What is a Registered Herbalist?

Many people have asked me about why I became a Registered Herbalist through the American Herbal Guild (AHG). I wanted to take this opportunity to explain why it was so important to me as a medical professional to work towards and earn this recognition. The AHG offers “Registered Herbalist Membership as a way for herbalists to demonstrate a core level of knowledge and experience in herbal practice that establishes a meaningful standard of competency for themselves, their communities, and other health professionals and institutions. For those who welcome review by their peers as confirmation of their clinical skills, the designation ‘Registered Herbalist’ establishes a recognized level of expertise and commitment to the practice of herbalism.”

My ultimate goal as a veterinarian and herbalist, is to have every medical practitioner integrating all forms of medicine together to create the best approach to health. I spent 4 years in undergrad, 5 years in vet school, and now have over 3000 hours of formal herbal education. This is important because the more professionals recognize the benefit of herbal medicine, the healthier our pets and we will be.

Below I share part of my application essay with you, as I hope to spread the itch to learn more about herbs.

I have had other veterinarians question me on my post graduate degrees, where I obtained this knowledge. Sometimes because they themselves are interested and sometimes because they are questioning me and the validity of the holistic work I do. Becoming a Registered Herbalist would further give a voice to veterinarians using herbal medicine and inspire others. My vision is that every practice will integrate in herbal medicine in the future. Holistic veterinary medicine (alternative and complementary) is growing as a field. I think it is important that veterinarians understand that herbal medicine is not something that you do an internet search on to find an herb to use. That studying herbal medicine to lean not just about the active constituents, but also the traditions, the plants themselves, about our relationship to the plants and how it is a medicine for all.  I have numerous students seeing practice with me, from vet school bound college students to vet students. I love being able to show them how valuable herbal medicine is from the traditions to the modern research. As a health professional, I get questions from my clients on my training and where they can find someone like me, an integrative medical practitioner. By becoming a Registered Herbalist, I am able to take that next step to inspire others to use herbal medicine as well as give me more opportunities to teach and reach my goal of getting phytotherapy into every vet practice.