90 – What People have said about the Herbalism, PTSD and Traumatic Stress Course

Welcome to the Frontline Herbalism Podcast with your host Nicole Rose from the

Solidarity Apothecary.

This is your place for all things plants and

liberation.

Let's get started.

Welcome back to the Frontline Herbalism Podcast.

I hope you have had a listen to the previous episodes where I have been ranting and raving

about the herbalism PTSD and traumatic stress course.

So if you haven't checked them out, I recorded a kind of episode all about the sliding scale

and yeah how the solidarity places or like the free places work.

I've also recorded a show all about the content, kind of in quite a lot of depth about

how the course is structured, the sorts of materials you get,

things like that and a little bit about the bonuses.

So unfortunately you've missed the the waiting list bonus in the sense of potentially winning

one of these amazing kind of packages of herbal medicines.

But the first day bonus is still there and also the 10% discount code.

So if you join the waiting list by Friday like before the course starts, then on Friday I'll

email out a 10 off code that you can use if you are paying full price like you know,

can save you a bunch of money.

And yeah, for anyone who signs up on the first

day you are entered into a kind of lottery and someone will win a free place on my practical

medicine making course in June which is like a three day course all about how to make herbal

medicine.

Anyway, I won't talk about that now.

I just, yeah, I've only got limited time while

my mum looks after Lee and I wanted to share about what others have said about the course.

I know testimonials can be kind of powerful to read.

I also, you know, I'm one of those people that over researches everything so if I'm going to

order anything online I will always look at reviews and stuff and like my partner's just

like oh Nicole, just buy the thing.

But yeah, I thought I would share some of the reviews which are on the course page and yeah

and just kind of use them as an option as a way to talk about the course a little bit

more.

So yeah, you can see these, so you can see all of these online.

But yeah, I thought I would start with an amazing human called Glena who came on,

actually came on the practical medicine making course as well.

She wrote highly recommend Learning from Nicole's Teaching.

Learning from Solidarity Path Korea.

Nicole's teaching style is so accessible and

the curriculum she designs highlights the need for collective action against state violence

and systemic issues whilst cultivating practices of self care.

This Isn't another capitalist self care course centering individual wellness?

This is proper embodied lead practice and real community care skills.

Go check out Nicole's books and courses and support her work in prison, abolition and

medicine.

Making for refugees with a little rose.

Oh, so thank you for that.

Yeah.

And then another,

more recent one Sophia wrote.

Before this course I was dealing with a lot of shame about my activated symptoms and

inability to function at a high level.

I put a lot of responsibility on myself alone

for how I was being affected by numerous systems of oppression within our society.

I also felt as though I was drowning out of control in my body and unable to rely on

anyone for support in times of grief or stress.

It's been beyond helpful and healing to hear Nicole break down the contributors to these

states of stress in an honest and non pathologizing way.

I now feel like I understand myself and this world better.

I feel so comforted that I can turn to herbs for gentle support at any time and I feel like

I have someone on my side.

I have been making many different teas and I'm

learning how to make medicines gradually over time.

Outside of emotional stuff, I'm a huge nerd and love geeking out and learning about all

the different herbs and ways to make medicine.

It's so cool.

I'm so excited to share this knowledge with friends and loved ones and would highly

recommend this course to anyone seeking knowledge and gentle support.

So obviously I'm, you know, I'm sad that Sofia has said about how they're feeling.

I'm just going to use they for everyone because I don't know people's pronouns, just

FYI.

But yeah, like this is one of the things that the course does is it can help give you this

language and these tools to name how you're feeling and understand the sort of state that

you're in.

Like the kind of nervous system state.

Okay, so T said.

It's so clear how much thought has gone into

this course.

I knew it would be good, but it's exceeded my

expectations.

Nicole is not just incredibly knowledgeable,

but has a passionate integrity which is really clear in the course.

I really appreciate how accessible it is.

As someone who fluctuates with energy, focus

and stability.

I can pick up where I left off or continue to

revisit parts if I have a long gap.

There is no pressure or time sensitive demand placed on me which I really value and helps me

to learn.

Thank you so much Nicole.

I didn't realize like reading these out is going to like make me feel like,

like you know, like you have to really learn to take compliments if that makes sense.

