NEW DATES! February 13th - 15th, 2026
Title: Unitive Medicine for Neurological Health
Instructor: Donald Yance, CN, RH (AHG)
Date: Friday, February 13, 2026
Time: 1 PM – 5:15 PM PST
Place: Online
Cost: $85
Open only to registered conference participants.
Participants will examine the pathophysiology of common neurological conditions through the lenses of inflammation, neuroimmune signaling, mitochondrial function, and nervous system regulation. Evidence-informed nutritional and botanical interventions will be reviewed for their roles in neuroprotection, cognitive support, and neural repair. Clinical strategies will emphasize individualized treatment planning, lifestyle therapeutics, and interdisciplinary collaboration, alongside a thorough review of herb–drug interactions relevant to neurological care.
Title: Becoming a Bioregional Herbalist: Experiential Learning in the Sonoran Desert
Instructor:John Slattery, Bioregional Herbalist
Date: Friday, February 13, 2026
Time: 9 AM – 1 PM PST
Cost: $85
Location: Superstition Mountains
Open only to registered symposium participants. 25 person limit.
Join Bioregional Herbalist, John Slattery, for an immersive walk through the diverse Sonoran Desert, where multiple habitats meet. Together, we’ll explore traditional and modern ways of learning from plants through direct observation, intuition, and scientific understanding. John will guide participants in reconnecting with the original mode of plant learning: through relationship and receptivity. Drawing from over 25 years of experience, ethnobotanical traditions, and his Tír Raon approach, John offers a powerful experience that inspires deeper connection to the healing wisdom of the land.
Title: Medicine Making and Garden Delights
Instructor:Katie Stage, ND, RH (AHG), FABNG
Date: Friday, February 13, 2026
Time: 9 AM – 1 PM PST
Cost: $85
Location: Sonoran University of Health Sciences Garden
Open only to registered symposium participants. 30 person limit.
This hands-on session will introduce participants to core botanical medicine preparations through both group instruction and small-group experiential stations; learning by doing as they create and taste a variety of plant medicines.
Participants will explore tea-making, craft a personalized powdered “Super Powder” blend, and take part in preparing either a botanical syrup or a healing salve. Additional demonstrations and tastings will highlight tinctures, glycerites, elixirs, and shrubs.
Participants will leave with renewed knowledge of medicine making and with sample preparations of multiple types of plant medicines. It's a beautiful time to be in the garden!
All times listed in Pacific.
Becoming a Bioregional Herbalist: Experiential Learning in the Sonoran Desert with John Slattery
Location: Dutchman Trailhead near Tempe, ($85 fee) - 25 person limit
Medicine Making and Garden Delights with Katie Stage
Sonoran University Garden, ($85 fee) - 30 person limit
Pre-Conference Intensive: Unitive Medicine for Neurological Health with Donald Yance, CN, RH (AHG)
Online, ($85 fee)
The following videos have been pre-recorded but will be available for live stream on Friday morning. This is needed for acupuncture CE, but all are welcome!
The Stagnant Liver: East and Westwith Paul Bergner, Clinical Herbalist
Elemental Endocrinology: The 5-Elements & The 5 Primary Organ Networkswith Jason Miller, DACM, LAc
Modulating Immune Response: Nutritional and Botanical Therapies for Autoimmune Issues with Wendy Warner, MD, ABIHM, IFMCP
Description: Evidence-informed use of botanicals such as Curcuma longa, Boswellia serrata, Astragalus membranaceus, and Glycyrrhiza glabra will be discussed alongside nutritional interventions targeting micronutrient deficiencies, fatty acid balance, and intestinal permeability.
Herbal First Aid and First Aid Kits: Combining Botanical Medicine and First Aid Concepts at Home, in the Clinic and in the Field with Sam Coffman, L.Ac, W-EMT, RH (AHG), Best-selling Author
Description: This practical, clinically-grounded session explores how to integrate herbal medicine into emergency and first aid care, focusing on building and using botanical first aid kits across home, clinical, and austere settings. Participants will learn field-ready herbal protocols, safety considerations, and real-world strategies for supporting acute situations alongside conventional triage.
Salicylate-Containing Herbs: Synergy, Safety, and Therapeutic Use with Paul Bergner, Medical Herbalist
Description: Examine salicylate-containing medicinal plants—Salix, Populus, Gaultheria, Betula, Filipendula, Viola, and Viburnum—focusing on their shared and distinct actions, entourage effects, clinical uses, interactions, and safety.
Panel: Protecting Our Lungs: Offsetting the Impact of Air Pollution and Wildfire Smoke with Paul Bergner, Medical Herbalist, Lillea Hartwell, ND, RH (AHG), and Jillian Stansbury, ND
Description: Addresses strategies to support lung health and reduce the effects of air pollution and wildfire smoke through lifestyle, nutritional, and botanical approaches.
Panel: Optimizing Men's Health: Integrative Strategies for Body, Mind & Beyond with Katie Stage, ND, RH (AHG), Donald Yance, CN, RH (AHG), and Eric Yarnell, ND, RH (AHG)
Description: Focuses on integrative approaches to men’s health, combining nutrition, lifestyle, hormonal, and mind-body strategies to support overall well-being.
