Teresa Boardwine, RH (AHG)
Founder of Green Comfort School of Herbal Medicine
Teresa is a dynamic teacher on health and wellness. Her approach is professional, warm and down to earth. She presents medicinal information in lay terms, in a way that is fun and easy to understand. In all of her programming, she teaches how to implement changes by integrating herbs, foods and supplements necessary to achieve optimal health and wellbeing.
Teresa teaches and conducts clinical consultations at Green Comfort School of Herbal Medicine. Her passion for connecting people with plants is infectious as she teaches the science and art of Herbal Medicine. Infused with knowledge gained from California School of Herbal Studies, her work as an herbal educator at Smile Herb Shop and as co- founder/instructor at Dreamtime Center for Herbal Studies, she is an accomplished herbalist whose teachings reflect real life experiences gained by 20 years of clinical practice.
Teresa is a professional member of the American Herbalist Guild who has lectured for national conferences such as Medicines from the Earth Symposium, Southeast Women’s Herbal Conference, North Carolina Herb Conference, UVA, Monticello Fall Harvest Festival, and National Natural Pharmacy Association. She has authored 2 books; Cordially Yours and Herbal Spa with an accompanying DVD of recipes.
Teachers of Herbalism
Gratitude for Teachers along my Green Path,
My path has intersected with some of the most amazing herb teachers in North America, and I am glad to be affiliated with them. When we gather at conferences it is empowering to share information, stories and support for one another. Our herb community holds a great variety of ways to practice herbalism and many ways to teach herbal medicine. I am thankful that so many outstanding herbalists have influenced my path. I honor each of them, confident the wisdom they shared will continue to be reflected in my teachings.
The first herbalist that I met was Chanchal Cabrera, in 1990 Dominion Herbal College in Vancouver, Canada. I knew then I had found my path!
The next year I attended The California School of Herbal Studies. David Hoffmann taught phytochemistry, we used his Theraputic Herbalism text, and he became my mentor. I still use his book Medical Herbalism as a textbook in Green Comfort’s Foundations class. James Green, author of The Herbal Medicine Maker’s Handbook was the medicine maker and James Snow was the visiting herbalist who demonstrated percolation. Michael Moore, now the late, great, came as a visiting instructor for two weeks and taught his Western energetics for which he was well known. The teacher who gave us so much, impressed me with the depth of her knowledge and wisdom, Amanda McQuade Crawford, has continued to be my teacher and now my colleague. Her books including, Herbal Remedies for Women, are excellent books for a variety of female issues.
Matthew Wood has taught his energetic system here at Green Comfort and my former school Dreamtime. After over 20 years of knowing Matt, I am now sharing the Six Tissue States in my teaching. He continues to teach me through his books, Book of Herbal Wisdom and The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism and many others. He drops by for classes and spontaneous lunches at Green Comfort, and we are always happy to learn from him.
Another gentleman who made a huge impact on me is Dr. James Duke. I went to the Amazon with him in 1994 and studied the native plants of the Amazon River Basin. I took groups of people to his Herbal Vineyard in Maryland and have referred to his books and databases for information and wisdom continually. His books Green Pharmacy and Prescription for Aging, are just a few of the many books he has written which are on my bookshelf. He will forever live in my heart as I hear his teaching through me, his songs and his stories.
Rosemary Gladstar, also has made a huge impact on my teaching as I originally taught from her curriculum, Art and Science of Herbology, and I continue to refer to her recipes and books for inspiration and truth. She is a real gift to herbal educators and holds wonderful conferences; International Herbal Symposium and Northeast Women’s Conference.
Other teachers I have studied with along the path include Stephen Buhner who gave us books such as Healing Lyme, Herbal Anti-biotics and Sacred Plant Medicine. Eliot Cowan author of Plant Spirit Medicine has also been a teacher and influence in my teaching of the five elements, pulse diagnostics and journeying to the plants.
My former business partner, Kathleen Maier and I co-founded and ran Dreamtime Center of Herbal Studies together for 7 years. We had wonderful students and teachers come through our programs. We also both had babies, so as we grew our business we grew our lives and will forever be family. I am so grateful we co-created, taught and developed curriculum together. Her school, Sacred Plant Traditions in Charlottesville, VA is only an hour away, so we continue to collaborate when we can.
So, to all who have come before us to show us the way, the ancient Greeks, the Eclectic Medical doctors, the herbal forefathers and foremothers; I am grateful. We have followed tradition and now have a vibrant herbal community with an incredibly strong lineage. Plants have been used all over the world as medicine from the beginning of time and today more than ever we appreciate their gifts.
I will continue to grow, expand my knowledge, gain wisdom, treat clients, listen to the plants, and weave all of my life experiences into my teachings. May all who come to Green Comfort seeking plant knowledge on the green path to herbal wisdom be transformed by the plants as they teach all of us.