Like it's an uncomfortable place.

But yeah, I am committed to trying to, yeah, get as many as people as possible really doing

this course because like I said, I really believe in it.

But yeah,

I like forgot that this would be a thing in this episode, if that makes sense.

But yeah, like I mentioned before, like the course is like designed to be as stress free

as possible, so you can pick it up and put it down.

You know, you can spend a whole weekend like binging material and then you can not look at

it for six months.

And then when something happens that's or you

need more support, you can revisit it.

You know, like I just want it to be nourishing for you.

Okay, so Michelle wrote.

I'd been studying herbalism for quite a while

when I came across Nicole's course, Herbalism, PTSD and Traumatic Stress.

I can say without a doubt that she delivers a ton of helpful content and honestly can feel

the energy she poured into creating this.

I have learned a lot and with the many resources she provides, I know this

information will be helpful to the clients I work with and myself.

I highly recommend the Herbalism, PTSD and Traumatic Stress course to anyone wanting to

explore this topic.

Thank you.

And then someone else called Nicole, same name

snap, says this course is thorough.

Not only does it contain a ton of plant

profiles or nervines, I've also learned a ton about herbalism, PTSD and the nervous system

in general.

Or from an anti capitalist, anti colonialism perspective that acknowledges the trauma of

both of these things and how we can heal from it.

All right,

so Peach wrote.

I wanted to thank Nicole for this absolutely

amazing course and space.

I was first introduced to her work via a

podcast with propaganda by the Seed and since have printed the Prisoner's Herbal.

Listened to her podcast, done the glycerite course, and now the Herbalism, PTSD and

Traumatic Stress course.

Amazing.

Also, like yeah, please check out that

podcast.

It's awesome.

What keeps me coming back is how much care and intention is put into each project she

creates.

I was looking for a space to deep dive into

herbalism without the toxicity of institutions or traditional learning spaces.

Nicole provided exactly what I was looking for.

I have filled a whole notebook with information and resources that I continuously

come back to.

I appreciate the balance of her being

extremely detailed with the content while also always trying her best to keep every course as

accessible and approachable as possible.

I would recommend this course or any other one to any of my friends looking to engage with

plants and how we can work with them.

Thank you.

So Carla said.

I've been slowly working my way through the

Herbalism for Trauma and PTSD course online and I'm so grateful for Nicole's approach and

care of the topics, intersections and the real world context in which she teaches.

I signed up for this to support myself and my community and also to learn and learn

alongside my practice in soul herbalism.

I have found the course so far to be

validating, inspiring, accessible and grounded.

I really appreciate how being able to read slides and listen to Nicole's explanations and

how she shares examples while always giving wider context.

Further reading and the disclaimer that there is no one answer to any of this work.

Thank you so much for creating such a fierce and compassionate herbalism course.

Thanks Carla, that's so sweet.

Yeah, I hope this isn't boring to listen to, but I just want to just emphasize that people

have got value from this course.

They have been transformed by this course and

I just hope it can also support you.

So yeah, someone called Llewellyn,

I'm sorry if I mispronounced your name wrong,

has written as a trauma informed queer anarchist.

One focus of my approach to botanical medicine is through trans healthcare and general mental

health support for my communities.

The herbalism, PTSD and traumatic stress

course feels like it was handcrafted just for folks like me.

I think it was, to be honest.

Anyway, the course course's deep dive into the

nature of trauma pulls from classic sources and new approaches emphasizing how trauma

affects the body and the impact of state violence in its many forms.

The suggested resources beyond the core class are incredible.

There is a thorough yet not overwhelming exploration of the nervous system that is both

ideal for new folks to anatomy and physiology and a wonderful refresher for those of us who

need one.

Nicole has a beautiful, uncompromising, relationship based approach to working with

plants and people that I really resonate with.

It's boundlessly refreshing to see radical

vitalism expressed in such an accessible anarchist way.

There is an invitation to do deep work here that feels like an essential part of self care

slash community care that will continue to have a massive impact on me moving forward.

Oh,

that's like one of my favorite reviews.

Yeah, I think because like yeah, I did just

want.

I just wanted to try and achieve all those

things, you know, of like something that brought in the science but also brought in the

politics that also brought in their sort of like witchy relationship animistic.

