We offer online and on-site educational programs, from beginner to clinical level.
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The Florida School of Holistic Living is a 501c3 nonprofit educational organization with the mission of cultivating sustainable community by empowering individuals through philosophy-in-practice education that promotes holistic living.
10/30/2025
As the veil grows thin this season, we invite you to connect with the deep roots of herbal tradition. 🌙✨
In Herbs for the Spiritual Season, explore the history, folklore, and medicine of plants used in sacred rituals, from marigold and mandrake to garlic and ginger.
As we close out Florida Native Plant Month, this week we're featuring the stunning Passion flower (Passiflora incarnata).
Its vibrant colors and unique shape are a true reflection of the diversity and splendor of Florida's native flora.
Join us in honoring our native plants and share your favorite Florida native plants in the comments! ⬇️
Want to learn more about Passionflower? Check out our FREE plant profile library on our website!
10/28/2025
We’re sending a huge round of applause to our Roots of Herbalism graduates from this past weekend in Orlando! 🌿✨
Together, we spent two full days diving deep into the language of the plants: tasting, blending, and connecting with the foundations of herbal medicine.
Save the Date: If you’ve been dreaming of starting your own herbal journey, our next Roots of Herbalism class is January 10–11, 2026! 🌱 Visit our website or click the link in our bio to learn more and save your seat!
This experience also makes a beautiful, meaningful holiday gift. Email us or visit our website to learn how to purchase a gift certificate for someone you love. 💚
10/27/2025
🌱 New Date for Roots of Herbalism – Live & In-Person in Orlando! 🌱
Kickstart your herbal journey in the new year with a hands-on weekend intensive in Orlando, January 10–11, 2026!
Over two days, you’ll:
✨ Explore 20+ foundational herbs, tasting and learning their primary uses
✨ Prepare your own tisanes, tinctures, and teas
✨ Discover ecological herbal practices, herbal nutrition, and holistic health foundations
✨ Spend time in our United Plant Savers’ Registered Botanical Sanctuary
✨ Receive Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health by Rosemary Gladstar + Florida School of Holistic Living Course Book
✨ Join the seasonal Roots Roundtable for ongoing learning & connection
💰 Tuition: $297 | Early Bird $277 through Dec 10, 2025
⏰ 10 AM – 6 PM | Sat & Sun | in Orlando / Altamonte Springs, FL
🎓 12 CEUs available for Massage Therapists, Acupuncturists, Dietitians, Nurses & Midwives
Whether you’re just starting or deepening your practice, this weekend will leave you inspired, equipped, and ready to grow your herbal path. 🌿
➡️ Seats are limited, so reserve yours today! Visit our website or click the link in our bio to learn more and enroll!
Have you already taken this class? Consider gifting herbal education to a loved one! Email us to learn more!
10/24/2025
We invite you to join us this week in honoring one of Florida's native plants: the stunning Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)!
Its vibrant purple berries and mosquito-repelling leaves add a pop of color to the landscape while providing essential food for wildlife.
Do you have Beautyberry growing by you, or have you ever worked with the leaves or berries?
We'd love to hear about your experiences in the comments ⬇️🌿💜
If you want to learn more about Beautyberry, we invite you to check out our FREE plant profile library on our website!
10/23/2025
🌿 Two classes. One amazing teacher. 🌿
Join The Natural Nurse Ellen Kamhi for two live online herbal deep dives:
🧠 The Happy Healthy Brain
Nov 16, 2025 | Early Bird $25 through Nov 2
Foods, nutrients & herbs that nourish memory, mood & focus.
🌱 Cannabis: H**p - THC - CBD - Endocannabinoids - What’s All the BUZZ?
Jan 11, 2026 | Early Bird $25 through Dec 28
Science, safety & the truth behind h**p, THC, and CBD.
💻 Includes 1-year access to recordings + class materials.
Don’t miss these wisdom-packed sessions!
➡️ Register now at the link in bio ot by visiting our website.
10/21/2025
Our Roots of Herbalism weekend happens this Saturday & Sunday, October 25–26... and there are a few seats left!
Spend two transformative days learning, tasting, and creating with over 20 foundational herbs alongside herbalist Maggie O'Halloran.
✨ Your weekend includes:
• Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health by Rosemary Gladstar
• Florida School of Holistic Living Course Book
• Hands-on medicine making + sampling 20+ herbs
• Time in our Botanical Sanctuary
• Ongoing Roots Roundtable live sessions (Oct–Apr)
💰 Tuition: $297
📍 Orlando / Altamonte Springs, FL
⏰ 10 AM – 6 PM, both days
Whether you’re brand new to herbs or ready to deepen your roots, this immersive weekend will leave you inspired, informed, and grounded in your herbal path. 🌱
➡️ Don’t wait! Registration closes soon, and seats are filling fast!
Sign up through the link in bio or on our website today.
10/20/2025
🍄 October Book of the Month 🍄
This month, discover the healing power of mushrooms with Christopher Hobbs’ Guide to Medicinal Mushrooms!
This award-winning handbook introduces the most widely used medicinal mushrooms, explores their health benefits, and gives you practical guidance for selecting, preparing, and making mushroom medicine at home. From boosting immunity to supporting memory and overall wellness, this essential guide combines science, tradition, and hands-on herbalism.
Perfect for foragers, home apothecary enthusiasts, or anyone curious about the medicinal magic of fungi! 🌿
Curious about getting this book for yourself? Check it out, here:
This week, we're celebrating Florida Native Plant Month by shining a spotlight on the radiant beauty of goldenrod! 💛
This stunning native plant adds a burst of golden hues to our landscape and provides essential nectar for pollinators.
