Time and time again, we hear that people are priced out of herbal care and education. People want common sense healthcare solutions that integrate herbalism with Western Medicine and other modalities. People want to be nourished and have agency in their wellbeing and healing. Yet, Clinical Western Herbalism may feel mysterious or be unaffordable. Meanwhile, the cost of healthcare and cost of living is skyrocketing, and our most vulnerable community members are being left behind.

We are proud to announce that Gathering Thyme Herb School is launching our Virtual Student-Run Free Herbal Clinic. Our experienced students will have a chance to flex their 600 hours of instruction with one-on-one herbal consultations with anyone seeking herbal care, overseen by myself and my esteemed colleague and co-teacher Rylan Sian. Rylan brings a breadth of knowledge from many years of running clinics, teaching herbalism, working in healthcare management and advocacy, and a lifetime as a queer community organizer. He’s also the owner of North Wind Apothecary in San Francisco, where he is a strong advocate of local biomes and ancestral remedies, sustainability and de-colonization, as well as progressive medical advancement.

You can help bring herbalism to marginalized people in Marin! At first, our clinic will be open Mondays and fully virtual. We ask that clients pay what they can if they are able with those funds enabling us to keep the cost of herbal remedies low/free. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. We will be opening in March, but between now and then, we have a wish-list that will allow us to root, grow and bloom into the new year!

If you know of a space in Marin or Sonoma County that will support our growing classes, events, and clinic, that comes with a kitchen and space for gardens, please let us know!

Your tax-deductible donation will fuel our passion in connecting all people to the power of herbal medicine. Specifically, monetary donations will go towards:

• Clinic furniture & supplies
• Apothecary furniture and supplies including but not limited to scales, cylinders, bottles, etc..
• Dried bulk organic herbs
• Tinctures and Glycerites

We are thrilled to finally have this dream of community medicine come true and we know this could not have happened without the support from all our herb people, kitchen mavens, community organizers, and plant people! Thank you to everyone who has supported our vision along the way, we could not have our brick and mortar and herb school without you, our community. We look forward to continuing to collaborate as we near the launch, from community outreach to best practices and beyond.

With love and gratitude,

Cheryl Fromholzer (she/her)
Clinical Herbalist & Director of Herbal Education at Gathering Thyme School of Western Herbalism

If you prefer to donate by check, please send your contribution to Gathering Thyme School of Western Herbalism 501c3, 1332 4th Street, San Rafael, CA 94901 with "Clinic Donation" in the memo.  

Gathering Thyme School of Western Herbalism is a nonprofit corporation exempt from federal tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service #86-1297004.