Thank you for visiting our website! You may know that our story, in this form, began in far Northern California in 2003. In the fall of 2022 we moved from our home in the mountains of California to make a new home by the ocean in Tacoma, Washington.
Along with this transition in geography comes a transition in our work. For now, our offerings will continue to be online. You can find our spring online class offerings below.
As we settle in to our new home and community, this may change. Keep in touch to see what happens next!
Photo by Richard Sagredo on Unsplash
Remember, you can always catch us on The Herbal Highway Tuesdays at 1pm, PST or anytime online at www.KPFA.org. Check out The Herbal Highway merchandise, for sale on this website on the ‘Radio’ page.
From our family to yours may you know the presence of the plants in your life.
Signing up for our newsletter or following us on Instagram or Facebook are all good ways to stay up to date with our class offerings.
We hope you can join us!
Have any questions about our courses? Are there courses you missed that you’d like to see again? Are you interested in inviting Karyn or Sarah to teach at your school or in your community? Feel free to email us.
info@BlueOtterSchool.com
-
Query Hour – ONLINE CLASS
Minimum price $40.00 BuyCome with questions and leave with answers! Maybe you don’t necessarily need a class but still have questions arise in the process of engaging with your herbal practice. Here is a chance to ask the questions, big and small, that come up in the course of your practice and life. The intention of this time is to fill a gap some herbal practitioners find between the bulk of their training and being on their own. This course can also serve as an informal mentorship for home and community herbalists. Here is the opportunity to ask Sarah Holmes your questions. Topics will be formed by the questions brought to the group.
This offering stands alone or can be a complement to the Mentoring Small Groups or previous Practitioner Skills Small Groups. You will get more out of this if you attend the live class, however, a non-downloadable recording will be available for one week.
Time: Tuesdays, 6-7pm, PST
Dates: March 28, April 4, 11, 18, 25, May 2
Instructor: Sarah Holmes
Location: online via Zoom
Cost: $75-40*
*A note about our sliding scale. We are offering a sliding scale in an effort to be accessible to as many people as we can. If you could not take the class without the discount, then use the sliding scale; that is what it is for. If you cannot afford the lowest price, contact us. If you can afford the highest price, then please pay it. Thank you.
Photo by Stephen Hocking on Unsplash
-
Mentoring Group- ONLINE CLASS
Minimum price $120.00 BuyJoin Sarah Holmes online for a small group experience focused on practitioner skills. We will expand upon the topics covered in Practitioner Skills. Classes consist of a combination of lecture, group discussion, exercises and questions. Group is limited to 20 people.
Dates: April 4, 11, 18, 25, 2023
Hours: Tuesdays, 3-5 pm, PST
Instructor: Sarah Holmes
Location: online via Zoom
Cost: $180-120*
*A note about our sliding scale. We are offering a sliding scale in an effort to be accessible to as many people as we can. If you could not take the class without the discount, then use the sliding scale; that is what it is for. If you cannot afford the lowest price, contact us. If you can afford the highest price, then please pay it. Thank you.
This class is live only. A non-downloadable recording will only be available short term. No refunds two weeks prior to class.
-
Herbal Blending – ONLINE CLASS
Minimum price $25.00 BuyHave you felt confused about how to take more than one herb at a time? What is too many? What plants go together? Have you wondered about the art of formulation? This class is for the home herbalist, the community herbalist and new practitioners. The goal of this class is to gain confidence in working with herbs so you can further incorporate them into your life. Registration is closed. Class already happened.
Date: May 3, 2023
Hours: 5-7 pm, PST
Instructor: Sarah Holmes
Location: online via Zoom
Cost: $50-25*
*A note about our sliding scale. We are offering a sliding scale in an effort to be accessible to as many people as we can. If you could not take the class otherwise, then use the sliding scale; that is what it is for. If you cannot afford the lowest price, contact us. Thank you.
Photo by Michaela Murphy on Unsplash
-
Deepening your Relationship with Plants – ONLINE CLASS
Minimum price $75.00 PurchaseDo you want to have a greater level of connection to plants? Have you wanted to develop a relationship with a new plant? This class will combine instruction, guided exercises and homework to support your work in deepening your relationship to the plant world. This is an interactive class and you will get more out of it if you are able to attend live. A non-downloadable recording will be available for five days after each class.
Dates: May 30, June 6, 13, 2023
Hours: Tuesdays, 6-7:30 pm, PST
Instructor: Sarah Holmes
Cost: $120-75* for the series
*A note about our sliding scale. We are offering a sliding scale in an effort to be accessible to as many people as we can. If you could not take the class without the discount, then use the sliding scale; that is what it is for. If you cannot afford the lowest price, contact us. If you can afford the highest price, then please pay it. Thank you.
No refunds one week prior to class.
Mentoring Sessions
Get individualized attention with your questions. One hour sessions are available with Karyn Sanders or Sarah Holmes to ask about what is coming up for you in your herbal practice. The intention of these sessions is to provide a mentoring space for practice questions as they come up for you. Call or email for scheduling and pricing. By appointment only. Karyn@BlueOtterSchool.com or Sarah@BlueOtterSchool.com. We look forward to hearing from you and supporting your work in the world.
“Studying with Karyn and Sarah was hands-down one of the most special, most energizing, and most challenging experiences of my life. I completed the full-time program in 2015 and I constantly draw on the wealth of knowledge I gained during that time. Offerings such as materia medica, medicine-making, and gardening are invaluable and unique to this program. Karyn and Sarah are accessible, generous, and energetic instructors who are deeply committed to their students and to the practice of truly holistic energetic herbalism.” Gina Badger, Graduate of the full-time program, 2015
“Blue Otter is a dream come true- it’s incredible to have the opportunity to be completely immersed in plant medicine through this full time program. The teachers are exceptional, supporting you to learn an extensive understanding of plant medicine and physiology, and a deep understanding of how to work with clients. The herb garden is an incredible resource where you can actually spend time with the plants you learn about, getting an opportunity to learn how to care for them as well. As a student, this class is a safe container to also do work on yourself, so you can become a strong practitioner. I can’t thank these two wonderful folks enough for the incredible support and encouragement they have provided through this program- Karyn and Sarah truly hold this medicine as sacred, and I recommend their school to anyone who is ready to do this work in a deep way. ”
Elokin Orton-Cheung, founder of Shooting Star Botanicals