How Can a Clinical Herbalist at BHC Support My Health?

Are you interested in taking control of your health with the support of natural medicines, but you’re not sure where to start?

In this post you’ll learn about what we offer, what you can expect from an herbal consultation, and how the Berkeley Herbal Center Clinic can help you achieve your health and wellness goals.

Introducing the Berkeley Herbal Center Low-Cost Community Clinic

Do you ever wish your could receive more time, information, and support from your healthcare providers?

The Berkeley Herbal Center Clinic is here to support you.

There are very few herbal clinics in the country, and it is especially challenging to find integrative services at a cost you can afford. BHC has been offering low cost services to our local community since 1997.

Our student clinic has tended to thousands of people over the years and has a reputation throughout the Bay Area as an incredible health resource. A visit to our clinic is a wonderful opportunity to collaborate with a practicing herbalist to gain insight and education about herbs, your health, and nutrition plans that may be helpful to you.

What Do We Offer?

We offer holistic wellness consultations coupled with personalized herbal medicines.

Our goal is to deliver nourishing herbal remedies, tools, and resources that center the wisdom of earth.

At the BHC Herbal Clinic, our goal is to help you to take your healthcare into your own hands and feel sovereign in decisions about your well-being. We provide knowledge and resources to help you better understand any illnesses and imbalances that you face.

We recognize that chronic health conditions can be frustrating and hard to figure out.

That’s why we offer tools and training about dietary adjustments, herbs, supplements, and self care practices to help you with the ailments you are experiencing. We work with you to identify the root causes of  imbalances and to break patterns that keep them in place.

What Sets BHC Apart?

We spend the time it takes to individualize treatment.

We want our clients to feel comfortable, seen, and supported. Our clients appreciate the integrity, curiosity and acceptance we bring to every person who works with us.

Our clinicians take a holistic approach to guiding you and your body into an increased state of  balance. We address you as a whole person across the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of your life. All of these aspects contribute to your overall health and well being.

We source from local, sustainable growers and make our own medicine.

BHC offers an extensive herbal apothecary with high-quality, locally-sourced medicine made in house by our trained medicine makers. Our clinicians formulate herbal extracts, teas, oil blends and more with the herbs from our apothecary.

You’ll receive customized herbal formulas and a personalized wellness plan with recipes, nutrition recommendations, self-care & lifestyle suggestions. 

Our clinic interns have a minimum of 600 hours of herbal training under their belt.

All treatment plans are reviewed by faculty clinicians for safety.

Plant Wisdom and a Root Cause Approach

We address disease as dis-ease in the body. That means we focus on underlying imbalances and root causes in addition to addressing your current symptoms. 

Plant medicines have been used by every human culture that has ever existed, and medicine traditions have developed over thousands of years among every indigenous group. We believe you have a right to work with these gentle yet effective remedies.

We look to age-old plant wisdom, the guidance of the earth, and scientific research and understanding to inform a plan of care that is crafted for you.

What Illnesses and Conditions do Our Clinicians Work With?

Our clinicians are trained to work with a variety of ailments and are happy to support you with any new or pre-existing conditions you may have.

Understanding contraindications and herb interactions is an important part of the training process our clinicians receive. If there are concerns about side effects or interactions between herbs and any medications you take, we will work out a customized treatment plan that is appropriate for you.

We are also happy to talk with your doctor or healthcare practitioners about your plan of care so that you and your providers feel comfortable with our protocols. 

What Can You Expect During Your Consultation?

At the BHC clinic we take a personalized approach.

We’ll spend 1.5 – 2 hours with you during your first appointment, getting to know who you are and making sure we understand your needs. We start with a thorough intake session to get a clear picture of your ailments, past medical history, and constitution. We ask you questions about your self- care practices, diet, and go over every organ system with you to gain a better understanding of what is going on in your body. Finally, we complete a pulse and tongue assessment. These tools from Traditional Chinese Medicine give us even more information on the body’s imbalances.

After the intake your clinician will come up with a plan of care and consult with our clinic supervisors for guidance. With the supervisor’s approval, your herbalist will craft a personalized set of herbal medicine for you. This might include custom herbal extract formulas, teas, glycerites, infused oils, salves, or a flower essence blend. 

We recommend follow up visits 1-2 times a month for continued care and adjustments as your condition evolves.

What Does it Cost to See an Herbalist?

The initial intake consultation is $45 for a 1.5 – 2 hour session. Follow up visits are $30 for a 30- 60 minute session. If you need financial assistance, please let us know. Additional donations are graciously accepted.

The cost of herbs is not included in a session. Teas are $6 per ounce and tinctures are $15 per ounce. 

Interested in Booking a Consultation with Our Herbal Clinic? 

We would love to meet with you in-person or virtually. To book an appointment please email clinic@berkeleyherbalcenter.org and we will get back to you promptly with available meeting times. 

You can learn more about each of our clinicians here.

We look forward to seeing you in our clinic soon!

Written by Clinical Herbalist and BHC Clinic Supervisor Jules Benefico. Jules lives in Oakland and has a business called Boss Witch Botanicals where she supports herbalists and wellness practitioners to blossom their businesses utilizing medical astrology, alchemy, and shadow work practices.