The Arctos Herbal Immersion Program is an invitation to those who want to steep themselves in the magic and medicine of plants and place. In this life-shifting 250-hour course, our time is split between the forest, kitchen, garden, and classroom as we gain hands-on experience and develop practical herbal healing skills to last a lifetime.
The course provides a thorough foundation in herbal materia medica, botanical identification, plant energetics, and medicine-making in a participatory, engaging setting. Our field trips comprise almost half of the classes: They will uncover hidden gems of the Pacific Northwest, showing off fancy flowers and marvelous mushrooms as we wildcraft and tend medicinal
and edible plants. Guest instructors expand the focus to include in-depth forays into special topics such as emergency first responder skills, community grief support, and ethical native plant propogation.
Our herbal journey will begin with the fundamentals: hands-on medicine making, herbal energetics, ecology, and botanical identification. From there, we’ll sprinkle in garden ecosystems, forest foraging, and different approaches to sustainable wildcrafting and tending ecosystems as we explore the systems of the body, from digestion to circulation. At the peak of summer blossoms, we’ll go on a group camping trip, harvesting and creating medicine together. Acute herbal treatment and first aid skills will be covered, both in the field and in the classroom. We’ll engage with sensory experience and each person’s innate somatic wisdom, utilizing both knowledge and our senses to learn about plants and their phytochemistry.
As we transition into late summer and autumn, we’ll dive into kitchen witchery, explore the meaning of reciprocity in herbalism, delve into the wonders of mushroom hunting, and discuss generative organ health. We’ll talk about formulating herbs, case studies, and pragmatic skills for working with people. To put their herbal skill set to use, students will research and give an informal presentation on a health condition of their choosing. At the end of the term, students will have a strong grasp of herbal concepts, a deep knowledge of our bioregional materia medica, and the tools and the confidence to create their own apothecary and serve as a health and first aid resource for their community.
There are many approaches to herbalism; this course is designed from a queer, feminist perspective in which weeds are embraced and wild is wonderful. In the field, we cultivate a sense of place and a relationship with the land. In the kitchen, we home in on accessible remedies and foundational principles that can be adapted almost anywhere using what’s at hand. Our focus is deeply seasonal and bioregional, stressing sustainability, stewardship, connection, and reciprocity. Students reap the rewards of in-person, hands-on learning through their confidence in making home remedies and their connectedness to both land and their learning community.
The Herbal Immersion Program is taught by Missy Rohs and features Gradey Proctor, Candace Larson, Abigail Singer, Alex Rae, and other guest teachers. It meets Wednesdays and Thursdays (10am-4pm), April through October, for a total of 250 hours of instruction.
The total cost of the 2026 HIP is $3750 with the early-bird registration plan (available before December 31) and $4150 after that. A payment plan is available at no additional cost. There is a modest scholarship available to BIPOC (Black people, Indigenous people, & people of color) students; inquire for details.
Herbal Immersion Program 2026 dates:
April 1, 2
April 8, 9
April 15, 16
April 22, 23
April 29, 30
-break-
May 27, 28
June 3, 4
June 10, 11
June 17, 18
June 23-25 (camping)
-break-
July 22, 23
July 29, 30
August 5, 6
August 12, 13
August 19, 20
-break-
September 16, 17
September 23, 24
September 30, October 1
October 7, 8
October 14, 15
Class is held from 10am-4pm Wednesdays & Thursdays in and around Portland, Oregon. On field trip days, which are usually Wednesdays, we'll carpool to our destination, which will add additional time to the day.
Herbal Immersion Program: Registration
Our 2026 registration will open on October 15! We’d love to have you join us. Reach out by clicking the “request an interview” button to schedule a time to chat with Missy about next year’s Herbal Immersion Program. She’ll talk about the program in more depth and answer any questions that you have.