You know, plants are alive.

Like we build relationships, we Are plants

element, you know, where there is this balance of like, self care and like attending to your

own needs and not neglecting yourself, but also like always being focused outwards and,

you know, caring for other people.

And yeah, it's definitely like what I was.

Yeah.

Trying to.

Trying to achieve.

Okay, so Ellie has written, I know like loads of Ellie's.

There's like so many Ellie's booked on practical medicine course.

There's like four people whose names begin with L. And I'm like, so just like severely

dyslexic.

I was just like, oh God, like, how is this gonna work?

Anyway, so Ellie has written this course was so helpful to me both as someone studying

herbalism and personally.

Nicole has such a lovely, jargon free way of explaining things.

There are some concepts of both herbalism and the way our bodies work that I have never been

able to get to grips with before that were made clear to me with this course.

I really appreciate the way Nicole takes time to acknowledge different people's experiences,

include trigger warnings and acknowledgements when speaking on herbs that don't come from

her lineage, which can be really rare in the herbalism world.

I really recommend this course to anyone working with patients in any holistic therapy

role, as well as anyone looking for ways to support themselves with their own trauma.

Thank you, Ellie.

Okay. And then, yeah,

someone called Lex shared that this course has been really important and empowering for me.

Learning about trauma and how to work with nervines had changed a lot in how I understand

myself and the people around me on a daily basis.

It's a journey that has already brought me so much as a person with adhd.

This worked perfect for me.

Being able to choose my own moments to learn

while knowing I can always send an email if something is unclear.

I would recommend this course and, you know, like, I would kind of, I guess, identify as

like, neurotypical.

I mean, I am dyslexic, but yeah, like, I have

tried to like, design something that is accessible in terms of like, neurodiversity.

And you know, my partner has ADHD and like, yeah, for him, like, being able to like, go

with the flow, right? Go with the focus, go with the interests.

Like, oh, I'm really interested in this thing.

I'll just dive really deep into that versus, like, you have to do this by this rigid

timetable and conform and like, that's why I've tried to create something that's like,

very spacious for people so that they can like, skip around and like, follow their kind

of deeper interest.

I Am thinking of updating the course though with things on plants about them being

different for people with different neurodiversity.

I mean, I emphasize that all plants are different for everyone, like regardless.

But yeah, I've been having some interesting like Instagram conversations about nervines

and how some relaxants are stimulating for people with adhd, for example.

And oh yeah, I was talking about maybe doing like some sort of survey.

So like if you, yeah.

Are a herbalist and you're interested in that,

like let me know and maybe we could collaborate because yeah, I'm very fascinated

with how plants work differently for everyone.

Okay.

Joannie, sorry if I've mispronounced your name.

Said there are courses you know you need to take and this is one of those.

As someone with PTSD and someone who looks to help people move through pain, I found this

course invaluable.

It has given me new ways to explore my herbie friends.

And Sophie wrote the herbalism and PTSD course has been a really eye opening experience for

me.

Until I started this course, I didn't

understand how most of the course I'd read centered such a western perspective on trauma

and how problematic this is.

It has also been a vital resource for helping me understand the relationship between

colonialism and psychiatry and how current healing modalities do not serve working class

people and anti capitalist struggles.

The way she approaches the herbalist aspects of the course and her wider work is inspiring

and respectful of plants themselves and the environments they are part of.

Since starting this course, I have developed a deeper relationship with plants and my local

habitat.

I've begun making my own medicine and using

them as ways of supporting my own health and well being and my friends.

I love that this course has an individual self care aspect to it and offers this as a

framework with which to approach herbalism.

I have found other courses to be out of my

price range, but the fact that Nicole offers this course at such a reduced rate is.

Is a gift.

I would encourage anyone who is interested in

herbalism and trauma to do this course.

It's been an inspiring and informative

introduction for me.

Thank you Nicole.

And yeah, whenever anyone writes that they've like developed a deeper relationship with

plants, like I literally just want to cry because like that's all I want.

Like I just want people to fall in love with herbs, you know.

Okay. Malcolm, who is an amazing human based in so called Australia and a lovely supporter,

I get lots of nice supportive emails from him, has written.