Did you know... this plant is often accused of causing seasonal allergies because it tends to grow alongside the real culprit: ragweed! That said, this plant may actually help relieve allergy symptoms! 🤧
Have you spotted goldenrod on your nature walks, or is it growing in your garden? Share your goldenrod insight in the comments below! ⬇️🌿🌼
Want to learn more about this beautiful plant? Check out the FREE plant profile on our website!
10/16/2025
Buzz, bloom, and grow with us! 🐝🌻
On Saturday, October 18th, we’re joining our friends at Mead Botanical Garden for Backyard Biodiversity Day & the Florida Native Plant Sale. It is sure to be a day of celebrating all things wild and wonderful!
Don’t miss Maggie O’Halloran’s talk at 11:15am on "Florida Native Edible Plants". Her presentation will be a blend of flavor, folklore, and Florida sunshine. ☀️
Join us on 11/12 at 7pm EST for a live online gathering of Roots of Herbalism students and alumni.
Next month’s featured guest teachers and topics will be shared in the coming weeks! Their presentation will be followed by a time for open discussion and Q&A.
💚 Ready to join us? This gathering has "Name Your Own Price" registration, which helps us keep it accessible for all. Contribute what you can, or join for free!
Save your seat at the Roundtable by clicking the link in our bio or visiting our website. We hope to see you there!
10/14/2025
Ever wondered what wild medicine is growing right under your feet? 🌱
Save the date for Sunday, December 7th, 2025, to join us on our next Wild Weeds Plant Walk with herbalist Maggie O’Halloran at Mead Botanical Garden!
You’ll meet 15–20 edible and medicinal plants, learn easy field ID tips, and discover how your neighborhood weeds can heal, nourish, and even spice up dinner.
✨ Bring your curiosity... and a fresh page in your field journal.
🗓️ December 7th from 9–11 AM
💚 $35 per person (early bird price is $25 until 11/30!)
Learn more and sign up by visiting our website or clicking the link in our bio.
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Contact The Practice
Send a message to Florida School of Holistic Living:
Our programming includes a comprehensive curriculum of natural health and sustainable living workshops, continuing education, and professional training. In addition, we provide the Central Florida community a space to connect with our community, build vibrant health, and deepen our relationship with the earth, through our Bodhi Garden, Community Herbal Clinic, Moon Circles, the Florida Herbal Conference, and ongoing special events.
Philosophy-in-practice education offers students the opportunity to “get their hands dirty.” We emphasize a holistic philosophy in all of our courses, a perspective which honors the whole person and their connection to their environment. We then see k to put that philosophy into practice through hands-on educational opportunities, taking our students into the field to connect with the subjects of which they are learning. By empowering our students with the knowledge and experience to live a more fulfilling, sustainable lifestyle, we hope to contribute to a more equitable, peaceful world for future generations.
Our History
Founded in 1999 as the Florida School of Herbal Studies, the school first focused on introducing the concepts and practices of holistic living through the science and art of herbalism. Classes were offered in Titusville and Orlando under the direction of herbalist George D’Arcy, hosted at local herb stores and healing centers such as Leaves and Roots and Simply Well. The school’s first building and educational gardens were established in 2005 in Winter Park under the direction of herbalist Emily Ruff, relocating to our current neighborhood in Downtown Orlando in Fall 2006.
As the school’s programming grew, so did our curricula, to serve students and assist them in fully integrating ecological herbalism into their lives. These expanded offerings included more diverse subjects of n atural health including holistic nutrition, iridology, healing with rhythm, and various nutritional theories, as well as sustainable living and urban homesteading topics such as beekeeping, permaculture, and organic gardening. The school formally changed its name to the Florida School of Holistic Living in Fall 2007 to better reflect the full scope of its mission and work in the community.
FSHL has been a driving force in Central Florida’s movement towards environmental consciousness and conservation, offering access to education on traditional philosophies and practices, as well as contemporary technologies, that foster living in harmony with the natural world. The school has been an ardent advocate for United Plant Savers, receiving the first Botanical Sanctuary designation in Florida in 2012. In support of local farmers, the school founded the Homegrown Local Food Cooperative in 2007 to build a sustainable agricultural economy in Central Florida. In 2012, in support of our regional herbal community, the school founded the Florida Herbal Conference.
Our Founders
George D’Arcy (1952-2005), herbalist and school founder, was a student and apprentice of Dr. John Christopher, Rosemary Gladstar and seven other herbalists whose training motivated him to found the Florida School of Herbal Studies. Certifications as an EMT, Pharmacy Technician, and Nurse Assistant provided a context to bridge the gap between traditional healings and modern systems of wellness, which allowed Mr. D’Arcy a unique position to consult his clients to wellness with an intimate understanding of modern healthcare. As a graduate of advanced programs at the Tracker School with Tom Brown, Mr. D’Arcy’s teachings focused on integrating wellness with a relationship with our natural environment.
Carolyn Whitford (1944-2010), herbalist and charter school advisor, founded Leaves and Roots in 1993 to ensure the power of the plants remained in the hands of the people. Carolyn was a community visionary whose steadfastness and generosity provided access to herbal medicine to Central Florida residents for nearly two decades. Carolyn was a supportive advisor in the work of the school since its inception, and became active in the work of the organization by hosting classes in the research room of her store starting in 2001.
