Columbines School

  • News & Events:

    Our Instructors and Staff:

    Howie Brounstein has taught botany, herbalism, and wildcrafting extensively for decades, including at such herbal establishments as the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine. He is the co-owner and a primary instructor of the Columbines School of Botanical Studies and has a clinical practice in Eugene, Oregon. He is well known for his brilliant in depth teaching style and his passionate love of plants.

    Leah Kays Leah is a 2006 graduate of Columbines School of Botanical Studies and has been involved with the school since. She is an herbalist, botanist, and bartender from Portland, Oregon who has moved from a substitute teacher to a full time Columbines instructor.

  • Second Year Syllabus:

    This is a sample syllabus from 2009. This year’s class will cover similar topics but the exact details are tailored to each season.

    Lecture #1: March 30, 2009

    • Demulcents
    • Asarum caudatum
    • Ethics of pain relief
    • When am I an Herbalist?
    • Wildcrafting and Safe Use of Drop Dosage Botanicals

    Lecture #2: April 20, 2009

    • Wildcrafting and Safe Use of Drop Dosage Botanicals (cont)
    • Dicentra formosa
    • History of the Eclectics
    • Bitters

    Lecture #3: April 27, 2009

    • Aromatics
    • Defining Your Role as an Herbalist
    • Intake Forms
    • Initial Visit Intake Form
    • Self Evaluation Form
    • Metabolic Screening Questionnaire
    • Medical Symptoms Review
    • Medical History
    • Constitutional Intake
    • Nutritional History
    • Diet Survey
    • Menstrual Diary

    Lecture #4: May 4, 2009

    • Legalities of Herbal Practice
    • Informed consent
    • Herb Books
    • Eating More Proteins Chart
    • Diet Diary
    • Diaphoretics
    • Physiology of A Fever
    • Adult Fevers
    • Pediatric Fevers
    • Demonstration Kernigs and Brundinski Signs
    • Thuja plicata Materia Medica

    Lecture #5: May 11, 2009

    • Medical Terminology Abbreviations
    • Introduction to SOAP Notes
    • Interviewing Techniques
    • SOAPs Details
    • Case History #1 Sinusitis
    • Tendinitis/ Tenosynovitis pathology and protocol

    Lecture #6: May 18, 2009

    • Case History Review #1 Sinusitis
    • Case History #2 Headache
    • Migraine Headache Strategies
    • Adrenaline Stress Response

    Lecture #7: June 1, 2009

    • Review Adrenaline Stress Response
    • Adrenergic Constitution
    • Case History Review #2 Headache
    • Case History #3 Lingering Cough
    • Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. estesii

    Lecture #8: June 15, 2009

    • Adrenergic Review
    • Case History Review #3 Lingering Cough
    • Case History #4 Head Cold
    • Essential Fatty Acids
    • Pathways of Arbutin and Similar Glycosides

    Lecture #9: June 22, 2009

    • Adrenergic Review
    • Adaptogens
    • Panax spp. Materia Medica
    • Anabolic Constitution
    • Paeonia spp. Root Materia Medica
    • Essential Fatty Acids
    • Reproductive System Deficiency and Excess

    Lecture #10: July 22, 2009

    • Guest Instructor: Paul Bergner
    • Introduction to Insulin Resistance

    Lecture #11: July 27, 2009

    • Essential Fatty Acids Review
    • Syndrome X
    • Glycemic Index
    • Case History #5 Re-occurring Headaches
    • Dosages
    • Anabolic / Adrenergic Review
    • Case History Review #4 Head Cold

    Lecture #12: August 3, 2009

    • Finished Essential Fatty Acids
    • Anabolic / Adrenergic Review
    • Anemone sp.
    • Renin Angiotensin Pathway
    • Glycorhiza glabra in Kidney Deficiency
    • Adaptogens
    • Panax spp. Materia Medica
    • Oplopanax horridus Materia Medica
    • Lab Tests: Ethics and Considerations

    Lecture #13: August 31, 2009

    • Magnesium Deficiency
    • Aralia californica
    • Adaptogen Comparison Chart
    • Case History Review #5 Reoccurring Headache

    Lecture #14: September 14, 2009

    • Complete Blood Counts
    • Magnesium Physiology and Deficiency
    • G. I. Tract Protocols: Food Allergies, Candida, Comparison of Aromatics, Bitters, and Enzyme HCl Supplementation
    • Case History Review 33 y/o Man with Re-Occurring Headaches

    Lecture #15: October 5, 2009

    • Liver Detoxification Pathways
    • P.A.’S and Detoxification
    • Hepatitis A, B, C Begin
    • Liver Enzyme Panels
    • Abnormal Liver Function Tests
    • Hepatitis C Protocols
    • Case History Hepatitis C

    Lecture #16: October 19, 2009

    • GI Tract Protocols (continued)
    • Case History Review Hepatitis C
    • Yohimbe Bark Materia Medica

    Lecture #17: October 26, 2009

    • Female Reproductive Cycle
    • Female Reproductive Hormones
    • Estrogen Dominance Syndrome
    • Clinical Considerations
    • Reproductive Materia Medica
    • Nutritional Supplements for Estrogen
    • Fibrocystic Breast Disease
    • Chronic Reproductive Problems

    Lecture #18: November 9, 2009

    • Client Live in Class Case History Taking and Discussion

    Academic Calendar

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