Herbal Education Centre / Pokapū Mātauranga Otaota

Our Herbal Education Resources Centre, matauranga otaota supports the growing interest in natural health studies by offering a range of natural healthcare courses. These courses are our grass roots link to nature to connect with our natural biorhythms, our ability to heal naturally, whilst adding the benefits of natural science to allow us the potential to pursue our traditional knowledge.

Thereby, our Certified Correspondece Courses allow everyone the opportunity to study areas of traditional well-being, at ones own pace, in ones own time to embrace our tinana, hinengaro and wairua (body, mind and spirit) capacity by covering a wide range of interests in the holistic health fields.

The wise woman of herbal medicine, naturopathic doctor, author and director, Dr Janice Priest, offers courses in basic Natural Healthcare, Nutritional Healthcare and Homeopathic Healthcare for those interested in broadening their natural healthcare study knowledge, whilst the NZ Traditional Herbology courses were created by Malcolm Harker, a Tohunga Rongoa, Natural Health Consultant, amongst other qualifications. These herbal courses offer three levels of traditional, botanical herbal study learning in which one can become qualified herbalist. The first stage is the Preliminary Traditional herbal course, then you can become qualified as a herbal practitioner with the Diploma in Herbal medicine. The third level, is the Master Herbal degree. Since Malcolm’s passing in 2017, his courses are now tutored by his protégé of over 20 years, Allan Ryan M.H.D.

Herbalism has an amazing history of traditional use, with a good 65% or more of the common medicinal drugs available these dys all stem from the science of herbs. Up until 1970, all Drug Pharmacopoeia prescription health was based on herbs and the original doctors were dispensing apothecary herbalists. In only a few decades the interest in study herbalism faded whilst pharmaceutical science stepped into the limelight, however not so much now as herbalism is finding favour again as science tries to find a balance between drug solutions and poisons. It’s all just the degree of prescription.

You can study for your own health, for the wellbeing of your family and friends, or take the big leap and establish yourself as a dispensing herbalist/tohunga rongoā – your choices are limitless.

It is our aim to make these courses as accessible and affordable as possible to all, so that the cycle of natural knowledge may continue to live on through the generations.

  • Our courses are all done via correspondence.
  • One can enrol at any time, with no restrictions on how long you take to complete your course.
  • No previous qualifications are required.
  • Ideal for those who want to embrace natural health & wellbeing in any way, shape or form.
  • Presents a solid background for natural health industry employment.
  • Certification covers you under the 1981 Medicines Act to dispense.
  • We have an International World Indigenous standard on holistic education, allowing your qualifications to be recognized worldwide.

Join us in taking the next step towards studying a healthier way of living not only for yourself, but for those around you, too.