I'm finding the course both fascinating and confronting.

It's Perfect.

Thanks for putting together such an epic piece

of herbal teaching.

And then Larissa wrote, I'm only partway through this course, but so far, it's been

good.

I appreciate how Nicole has pulled together

the information on how trauma affects our bodies and the emphasis she places on how we

can do something to help ourselves instead of merely being trapped in the disaster that's

left behind.

Her suggestions of how to connect with plants are inspiring.

Yeah, and I think maybe that is a difference with my course.

It's like.

It is very like, diy.

Like, you know, learn this, get stuck in, put this into practice, experiment with yourself.

Like, you know, find your own plants, your own crew kind of thing.

And, like, yeah, like, I think a lot of herbalism training can be, like, quite

prescriptive.

Prescriptive of, like, it's my way or the

highway kind of thing.

Or, oh, you're not ready for that.

You haven't studied this, this, and this

before.

You can do that kind of thing.

And, like, yeah, like, I think I'm trying to create something, like, much more liberating,

if that makes sense.

Okay. So ISIS said,

I signed up for this course because I work with people who are unhoused, under housed, or

in vulnerable situations.

And I couldn't find any information on how to

approach care from a herbalist perspective.

I have been following Nicole's works for years.

She is my go to for anything relating to plant medicine.

Her years of experience and intersectional approach make her perspective very unique.

The language is always very accessible, and I appreciate the ability to take her courses at

my own pace.

I would highly recommend this course for

anyone interested in community care, intersectionality, and herbalism.

I learned so much from every sentence Nicole writes.

Oh, my God.

That is so sweet.

Thank you.

I'm just really aware that there is just,

like,

like, literally loads of testimonials on this page.

I'm just not sure if I can actually read.

Read them all out.

Yeah, maybe.

Maybe I will pick and choose.

Or.

Yeah, you know what? For accessibility purposes, I'm gonna keep

reading them.

But if you are like, yeah, I hear what you're

saying.

I've heard enough testimonials.

I just want to emphasize now that the course is open this Saturday, the of March.

Please join the email list.

Like, you can find the link to it in the show

notes.

That means it's literally just an email list,

the waiting list.

So I'll be able to, like, contact you

consistently while the course is open, remind you when it's closing, which lots of people

appreciate,

because you know, life is really busy.

So yeah, please check out the course page.

You'll find these testimonials like written as text.

And yeah, I'm just gonna.

I'm just gonna continue like reading through

these because I think it is nice for people that can read giant bits of text, if that

makes sense.

So yeah.

So the next one is from Emily.

They wrote, the Herbalism and PTSD course has really broadened and deepened my knowledge of

herbs and herbalism.

I was only anticipating to learn about

specific herbs that help with trauma, but Nicole goes far beyond just that, sharing tons

of knowledge such as about how herbs interact with bodies differently through tissue states

and much more.

If, like me, you've dabbled in making tinctures for yourself but want to go deeper

in a thorough, comprehensive but manageable way, this is great course to do that.

Thank you.

Emily and Andrea wrote, I enrolled in the course from Solary Apothecary and have been

absolutely blown away by this course.

As a herbalist who themselves has CPC PTSD

that's complex post Traumatic stress disorder, I found the contact content to not only be

invaluable as a clinician, but also has been incredibly medicinal personally as well.

Nicole has put together the information in such a conscientious way with clear content

warnings and then so graciously and gently handles some of the most difficult subjects we

face as humans with honesty, awareness and compassion.

I have deeply appreciated her consistent decentering and challenging of the traditional

western perspectives that have been so loud and persistent in the mental health and

wellness field.

Bravo.

The content is well researched with meticulous attention paid to citing and crediting

sources.

I love the variety of perspectives offered from both their personal experiences and then

the thoughts and voices of folks I've not yet had the privilege to know.

I am also the biggest fan of sliding scale structures and I found this course be one of

the most accessible.

I have taken from pricing the graphics right

down to Nicole describing the memes and images used and offerings and offering places to

break and catch one's breath.

I am very grateful to have stumbled upon Solidarity apothecary in this course.

Keep up the great work, Nicole.

It is so desperately needed in the world.

Thank you for being here.

