Flora & Fungi Clinical Herbal Apprenticeship

An apprenticeship in the art of holistic healing, herbalism, and fungi wisdom

Program Overview

The Flora & Fungi Clinical Herbal Apprenticeship is not just about studying plants and mushrooms — it’s about recognizing the patterns of ecosystems, both in the natural world and within the terrain of the human body.

This apprenticeship blends herbalism and mushroom knowledge with naturopathic and nutritional foundations, vitalistic paradigms, and relationship-centered practice to create a holistic, professional training program.

Through lectures, apothecary work, case discussions, guided assignments, and (for some tracks) direct patient shadowing, apprentices gain the confidence to partner with plants and fungi in safe and meaningful ways — not just for themselves, but for their families, their communities, and those they may one day support.

Three Tracks, One Apprenticeship

All students share the same core curriculum. The path you choose depends on your background and your goals:

Track A: Clinical Apprenticeship Pathway

For those with prior medical or herbal training (nurses, nutritionists, massage therapists, advanced herbalists).

  • 6-month modules (3 tiers, 18 months total)

  • 16+ hours/month of live lectures and guided self-study

  • Homework assignments with grading and personalized feedback

  • Patient shadowing and apothecary immersion

  • Case discussions and monthly tests

  • Certificate of Completion with AHG-aligned hours and requirements.

  • $2820 per tier, approx. $470 month.

    Pay-in-full discount available for $2700.

    or $8000 all three.

Track B: Holistic Health Coaching Pathway

For those without a medical background (coaches, yoga teachers, wellness practitioners, beginners).

  • Everything in Track A, plus additional medical foundations to build confidence and safety

  • Extra support with terminology, labs, and anatomy/physiology

  • Same level of mentorship, shadowing, and clinical immersion

Note: Students in Track A who struggle with safety assignments may be asked to complete Track B requirements before progressing.

  • $3,000 per tier, $500 / month.

    Pay-in-full discount available, $2900 per tier

    or $8500 all three.

Track C: Self-Study Pathway

For independent learners who want flexibility and affordability.

  • Pre-recorded lectures and full access to curriculum materials

  • Reading lists, materia medica, and homework assignments for self-study (not graded)

  • No shadowing, case discussions, or direct mentorship

  • Optional online community or group Q&A calls (if available)

  • Certificate of Completion for educational hours only (not AHG clinical-ready)

Option to upgrade to Track A or B later by paying the difference.

  • Complete all three tiers for about $4,400.

Why Choose This Apprenticeship?

Mushroom Medicine Expertise — With Dr. Chimileski’s deep knowledge and teaching experience in fungi, mushrooms are a central part of the curriculum. From reishi and lion’s mane to foraging wild species in the forest, you’ll learn how to partner with fungi across folklore, research, and practice.

  • Clinical from the Start — Every mentorship track includes case-based learning and shadowing. Unlike most programs, clinical skills are woven in from day one.

  • Naturopathic & Nutritional Foundations — Learn how and why to support the whole person through food, herbs, fungi, and lifestyle. Gain clarity on the difference between vital practices and “green allopathy.”

  • Mentorship with Dr. Lindsay Chimileski — Naturopathic doctor, acupuncture specialist, registered herbalist, forager, and educator with over a decade of clinical and teaching experience.

Higher Level Learning 

This curriculum is modeled after the Botanical Medicine and Nutrition courses Dr. Chimileski taught at the University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine. In addition to teaching courses to the naturopathic medical students, she also ran clinic shifts out of her practice.  This mentorship brings the same depth and structure of academic herbal and nutritional education into an apprenticeship setting — with the added benefit of mentorship, shadowing, and case-based learning.

  • Botanical Formulating, Philosophy & Dosing Details

  • EENT & Immune Basics

  • Respiratory Health

  • Circulatory Health

  • Gastrointestinal Foundations

  • Headaches & Nervous System Patterns

  • Temperature Regulation

  • Herbs for Oral Health

  • Herbs for Skin Health

  • Women’s Health & Advanced Women’s Health

  • Mind & Nervous System: Nervines, Sedatives, Hallucinogens, Nootropics, Stimulants

  • Adaptogens, Adrenal Tonics & Thyroid Herbs

  • Ethnobotany Highlight: Jamaica

  • Men’s Health

Modules Covered

The apprenticeship explores system-based learning and specialty topics across plants, fungi, nutrition, and vitalist traditions. Modules include:

  • Kidney & Bladder Health

  • Children’s Health

  • Musculoskeletal Health

  • Botanical Plant Identification, Plant Families & Toxicity Concerns

  • Trauma, Injury & TCM Highlights

  • Pain Management

  • Immune Modulation, Immune Enhancement, Hyperimmunity & Biological Response Modifiers

  • Medicinal Mushrooms

  • Foraging Practices

  • Toxicity & Safety in Herbalism

  • Extraction Methods

  • Cognitive Support & Healthy Aging

Tier Length: Each tier runs for 6 months. Completing all three tiers (18 months total) provides the documented hours needed to be eligible to apply for Registered Herbalist (RH) status with the American Herbalists Guild (AHG).

  • Flexibility: You may take time between tiers; continuous enrollment is not required.

  • Format: Approximately 16 hours per month of lectures, plus guided self-study, homework/compendium, and monthly tests (except in Self-Study Track).

  • Mentorship: Shadowing, apothecary immersion, case discussions, and personalized feedback are included in Tracks A and B.

  • Certification: Certificate of Completion for each tier, documenting educational and training hours (AHG-aligned for Tracks A & B).

Structure & Commitment

Students may choose to deepen their learning through immersive experiences:

Mushroom Medicine Intensive:
A focused training on medicinal fungi, including advanced materia medica, foraging, safety, extraction methods, and applications.

EcoTours for Cures – Jamaica Immersion":
Join Dr. Chimileski with Dr. Zampieron, alongside local guides and bush doctors, for a guided herbal and cultural immersion in Jamaica. Explore ethnobotanical traditions, local plant medicines, and nature-based healing practices in a vibrant ecological setting. This experience offers cross-cultural perspectives and hands-on learning that bring herbalism to life in community and in place.

Optional Add-On Tiers

Applicants are encouraged to submit the following with their application:

  • Curriculum Vitae (CV) or résumé outlining education and experience

  • Verifying documents (transcripts, certificates, licenses, diplomas if available)

  • Letter of Intent — a short personal statement sharing why you wish to join the apprenticeship and what you hope to gain

  • Three of Your Favorite Herb Fun Facts — a lighthearted way for us to learn about your plant/fungi connection

  • Plant Origin Story — share a memory from childhood or later in life where an herb or mushroom played a central role. This could be something growing in your backyard when you were young, an herb in a food or holiday tradition, something you remember at a loved one’s home or that a loved one introduced you to, a taste or scent that made a lasting impression, or even something playful — like a plant you threw at your sibling (or they threw at you). You get the idea.

Application Materials

Next Steps

  1. Apply online and select your preferred track.

  2. Submit your application materials.

  3. Interview with Dr. Chimileski to confirm placement.

Begin your journey into herbalism, fungi wisdom, and the art of holistic healing.