet Blankespoor at desk

Juliet Blankespoor founded the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine in 2007. She’s been growing and using medicinal plants for three decades and has owned almost every type of herbal business you can imagine: an herbal nursery, a medicinal products business, a clinical practice, and now, one of the leading online herbal schools in the nation.

Juliet has taught at herbal schools and conferences nationwide and has been published in the nation’s leading herbal magazines and blogs. Her best-selling book, The Healing Garden: Cultivating and Handcrafting Herbal Remedies, was published in 2022. You can read more about her on our instructors page.

compare online herbal courses

Not quite sure which of our online courses
is the best fit for you?

If you want to go deeper with your herbal studies, our other programs include the Online Herbal Safety Course as part of their curriculum!

Take a peek at our full Course Comparison Chart to get started on your herbal journey!

You’ll have lifetime access to the entire Herbal Safety Course, including all updates!

As science continues to evolve and we learn more about herbal safety, we’ll update the program and notify you about significant developments so you can keep up-to-date.

Various apple devices

Earn Your Herbal Safety Certificate!

  • This online course is self-paced and you can start as soon as you sign up

  • You can download all the audio files from the course videos (so you can listen on the go)

  • You’ll receive a gorgeous 100+ page electronic course manual (or purchase the full-color printed version)

  • All the course materials are yours for life (with three months to earn your certificate)

SALE
Save 20% today!

Enroll in the
Online Herbal Safety Course:

$125

With payment plans starting as low as:

$32/month*

payment logos

* Payment plans are offered through third-party financing options such as Affirm, Afterpay, Klarna. Payment plans are subject to the lenders’ policies and rates. Some plans may offer interest-free financing.

Enroll in the
Online Herbal Safety Course:

$125

$99

With payment plans starting as low as:

$25/month*

payment logos

* Payment plans are offered through third-party financing options such as Affirm, Afterpay, Klarna. Payment plans are subject to the lenders’ policies and rates. Some plans may offer interest-free financing.

Money-Back Guarantee!
If you’re not fully satisfied with the program, we’ll give you a complete refund within 14 days of enrollment.

Over 8,000 students from 50+ countries have enrolled in our online herbal classes. Here are just a few glowing testimonials from our courses:

Vanessa V. of Iskandariya's Herbs

"The Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine has really expanded my knowledge significantly when it comes to growing and caring for medicinal herbs and plants. The curriculum is so detailed and yet easily understood. With the whimsical input in every lesson, it makes learning both fun and educational."

~ Vanessa V., Iskandariya's Herbs

Heather H. of The School of Plant and Place Connection

"The Chestnut School provided me with a path into the plant world, which is the foundation for all that I now share with others through herbal seminars, workshops, and plant walks. I have for over a decade guided others into the plant world with the knowledge and insight that I received through the Chestnut School and am now launching a full-fledged herbal medicine school."

~ Heather H., The School of Plant and Place Connection

Anna Maria D. of Sun and Bloom Farms

"The course on medicine making through Chestnut was my first real step into becoming an herbalist. The content provided is thorough, engaging, and thoughtful. The Medicine Making Course is still one I refer to years later and I am so appreciative of the accessibility and continuous updates to the content. Truly invaluable in my journey with the plants!"

~ Anna Maria D., Sun and Bloom Farms

Ricky B. of Cazimi Healing

"My time at the Chestnut School was the catalyst for believing I could make my living by working with plant medicine."

~ Ricky B., Cazimi Healing

Here’s what you’ll know after completing the program:

  • Which are the most common herbs to cause topical irritation or allergic reactions
  • What are the most common types of drug/herb interactions, and how can they be avoided
  • How to look up the safety precautions for the most common herbs in Western herbalism
  • Which class of herbs are best avoided during pregnancy and why they are contraindicated
  • How to avoid contaminated and adulterated herbal products and instead select high-quality botanical medicine
  • Know how to identify the most poisonous plants in North America and Europe
  • Which groups of herbs can cause liver damage and what to use instead
  • The danger signs of severe illness or life-threatening conditions (that should not be treated by herbalism)
A swallowtail butterfly pollinating valerian
Herbal Safety Course

This course is perfect for:

  • Beginner or home herbalists seeking a solid foundation in herbal safety to help them become conscientious and responsible healers
  • Intermediate herbalists wanting to fill in the gaps of their herbal studies with a trusted course and guide
  • Seasoned herbalists refreshing and enhancing their safety protocol knowledge
  • Nurses, chiropractors, massage therapists, midwives, and holistic health coaches and nutritionists looking to complement their medical training with up-to-date herbal safety information
  • Healthcare professionals who want to understand herbal safety better and make educated recommendations to their patients
  • Pregnant people and parents of young children who use herbal medicine

SALE
Save 20% today!

Enroll in the
Online Herbal Safety Course:

$125

$99

With payment plans starting as low as:

$25/month*

payment logos

* Payment plans are offered through third-party financing options such as Affirm, Afterpay, Klarna. Payment plans are subject to the lenders’ policies and rates. Some plans may offer interest-free financing.

Money-Back Guarantee!
If you’re not fully satisfied with the program, we’ll give you a complete refund within 14 days of enrollment.

Enroll in the
Online Herbal Safety Course:

$125

With payment plans starting as low as:

$32/month*

payment logos

* Payment plans are offered through third-party financing options such as Affirm, Afterpay, Klarna. Payment plans are subject to the lenders’ policies and rates. Some plans may offer interest-free financing.

FAQs

No, the Herbal Safety material is included in all of our other courses (the Herbal Immersion, the Foraging Course, and the Herbal Medicine Making Course).

No, you’ll receive the Herbal Safety material directly within your selected course (the Herbal Immersion, the Foraging Course, or the Herbal Medicine Making Course).

Still have a question?

Don’t hesitate to drop us a line.