Honestly, Vanessa

Over the last few years, I’ve enrolled in three very different wellness and holistic medical education programs:

• The School of Evolutionary Herbalism – Clinical Herbalism (2021-2024) (completed)
• Joyful Belly Ayurveda – MID Program (2025- (currently enrolled)
• NASM – Wellness Coaching Certification (2024- ( (currently enrolled)

A lot of people ask me what schools they should attend to become a holistic practitioner. I wish I had an easy answer, but to be honest, in the holistic world, one school just doesn’t cut it. One school is like one big ol concentration. It’s definitely not like modern schooling where you will find multiple courses in one school so it can be a little overwhelming and strange for some people.

Like I couldn’t imagine going to one film school for editing, another school for writing and another for directing. 

So why is holistic education so fragmented?

Part of it is historical. These systems developed independently across cultures and lineages, not as unified institutions. Ayurveda, western herbalism, coaching, and functional medicine all evolved on separate tracks, each with its own language, priorities, and teaching style.

So there isn’t one right school per se, only the next piece of the puzzle.

So before I start speaking on my experiences with each school I’ve attended, I want to go over some red flags that I’ve noticed in Holistic Education. So listen closely, this is very important. One thing I’ve become increasingly wary of is schools that skip foundational physiology and anatomy entirely and jump straight into remedies. If a program teaches what to take before explaining what’s happening in the body, that’s a red flag. 

You don’t need to be a doctor to practice holistically, but you do need a framework. Without understanding basic digestion, circulation, elimination, inflammation, hormonal signaling, or nervous system regulation, remedies become guesswork. In some schools, the education is reduced to taking this herb for anxiety, using this protocol for digestion and trying this supplement for hormones. With little to no explanation of why, for whom, or when it might be inappropriate. That approach isn’t holistic, it’s symptomatic.

Another red flag is when a school has a program teaches that intuition alone is enough, without grounding it in anatomy, physiology, or pattern recognition, it places students and future clients at risk. True holistic education should help you understand how systems interact, why the same remedy can help one person and harm another, when not to intervene and how terrain and body type matter.

School of Evolutionary Herbalism (Clinical Herbalism) — Completed

This program is taught by Sajah Popham and he trains you to think like a clinician, not an influencer.

It’s not about memorizing herbs or protocols. It’s about understanding terrain, tissue states, energetics, and physiology as living, interacting systems. You’re constantly asked why something works, not just that it works.

The modules are well organized, and that matters more than people realize. My teacher also has a full team helping him run the school and maintain the website, which makes a huge difference in how smooth the learning experience feels. Everything is clearly laid out and easy to navigate.

There’s no fixed graduation date, it’s entirely work-at-your-own-pace, which I personally love. There’s no pressure, no rushing, and no artificial deadlines. That flexibility made it much easier to study deeply rather than just trying to “get through” the material.

That said, this program is not very interactive on a day-to-day basis. You need to be someone who can study independently, stay focused, and hold yourself accountable without external pressure. Listening to long lectures and taking detailed notes outside of a classroom environment can be tricky at times, especially if you’re used to structured academic settings.

One thing that really helps is that he hosts a monthly virtual Q&A, where students can ask questions directly. Not everyone always gets a chance to ask, but it’s still a valuable opportunity. He also has a section on the website where you can submit questions if you can’t attend the live Q&A, and he responds by recording a video answer. That system is actually very well thought out and works surprisingly well.

Overall, the structure is solid. The support systems are there. My only real critique is that there are no formal tests or grading. While I understand the philosophy behind that, I do think some form of assessment would be reassuring. Testing can help students feel confident that they’re actually absorbing what they need to know before receiving certification.

The knowledge is there, the framework is there. He covers all kinds of important knowledge from pattern recognition across body systems, matching herbs to underlying physiological tissue states, not symptoms, understanding when an herb is inappropriate or harmful and Integrating tradition with modern physiology. This program really changed how I think, not just what I know.

It’s dense. There’s no shortcut. But honestly, that’s also why it’s solid.

This is not a program you rush through, and it took me three years to complete. Not because the material was unclear, but because life came first. I’m a stepmother, a mother, and a wife, and my responsibilities to my family naturally came before my studies.

If you’re looking for quick wins, simple protocols, or fast client tools, this program can feel overwhelming. It requires patience, repetition, and a willingness to sit with complexity.

