Classes
As the only surviving descendant of an oral herbal tradition passed from woman to woman, Denise Joy celebrates her family's herbal lineage. She honors the path of life connected with place and community. She has served Port Townsend as well as the rest of the world as an herbalist and practitioner of herbal medicine for over 35 years with her home-based business, Mountain Spirit Herbal Co.
Denise Joy offers a full array of classes. These are classes that have been taught in the past and they can be tailored to meet your community’s needs. To enquire about inviting Denise to teach a class at your workshop, festival or other community gathering, please contact her and include the dates and number of people interested in the class. Herbal apprentice and advanced herbal apprentice classes happen annually on her land.
All other classes can be arranged by any interested party by making the arrangements and contacting Denise with the date you are interested in and a list of others interested in attending. The minimum number of students required to set up a class is 6. Please plan accordingly as she is not always available.
Each individual class—base fee of $50.00 per person, is based on class size of 6–8, plus travel expenses (fees can be negotiated if needed).
Classes range from 2–3 hours each, but full-day workshops can also be arranged at additional cost.
CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS
ASTHMA AND OTHER LUNG CONDITIONS
Asthma is a plague of the modern world and the by-product of our life style. There are many different types of Asthma. I will cover some of the causes related to Asthma and other lung conditions.
- Wet conditions
- Dry conditions
- Herbs that work well with the different types and also diet
- Coughing, dry hacking, wet coughing
- Wheezing
- Gasping/ shortness of breath
- Chest tightness
- Allergic reactions/ strong orders and sprays
- Exercise induced
- Occupational
HERBAL NERVINE TONICS
Learn the herbs used for things such as restless leg syndrome, trouble sleeping, body aches, heartache and depression. There are many plants to suggest as herb relaxants or nervines. Each herb has its own way of working with different parts of the body. We will work with chamommile, catnip, California poppy, lemon balm, lobelia, milky oats, motherwort, oat straw, skullcap, St. John’s wort, and cannabis, as well as supporting herbs like cardamom, Oregon grape root, and hawthorn.
In this class we will cover herbs that work for simple as well as more complex relaxation and central nervous issues, how they calm the body, and why one would choose one over another.
THE HERBAL ROSE
Learn why we are drawn to roses. We give them as gifts to express love, we wear their essential oil to enhance our aroma. We offer them as condolences to those grieving. How did this all come into existence?
Roses lend themselves to being eaten, sniffed, made into oils, salves, creams, medicine, bandages, and tonics for the heart. They are incorporated into myth and legend, woven into tales and history, are symbols of our spiritual practices and art. They represent our loves and our loves lost and they inspire, uplift and most of all give us pleasure by their beauty.
In this class we will examine the history of the rose and all it’s many uses and we will decoct a rose cream which is beneficial for softening and smoothing the skin.
BASIC HERBAL REMEDIES MAKING SERIES
Come learn the basic processes involved in making balms, tinctures, soaps, and proper blending of tea and bath herbs. Usually taught as a series, each class provides hands-on opportunities to make products, as well as a wealth of information about when to use each herbal remedy appropriately. Classes may also be offered as stand-alone workshops.
BASIC FIRST AID
Herbal First Aid class teaches you how to find the herbs you need in an emergency growing around your home and in nature. An ideal first aid kit should prepare you for a variety of uses – a short hiking trip, a long backpacking trip, camping, a day at the park, or a drive across the country and of course home use.
You will learn:
- How to build a first aide kit:
- How to make a healing Balm:
- How to make a Simple Tincture:
- How to make a Poultice:
- Herbs and Essential oils for your First aide kit:
We will also talk about traditional bandaids and other things to include in your kits. as well as about personal Kits to meet your Family needs
WOMEN’S HERBS FROM MENSTRUATION THROUGH MENOPAUSE
Learn to prevent basic women’s health problems through diet and herbs. This class is usually a series but can also be broken into workshops.PART ONE—From the first moon time through child bearing. We’ll discuss herbs for balancing hormones and ways to deal with PMS, cramps and heavy bleeding. Discover which herbs are good for increasing fertility, pre- and post-natal care, and women’s basic health through diet and herbs.
PART TWO—Peri-menopausal through menopause. We’ll discuss herbs for heavy flows, and prevention herbs and diet for women-related conditions. We will cover hot flashes, disappearing flows, and many other hormonal-related changes in our aging women’s bodies.
BASIC SOAP MAKING CLASS
Come learn the basic processes involved in making soaps. This class provides a hands-on opportunity, learning to work with lye and oils to create a soap that works for you and your family. We can make an olive oil soap, or a shampoo bar with olive oil as the base, and we will also touch on infused oils. This is a 2–3 hour class. Come away with your own soap (great gifts)!
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS
Classes are taught at Mountain Spirit, on my land and in the fields around the area. At the end of each course there is a certificate of completion; this has been used in the local high school for class credits and also some colleges.
BEGINNING HERBAL APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM
- Mountain Spirit Presents:
- BEGINNING HERBAL APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.
- Class starts September 20, 2023, till March 20,2024
- We meet each Wednesday 10:00 am -12:30 pm
- $50 nonrefundable deposit is required at sign-up.
- Some work trade available contact Denise, 2 spaces open. Must prove need.
- Basic Herbal Remedy Making
- Food Herbs for Prevention of Illness
- Growing and Cultivation of Herbs in the Pacific Northwest
- Women’s Herbs from Menstruation through Menopause
- Male Herbs
- Basic Herbal First Aid Kits—personalized for your family’s needs
- After completing this course, you will have a basic understanding of using herbs for your health and body’s needs, and herbal remedies of basic ailments for yourself and family members.
There will be hands-on projects such as making salves, creams, tinctures, soap and more. Harvesting gardens, such as Hawthorn berries and elecampane. Also planting herbs. There will be homework of 6 to 8 herbs a week followed by question-and-answer time, and a review of each week’s herbal homework. - Fees are $60 per class. $1,200. Per season $450. Per trimester every 8 classes.
- High school students attend for free (2 spaces per year) serious students only.
- Class size limit is 12.
- Register at the Port Townsend Farmer’s Market at Mountain Spirit booth,
- Phone: 360-385-4491, Email mtnspirit@olympus.net, or Web page.
- Teacher: Denise Joy is a fourth-generation herbalist whose education was begun by her great-grandmother at age 8. For over 37 years she has owned and operated Mountain Spirit Herbals, and makes, grows, and wild crafts much of the herbs.
Class fee is $1,000 or $100 per class. Payments or work-trade arrangements can be made. An interview is required before sign-up. Minimum class size is 4 students.
After completing this course you will have a basic understanding of using herbs for your health and body’s needs, and how to remedy basic ailments.
• Combination Herbal Remedy Making and Herbs for Prevention of Illness
• Growing and Cultivation of Herbs in the Pacific Northwest
• Women’s Herbs from Menstruation through Menopause
• Male Herbs
• FDA Requirements
This class is conducted over 12 weeks. We will meet one afternoon per week. This is an intensive academic class. There will be homework after each class and a review the following week. This class is not available every year.