Matthew
7th November 2023, 18:14
Robin Harford, from eatweeds.co.uk, talks to Helen Kearney who is a dedicated herbalist.
Helen has an alternative view of herbs, more in-keeping with old fashioned values. Helen talks about how obscure herbalism has become, with little social support and, for example, no apprenticeships.
She talks about how this trend, away from herbalism, shifted during and after WWII when food started to be grown differently, and then also the dawn of the NHS.
Helen and Robin bring two issues to mind:
The loss of herbalism
A herbalism revival
Helen has started the Betonica Herb School.
However, she is tuned into the mainstream - loving the NHS (or more specifically free healthcare), and she seems to happily believe the mainstream spew about the climate crisis. However, herb skills are herb skills and I want to gloss over what I think are her misguided opinions and I'm glad to highlight her passion for herbalism.
This thread is about herbalism, the loss of herbalism and a grass-roots herbalist revival.
-------^-------~~~~~~-------^-------
Robin Harford, Eat Weeds, Episode 49:
https://eatweeds.transistor.fm/49
In this episode, #49 of the Eatweeds podcast, I sit down with Helen Kearney at the Betonica herb school on a lazy Summer day in the Devon countryside.
We dive into the added value herbalists bring to the strained National Health Service (NHS) and discuss Helen's path from being inspired by her grandmother to becoming a medical herbalist and educator.
We tackle the evolution of medicine since World War II, highlighting the crucial role of self-care and the struggle for herbal medicine's legal recognition.
Helen shares the comprehensive training that goes into becoming a skilled herbalist and how Betonica equips students with necessary business skills to make the practice successful.
Our discussion also spans the integration of herbal medicine into the NHS, social prescribing, and the need for herbalists to actively engage with their communities.
I wrap up the conversation by exploring how herbalism is becoming more inclusive, the shift in gender dynamics in the field, and Betonica's community-focused principles.
Helen details her vision for Betonica as more than just a school; it's a place that connects and builds community in response to healthcare challenges.
Join me in this episode for a direct discussion on personal experiences and insights into the future of medical herbalism.
Connect With Helen Kearney and the Betonica Herb School
Betonica on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/betonica)
Betonica on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/betonicaschoolofherbalmedicine/)
Betonica School of Herbal Medicine website (https://www.betonica.co.uk/)
Helen has an alternative view of herbs, more in-keeping with old fashioned values. Helen talks about how obscure herbalism has become, with little social support and, for example, no apprenticeships.
She talks about how this trend, away from herbalism, shifted during and after WWII when food started to be grown differently, and then also the dawn of the NHS.
Helen and Robin bring two issues to mind:
The loss of herbalism
A herbalism revival
Helen has started the Betonica Herb School.
However, she is tuned into the mainstream - loving the NHS (or more specifically free healthcare), and she seems to happily believe the mainstream spew about the climate crisis. However, herb skills are herb skills and I want to gloss over what I think are her misguided opinions and I'm glad to highlight her passion for herbalism.
This thread is about herbalism, the loss of herbalism and a grass-roots herbalist revival.
-------^-------~~~~~~-------^-------
Robin Harford, Eat Weeds, Episode 49:
https://eatweeds.transistor.fm/49
In this episode, #49 of the Eatweeds podcast, I sit down with Helen Kearney at the Betonica herb school on a lazy Summer day in the Devon countryside.
We dive into the added value herbalists bring to the strained National Health Service (NHS) and discuss Helen's path from being inspired by her grandmother to becoming a medical herbalist and educator.
We tackle the evolution of medicine since World War II, highlighting the crucial role of self-care and the struggle for herbal medicine's legal recognition.
Helen shares the comprehensive training that goes into becoming a skilled herbalist and how Betonica equips students with necessary business skills to make the practice successful.
Our discussion also spans the integration of herbal medicine into the NHS, social prescribing, and the need for herbalists to actively engage with their communities.
I wrap up the conversation by exploring how herbalism is becoming more inclusive, the shift in gender dynamics in the field, and Betonica's community-focused principles.
Helen details her vision for Betonica as more than just a school; it's a place that connects and builds community in response to healthcare challenges.
Join me in this episode for a direct discussion on personal experiences and insights into the future of medical herbalism.
Connect With Helen Kearney and the Betonica Herb School
Betonica on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/betonica)
Betonica on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/betonicaschoolofherbalmedicine/)
Betonica School of Herbal Medicine website (https://www.betonica.co.uk/)