There is still space to register for Midwest Women's Herbal Pre-Conference Workshops & Immersions! Explore Pre-Conference Events here. Or, join the Main Conference (sold out) waitlist here.
This winter, celebrate and explore women's wellness through a holistic lens with this virtual workshop series.
When women take our health into our own hands, we have ourselves to rely on and can better persist in trying times. Join us for this engaging virtual Women’s Wellness Series where we’ll learn how to discover our own voices, nourish ourselves, and partner with herbal medicine to heal ourselves and those around us. Give yourself (or someone you love) the gift of knowledge and self-care this winter! All levels of experience are welcome.
We encourage you to explore all workshops as this series takes a holistic approach to women's health. However, classes can be taken individually. Each three-hour session will open with a few minutes of grounding meditation. Recordings are included in the registration price and will be sent following the conclusion of the series.
Workshops
All workshops in the In Our Own Hands Women's Wellness series are held virtually via Zoom and are three hours in length, happening every other Saturday beginning in January 2024.
Register before December 1, 2023 for Early Bird pricing! Scholarships available, apply here.
Compassionate Communication: Reframing Relationships Through Courage, Compassion and Honesty with Linda Conroy
Saturday, January 20, 2024 | 1pm-4pm
In this session we will explore ways to connect more deeply with compassion and honesty. Communication is often tricky for women, and needs to start with how we talk to ourselves. Through discussion, interactive exercises and reflection we will first learn to shift our relationship with ourselves. For the latter part of the workshop we will establish a number of strategies for bringing our authentic selves to relationship with friends, family and community. We will have the opportunity to practice and witness ways we can connect in a way that is aligned with our authentic selves, thus increasing our wellness and taking our relationships into our own hands.
Southern & Appalachian Folk Medicine with Phyllis D. Light
Saturday, February 3, 2024 | 1pm-4pm
Traditional Southern and Appalachian Folk Medicine is the most widely acknowledged regional folk medicine in the United States and the only system to develop in this country, other than Native American medicine. Its early development can be traced to influences from Greek or Galenic medicine which prevailed in Europe at the time of settlement of this country, Native American plant use and knowledge, and the folk medicines of Africa and the British Isles. From these diverse cultures, a unique constitutional system emerged that is uniquely American.
Join Phyllis, who was traditionally trained by her grandmother Rosie and other Appalachian elders such as Tommie Bass, for this wonderful introduction into the world of Southern and Appalachian Folk Medicine. We’ll learn about the Southern Blood Types (bitter/salty and sweet/sour), the four constitutions (fire/water and air/earth), and the blood qualities of high/low blood, thick/thin, fast/slow, and good/bad. In addition, we’ll talk about local plants and how to prepare them in the Southern Appalachian traditional manner, such as the Southern decoction. Phyllis will also talk about her teachers, such as Tommie Bass and her Native American grandmother Rosie, and share stories about old thyme healing methods from the mountain area. Fun, fun, fun!
The Secrets of Female Pleasure — Women’s Anatomy of Arousal with Sheri Winston
Saturday, February 17, 2024 | 1pm-4pm
Did you know that women have as much erectile tissue as men do? Discover the Female Erectile Network and find out what you’ve been missing! In a mind-blowingly informative, radically empowering, fun, funny, comfortable presentation, with unique anatomy images, classic and humorous art, and demos on my ‘vulva pillow’, you’ll get new integral maps of women’s bodies that will guide you to realizing your ultimate ecstatic pleasure capacity!
American Medicinal Plants: How Our Herbs Got Here with Robyn Klein
Saturday, March 2, 2024 | 1pm-4pm
Where do our American herbs originate? Weren’t our plants all burned up in the Chicxulub asteroid impact 60,000 years ago? Join us for a fascinating romp through phytogeography research as we discover how ginseng and other American medicinal plants got here.
Herbal garden Artistry with Julie Charette Nunn
Saturday, March 16, 2024 | 1pm-4pm
This class will explore the intimate relationship we have with the plants in our gardens and on the land that we tend. Learn simple, yet deep, practices of communicating with the plants and the earth. Discover ways to honor the elemental beings of the land. Create a nourishing life, gathering herbs and crafting them for healing. Strengthen your intuition through connections with your surrounding. As part of this class, I will share some stories of the plants from our land and their wisdom and healing—wild rose, nettle, dandelion, apple etc.
Mushrooms as Food & Medicine with Cornelia Cho
Saturday, March 30, 2024 | 1pm-4pm
Join Cornelia in exploring the healing properties of an array of edible and medicinal mushrooms. She'll discuss ways that Fungi can become some of your best allies in achieving health and well-being. Fungi can be accessible, cultivate-able, and forage-able. They dovetail perfectly with the DIY way of life. You'll leave with a clearer understanding of which mushrooms you'll want to welcome into your personal apothecary and how to do so.
Supporting Deep Imbalances with Herbal Medicine with Bevin Clare
Saturday, April 13, 2024 | 1pm-4pm
Herbal medicines can work deeply to support and restore health, even in situations where we are experiencing complex health issues or have limited energy or resources. Learn about how to consider, choose, and implement sustainable herbal therapies in situations where individuals are experiencing deep imbalances. In this workshop, we will be taking an interactive approach and designing together a short "clinical guide" for your reference. Please bring along your favorite herbal reference books or notes and if you have access to a computer or tablet for typing things in, that's even better. When we finish the workshop, not only will you have a variety of approaches to deep imbalances, but you'll have a guide you can refer to when things seem complicated or overwhelming, after all, the herbs know the way.