Thank you for joining the course.

Okay. Alora has written I am admittedly not all the way through it, but so far I love this

course.

It is very extensive and thorough and looks at

trauma from a different perspective.

I have taken a few trauma informed classes, but most just focus on individual trauma.

I like how this class touches on shared Traumas or collective traumas.

Looking at it from that lens is important.

And eye opening to the trauma some of my clients might experience.

And even trauma I didn't realize I shared.

I am so happy I signed up and I know I will be

using this information for years to come.

Thank you.

Okay, so Lucy wrote, I signed up for the course because I had been let down so many

times by mental health services in my area, and I wanted to take control of my quote

unquote recovery.

I'm really sorry to hear that.

What's amazing about the course is that you

can do it in your own time.

I was able to put it down when I had a period

of very bad mental health and pick it back up again when I was ready.

The course has also helped me get a better understanding of political and societal

structures,

Feed into and interact with trauma.

It's helped me feel more connected to the

world around me and given me purpose as I have started engaging deeper with abolitionist

movements.

Amazing.

Herbalism is something I grew up with, but have never had.

But I never explored the intricacies of it.

It Science was never my strong suit.

But the course makes complex topics really easy to understand.

My new plant knowledge has helped me feel closer to the land and the plants that grow

around me.

I have made a Hawthorne tincture using

directions from the course.

Yay.

And it really helps me when I'm feeling anxious.

It is so empowering to be able to make medicine for myself and for it to work.

I feel like I have finally have control over my body and I have the power to help myself

rather than having to rely on others.

I would absolutely recommend this course to anyone who wants to learn more about

herbalism,

who wants to learn more about how herbalism can support you if you've experienced trauma.

But also for anyone who wants to understand how society in the so called west wasn't built

to benefit traumatized people.

Okay, I think that might have just finished me off.

Thank you so much for sharing that, Lucy.

And I'm so grateful that like,

yeah, this feeling of like, being able to, like, help yourself has is there because I

think,

yeah, that's what's so, so kind of dehumanizing and humiliating.

Right? About trauma and PTSD and stuff.

Is that like you feel so powerless, like you don't feel like you can change it, change how

you're feeling and that you have to like, interact with like, a lot of like, quote

unquote professionals who make you feel like.

Who make you feel small, who make you feel stupid, like you can't cope with the world.

So yeah, it's just really.

Yeah, herbs have really helped me in that

respect and I just love that they can do that for other people.

Right.

I'm just gonna take a little pause and then I

will read the rest of them.

All right.

So Aquino said and sorry if I've mispronounced

your name wrong.

I was 17 and grew up in a conservative region

in Germany.

I didn't have access to therapy around 10

years later.

I had some years of therapy but the person was

not trauma informed.

I connected with some anti psychiatry people but I found it too short sighted to just say

abolish psychiatry as it saved my life twice.

I really liked your course because it helped

me to get a progressive and validating perspective on trauma and quote unquote post

traumatic stress that has helped me shift my view in helpful ways.

Also, I love the vast amount of resources.

I also like the practical connection with

herbs and herbalism.

Unfortunately in Germany all things herbalists have to be scanned thoroughly for right wing

esoteric connections.

I was so glad to find a source of progressive

ideas on plants and herbalism.

I really like that you have put much effort into making stuff accessible like having

video, audio, transcript, etc. I also laughed about your readings of the contents of single

herbs.

It added some humor because you were also laughing about yourself.

English is my second language so I couldn't do it any better and don't know the quote unquote

correct pronunciation.

Anyway, I also learned a lot about the prison industry which is not something I knew about

before.

Knew a lot about before.

So basically like I read the herbal constituents out right and like they're just

like gobbledygook to my brain.

And I have heard herbal teachers obviously talk about them.

I've heard them in podcasts, but I still can't pronounce them for so the lot of the first

beginning of the profiles is just me laughing at myself and apologizing.

So yeah, that's the thing.

Okay, so JK wrote being part of the herbalism

PTSD and Traumatic stress course was incredibly empowering and inspiring for me.

It helped give me confidence and motivation to make remedies for my own day to day and night

challenges.

I cannot recommend the course enough for those new or experienced, giving students a positive

rooting in the political framing of stress and trauma.

