Herbalism is in our roots!

Start date: 13th Oct 2025

Final unit released: 19^th January 2026

Content available until: 16^th March 2026

Webinar dates: Tuesday 4th November 2025 7-8pm, and Tuesday 27th January 2026 7-8pm.

• Led by Anita Ralph MSc, FNIMH and Mary Tassell, MSc, MNIMH. 
• An on-line four-month course made up of 8 units, with a unit released every two weeks, looking at the genito-urinary systems and common health issues surrounding this area.  
• Included in the course will be an in-depth look at anatomy and physiology, common genito-urinary complaints, an introduction to seven herbal heroes, tea tasting opportunities and plenty of self-help and kitchen pharmacy information.   
• Two webinars will also be offered, as well as the use of an on-line forum where questions may be asked and information exchanged.  
• There are no official entry criteria, although previous herbal study may help (see below).  
• Study Time – about 4 hours per week (see below) 

Total cost of course – £395. This consists of a £95 enrolment fee and a £300 course fee. The £95 enrolment is to secure your place which is non-refundable and non-transferable. The course fee is £300 and payment is required in full prior to the start of the course, this is also non-refundable and non-transferable once accessed.

Anita and Mary would love to have the chance to meet you, and to bring a bit of love and care to these often neglected but highly important areas of our bodies. 

Enrolment – Spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first come basis. 

Just click the ‘enrol’ button, fill out the form, make payment and you will be contacted by an administrator.  

Detailed Course Information 

This course explores herbal medicine and the health of the female and male genito-urinary systems, with these systems being made up of the reproductive and urinary systems, grouped together due to their closeness to each other, common structures, embryological origins, and interconnections. Downstair with Anita and Mary will guide you to explore common examples of health problems related to these areas and some of the plants that can help us be well or recover wellness.  

While having previously studied herbal medicine at an introductory level, such as the Heartwood Foundation Course, may be useful, this course is suitable for anyone with a budding interest in this subject who is prepared to read around the subject where necessary. It aims to share knowledge of what herbal medicine has to offer, both for self-care and in terms of the approach that medical herbalists take when confronted with the complexities of patients when presenting with genito-urinary complaints. As such it may also be of interest to practitioners.  

It also seeks to describe and explore interconnectedness as a fundamental concept in herbal medicine, which can be used to help ensure that relevant physiological processes are taken into account when deciding which herbal medicines are likely to be helpful in any given case. 

Additionally, it aims to introduce you to some herbs which may have fallen out of fashion but are nonetheless extremely useful in addressing the health of the genito-urinary system.  

And finally, and perhaps most importantly, it aims to throw some light and positivity on a body system and its expression over time which is often culturally tucked away and kept in the shadows. In doing so, it hopes to enable conversations to be had that promote the agency of individuals when it comes to looking after and feeling good about their genito-urinary systems. It’s our little bit of fun to recognise and celebrate these euphemisms here: the ‘privates’, the ‘nether-regions’, the ’undercarriage’ and ‘downstairs’, with this last euphemism having found its way into the name of this course. However, by doing so we are also acknowledging how it can be difficult for us, and for medical professionals, to talk about this part of our body. 

Join us on a foray into the secret gardens of our genito-urinary areas, and let’s explore what makes them so special, and ways of keeping them happy and healthy. Join us also into an exploration of some truly faithful herbs that can help us, along the way. We invite you also to ‘meet’ seven special herbs that help us tell our herbal story. 

Please note that this course is not formally assessed, but you do have a self-test quiz at the end of every unit to help you check your learning, which you can take as many times as you wish. Students who finish the course will be awarded a certificate of completion.  

By the end of this course, students will be able to: 

• Describe key anatomy and physiological processes relevant to the healthy functioning of the genito-urinary system.
• Discuss core concepts relevant to the practice of herbal medicine. 
• Demonstrate understanding of common conditions affecting the genito-urinary system and how herbalists might address them. 
• Articulate how specific herbal medicines, including lesser-known herbs, support the healthy function of the genito-urinary system. 
• Reflect on their experience of using organoleptic techniques to understand plant medicines. 
• Identify relevant self-care practices and kitchen pharmacy methods to support healthy function of their genito-urinary systems. 

We suggest that you allow about 8 hours of study for each of the 8 units, i.e. about 4 hours a week, to get the maximum benefit, with the time spent studying by any one student depending on previous educational experience, acquired knowledge and your particular approach to learning. Some of the material is quite detailed and will likely stretch you, but this is a good thing as it is necessary to embed learning. You may have to watch or listen or read it several times, perhaps taking notes or drawing mind maps or speaking out your understanding to embed your learning. There is also a discussion forum where you can ask Anita and Mary questions, as well as two live webinars with Anita and Mary, and herbal preparations to make and quizzes to take. Learning will also be enhanced by spending some time following up on some of the references and sources given, including in the course reading list.  

An Introduction to Medicinal Mushrooms

CPD hours: 4.5 hours

‘Introduction to Medicinal Mushrooms’. This course is taught by bendle, an experienced  herbalist, educator and forager who has developed a special interest in  mushrooms, both in terms of their medicinal properties and for their own sake as living beings. The course is recommended for herbalists and for herbal students and for other practitioners who use herbal medicines in their practices. 

In this course, which is made up of 16 videos (totalling 4.5 hours), each with accompanying slides as well as a final bibliography, you will be introduced to the identification of mushrooms and gain an overview of their pharmacology, before looking at particular species, including button mushrooms, Shiitake, Reishi and Artist’s Bracket, Turkey Tail, Chaga, Birch polypore and Lion’s mane. This is followed by case histories demonstrating the real world clinical application of medicinal mushrooms before processing and extraction is discussed. The content then explores Psilocybe species and Fly agaric before the course is rounded off with an exploration of how fungi can help restore damaged environments. 

All the materials are available to you when you start the course and you can work through the teaching material at your own pace. You will have access to the material for 3 months and can download the slides and bibliography.