It’s also worth mentioning that my teacher does dabble in medical astrology. As a Muslim, I personally disregard that portion of the modules, and I want to be clear that doing so feels completely appropriate and grounded for me.

Disregarding that aspect doesn’t mean rejecting the education as a whole. It simply means exercising discernment. From an educational standpoint, I don’t believe anything essential is lost by setting medical astrology aside. You can understand terrain, tissue states, physiology, and herbal energetics perfectly well without astrology. Plenty of highly skilled practitioners do, even if my teacher would disagree.

I think this is an important point because holistic schools often assume a shared philosophical openness that not all students have. Teachers should keep in mind that they may have students who are religious, spiritually conservative, or simply uncomfortable with certain frameworks, and that those students should still be able to fully benefit from the core education.

For me, separating what aligns with my beliefs from what doesn’t hasn’t weakened my learning, it’s actually strengthened it. It’s allowed me to engage deeply with the material while staying true to my values.

One thing I deeply appreciate is that he’s inspired me to grow my own herbs. There’s something irreplaceable about interacting with plants directly, observing their growth, their resilience, their smell, texture, and even how they change across seasons.

You can learn a lot from books and lectures, but you learn something different when you engage with a plant using all your senses. Growing herbs grounds the education in lived experience. It turns theory into relationship, and that kind of learning sticks in a way that purely academic study doesn’t.

That emphasis on direct plant interaction has been one of the most meaningful parts of the program for me, and it’s influenced how I relate to herbalism far beyond the coursework itself.

So in terms of cost, the program is a larger upfront investment, but it’s fairly standard for a comprehensive clinical herbalism education. At the time I enrolled, tuition was just over $2,000 USD if paid in full, with payment plans available for those who needed to spread it out over several months. Once tuition is paid, you receive lifetime access to all course materials, which I personally think is important in a field where you’ll want to revisit concepts years later as your understanding deepens. And his systems are always improving and evolving. 

So you’re a person who is serious about learning about herbalism on the clinical side, you’re a learner who enjoys depth over speed, and you study slower and think critically, then please consider this program. 

Joyful Belly Ayurveda (MID Program) — Currently Enrolled

Joyful Belly School of Ayurveda has several instructors, many of whom are graduates of the school themselves. That continuity shows in the way the material is taught and reinforced across courses. Joyful Belly School of Ayurveda offers several structured certification programs that are designed to help students gain a full, clinical understanding of Ayurvedic principles. 

Their main offerings include a 750-hour Ayurvedic Health Counselor Certification, which teaches foundational Ayurvedic medicine, diet, lifestyle, and clinical skills, and a 500-hour Master of Ayurvedic Digestion & Nutrition Certification, which focuses deeply on digestive health and nutrition from an Ayurvedic perspective. They also offer advanced herbalist certifications and other specialized courses within the system. 

I’m currently in enrolled in the MAD nutrition program which is a year long program. The program helps you understand digestion, food energetics, and imbalance through lived experience. The food labs, journaling, and self-observation assignments are some of the strongest elements of the curriculum.

Unlike some holistic programs, Joyful Belly operates much more like modern schooling. It is an accredited school, which means you need to submit transcripts of previous schooling in order to enroll. From a legality and professional standpoint, everything is very formal and structured.

There is a graduation date, and there are real academic expectations. Assignments, homework, exams, and research papers are part of the program, so there’s definitely a level of pressure. You’re required to manage your time well, and the stakes feel real. If you don’t pass, you lose your tuition and have to start over, just like in conventional education.

There is a lot of interactivity and community. Live classes are held over Zoom three times a week at different times, and if you can’t attend live, the sessions are recorded. Students attend from all over the world, so you’re constantly exposed to different cultures, perspectives, and lived experiences.

That global classroom aspect is one of the most enriching parts of the program.

The scope & philosophy of Joyful Belly is entirely Ayurveda-based. They offer multiple tracks in herbalism, nutrition, and even a comprehensive program that combines everything for those who want to become holistic Ayurvedic practitioners.

While there’s an incredible amount of wisdom within Ayurveda, I personally find it a bit limiting to stay within only one system, but that’s their niche. What I appreciate about the School of Evolutionary Herbalism is that it integrates multiple traditional systems of medicine that share common principles, which resonates more with how I naturally think and synthesize information.