Thank you so much for making this course accessible for learning and also financially.

Yay. All right.

And then I have quite a nice long testimonial

here from someone called Sol So they wrote.

First of all, thank you for this course.

It profoundly inspired me.

I had quite some knowledge of herbalism that I've acquired through other courses and mostly

on the field while living in zads and rural squats.

That's like a land occupation.

I struggle.

I struggled a lot in the past to bring a

political dimension into the world of herbal medicine.

As everywhere around me, this practice seemed to be associated with white middle class

people or new age tendencies which I cannot stand.

Through your course I finally acquired some tools to better argue that herbalism is

political and that plants can be badass can be political badass allies for what concern the

part more specifically linked with trauma, PTSD and its manifestations in the body.

I have to say that I learned tons.

I've never had courses about such topics even

though I am quite familiar with them through personal experience.

As I evolve in queer, anarchist, anti psychiatrist places where trauma is very

present, it still felt a bit of a superficial like the tip of the iceberg.

Perhaps I would have appreciated more space given to childhood trauma and to more complex

trauma dynamics as these are so present around me, but overall it was a great introduction on

the subject.

The second part, talking more in depth about herbalism, was also a very nice introduction.

I love the DIY vibe as I think it gives power back to people and so yeah, if you wanted to

make a tincture you can just fill a jar with plants and cover it with alcohol.

I love that most of the plants you mentioned grow wildly in Western Europe where your

lineages are from.

This said, quite some plants don't grow wildly

there, so it was a bit frustrating to learn in depth about plants when you don't have the

privilege to grow them or buy them.

I think I would have stuck to wild plants only.

Maybe a bit more space could have been given to the appropriate doses for each plant in all

its possible forms.

Another tiny note is about the fact that the glycerin we buy is produced by a deadly

industrial complex.

This is something people should be aware of,

however it is possible to make your own glycerin.

I would have loved a small explanation about this or at least a link.

Perhaps you mention it in your other course about glycerin medicine, but I have not taken

it.

Thanks for all their critiques.

I adored this course and encourage everyone

who is touched and or interested by these subjects to take it.

I honestly was sad when the course ended and it inspired me to know even more.

Thank you infinitely for having shared your knowledge and experience.

It inspired me to do the Same love and anarchism.

Woohoo.

So yeah, like that is something I explore in

the Making Herbal Medicine with Glycerin course.

I talk about the how glycerin is produced in a kind of like industrial scale and a small

scale and how people can make their own glycerin.

Just side plug.

I can actually hear my baby crying.

So I'm gonna go again and then come back and record more of these.

Thanks so much for listening thing.

I am so sorry I got completely sidetracked

with the baby.

Yeah, long story, teething is a thing and it's painful and he just wants his mum, so that's

fine.

But yeah, I think I'm gonna have to call it a

day, sadly on this episode.

But you can find all of the testimonials on the course page.

You can read what other people have, you know, their experiences of their course and

hopefully that will encourage you and influence you to feel like maybe it's

something that might be right for you and where you're at right now.

Yeah. Check out a link in the show notes like I mentioned at the beginning of the episode.

Please join the waiting list if you can.

So I've got your email so I can keep reminding

you about the course until I close it again.

And yeah, just thanks so much for giving me your time today.

Really, really, really excited to start doing more episodes with like higher quality kind of

herbal content, if that makes sense.

We just visited a nursery this week.

So yeah, I'm gonna be getting more sort of

consistent like opportunities to work come sort of September.

So yeah, just kind of hold out till then and do my best.

And I know people that are listening that have babies, like completely understand.

But yeah, I am, I am still here.

I'm trying really hard with the apothecary to

keep it going.

And yeah, thankfully this course is really hands off so people can kind of just crack on

with it without my kind of input, if that makes sense.

And I'm still posting out care packages.

Amazing.

Volunteers are still sending the prisoners

herbals books.

I've got loads of plans for the future.

So yeah, thank you so much for your future.

For your future.

Thank you so much for your time and yeah, please check out the course.

Okay, take care, Bye.

Thanks so much for listening to the Frontline

Herbalism podcast.

You can find the transcript, the links, all the resources from the

show@solidarityapothecary.org podcast.