Tuition varies by program: the Master of Ayurvedic Digestion & Nutrition program typically costs around $4,499, with payment plan options available, and the Health Counselor program can be paid monthly or with a deposit plan. 

Students may also add optional tutoring or supplemental training at additional cost. Both programs run in cohorts with deadlines, assignments, homework, exams, and research work much like modern academic schooling and because they are accredited, enrollment requires high school transcripts and is governed by formal academic policies, including the possibility of losing tuition if coursework is not completed successfully.

That said, if you’re someone who wants a deep, structured immersion into Ayurveda specifically, this program delivers exactly that. My herbalism teacher doesn’t specialize in traditional nutrition so this is why I added this school to my roster so if you’re drawn to food-centered healing, understanding digestion from an Ayurvedic lens and thrive in an interactive, live-class environment, then I would consider this school.

NASM – Wellness Coaching Certification — Currently Enrolled

NASM is clear, structured, and professional. It focuses less on physiology and more on how to work with people. Communication, ethics, behavior change, and goal-setting are central, which is honestly something many technically skilled practitioners lack.

So far, I’ve appreciated the emphasis on client autonomy and ethics and the science based and practical coaching frameworks.

If you already have a background in herbalism, nutrition, or traditional medicine, this program can feel surface-level. It’s not designed to teach you why the body behaves a certain way, it’s designed to teach you how to support behavior change within safe professional boundaries. That’s not a flaw, it’s just the scope. I enrolled purely for the coaching techniques.

The curriculum is straightforward and organized with tons of modules, there’s a little quiz at the end of each module and there’s a large final exam you’re required to take once all modules are completed in order to get your certification and be registered as a wellness coach. 

I have not taken the major exam yet as I’m really taking my time at this school. It is study at your pace and no pressure. At the moment, I’m not entirely sure whether the exam is proctored or not, but it’s clearly positioned as a serious assessment and not just a formality. I have met other students in the real world that are enrolled in this school as well and they are taking their time as well. It’s a pretty popular school, thought I would mention that.

One feature I actually think is pretty cool is the client simulator. It allows you to practice coaching scenarios in a low-stakes environment. I haven’t tried it out yet, but I appreciate that the option exists, especially for people who are new to coaching and want to build confidence before working with real clients.

Overall, NASM isn’t designed to teach you how the body works. It’s designed to teach you how to work with people, and within that scope, it does its job. For someone without a deeper holistic or clinical background, this program could feel very helpful and accessible. For me, it’s more of a complementary skill set than a primary education.

If you’re someone who wants a recognized coaching credential, you’re new to health and coaching, you want to develop stronger communication skills, then then this program could be for you.

Honorable Mention: Eclectic School of Herbal Medicine (2022)

I also attended a herbal medicine making class through the Eclectic School of Herbal Medicine. The class cost was $200, and it was very practical and hands-on. While you don’t need this course if your goal is simply to be a holistic practitioner, I’m a herbalist so for me it was a must.

The class focused specifically on the craft of herbalism, things like preparing remedies properly, working with different forms of extraction because different types of herbs require different types of extractions, and understanding the practical side of turning plants into medicine.

Beyond the single class I took, the Eclectic School of Herbal Medicine offers a range of programs in Western herbalism, including foundational herbal studies, clinical herbal training, and additional hands-on courses focused on formulation, plant identification, and traditional herbal practices. Their approach is more rooted in classic Western herbal traditions and practical skill-building than in coaching or lifestyle frameworks.

I can’t speak to their full programs from personal experience since I only took one class outside of their programs, but based on that experience, it’s a solid option for people who want to deepen their herbal craftsmanship, especially those interested in Western herbalism specifically.

I am excited to announce that I’m creating my own educational website. I want to bring together the knowledge I’ve gathered from these different schools into one coherent framework, so others don’t have to feel as lost or confused as I once did. Navigating holistic education can be overwhelming, fragmented, and unclear, and I know that feeling firsthand.

My intention and goal is to make true holistic medicine more accessible, integrated, and easier to understand, especially for people who are genuinely trying to learn, not just collect certifications.

Credentials matter, but discernment matters more. If you’re choosing a program, choose based on how you think, how you learn, and what kind of practitioner you actually want to be, not what looks impressive on social media. 

And if you have the option to study in person along side these amazing online schools I have mentioned, that’s a huge plus. Being physically present adds a layer of learning that online education can’t fully replicate, especially in a field that relies so much on observation, nuance, and human connection.