Addressing the Cancer Terrain with Botanicals with Lise Alschuler, ND, FABNO, eMBA
Description: Examines how botanicals can support the body’s terrain to complement cancer care, focusing on immune support, inflammation reduction, and overall resilience.
Heavy Metal Exposure and Using Botanicals and Pharmaceutical Chelation with Marianne Marchese, ND
Description: Compares botanical and pharmaceutical approaches to chelation, highlighting methods to reduce heavy metal burden and support detoxification pathways.
Botanical Interventions For Acute Respiratory Illnesses in Pediatric Patients with Kenneth Proefrock, NMD
Description: Covers causes, complications, and management of acute respiratory infections in children, including viral and bacterial contributors. Includes practical strategies using botanical medicines, supportive therapies, and commonly prescribed medications, with attention to interactions and antibiotic resistance.
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Botanical Influences on Autophagy with Jillian Stansbury, ND
Description: An overview of autophagy—the body’s process of cellular cleanup and renewal—and how specific botanicals may support cellular resilience and longevity.
Commiphora mukul (Guggul): Ancient Medicine to Modern Mechanisms with Jillian Stansbury, ND
Description: This lecture explores Commiphora mukul(guggul, a resin harvested from a small tree native to India and parts of the Middle East, integrating traditional uses with modern research on its therapeutic applications.
Naturopathic Strategies for the Treatment of Dysautonomia and POTS with Kenneth Proefrock, NMD
Description: An overview of the autonomic nervous system and dysautonomia, including common presentations such as POTS and its wide-ranging, often invisible symptoms. It examines underlying causes and compares lifestyle, nutritional, botanical, exercise-based, and pharmacologic approaches to management, with brief discussion of overlaps with EDS and MCAS.
Healing in Layers: Case Studies Involving the Integration of TCM and Western Herbalism – Perimenopausewith Sam Coffman, L.Ac, W-EMT, RH(AHG), Best-selling Author
Description: This clinically focused session explores perimenopause through integrated TCM pattern differentiation and Western herbal frameworks, using case studies to demonstrate layered assessment and treatment strategies. Participants will learn how to adapt protocols over time by addressing root and branch patterns as presentations evolve.
Herbs for Your Nerves: Preparations and Practices for Health and Inner Peace with Robin Rose Bennett, Herbalist
Description: This lecture explores calming and restorative herbs for the nervous system, with practical guidance on preparations and everyday practices that support stress resilience and emotional balance.
A Modern Yerberia: Controlled-Environment Agriculture for Growing Herbs in the Desert Southwest - Part 2 with Lillea Hartwell, ND, RH (AHG)
Description: Examine controlled-environment agriculture techniques for cultivating medicinal and culinary herbs in the desert Southwest, highlighting modern practices and challenges for sustainable production.
Holding the Middle: Herbal Approaches to Opioid Cessation with Jen Stovall, BSN, RN
Description: Pharmacology, therapeutic uses, risks, and societal impacts of opiates, with an emphasis on understanding their effects on the nervous system and strategies for safe clinical application.
Psilocybin, Psychedelics and Wholistic Integration for Mental Health, Part 1 with Suzanne Blaising, PhD and Mary Rondeau, ND, RH (AHG)
Description: An overview of psilocybin’s history, current clinical research, and safety considerations, with an introduction to core principles of ethical psychedelic facilitation.
Psilocybin, Psychedelics and Wholistic Integration for Mental Health, Part 2 with Suzanne Blaising, PhD and Mary Rondeau, ND, RH (AHG)
Description: A focused look at supportive botanicals, preparation and integration practices, and key facilitation approaches in individual and group psychedelic work.
The Stagnant Liver: East and West with Paul Bergner, Clinical Herbalist
Description: Examines liver stagnation through both Eastern and Western perspectives, exploring physiological, energetic, and lifestyle factors that affect liver health and strategies to restore balance.
Combining TCM and Modern Medicine: SIBO, A New Disease? Or a New Name for What We’ve been treating for Centuries? with Jason Miller, DACM, LAc
Description: Examines SIBO as both a modern diagnosis and a reflection of digestive imbalance through the lens of TCM, focusing on Spleen Qi deficiency and turbid Dampness. Integrates botanical, nutritional, and dietary strategies with lab-based assessments to guide treatment of dyspepsia, IBS, and gastrointestinal upset.
Elemental Endocrinology: The 5-Elements & The 5 Primary Organ Networks with Jason Miller, DACM, LAc
Description: Bridges Traditional Chinese Medicine and modern biomedical science by layering fundamental principles with biological insights to create a holistic model of care. Focuses on the 12 organ networks and Elemental Endocrinology, exploring organ functions, interconnections, and correlations between TCM pathology and biomedical physiology.
Using Spices as Therapeutic Herbal Medicines with Bevin Clare, MS, RH (AHG), CNS
Description: Highlights culinary spices as therapeutic herbal medicines, focusing on their active compounds, health benefits, and practical applications for wellness.
Nourishing the Nervous System in Addiction Recovery with Christina Veselak, LMFT, CN
Description: This lecture explores how botanical medicine and targeted nutrition support nervous system repair, resilience, and stabilization during addiction recovery through gentle, trauma-informed strategies.
Lise Alschuler, ND, FABNO, eMBA began serving as Sonoran University of Health Sciences’s fourth President & CEO in July 2025. She is a naturopathic doctor with board certification in naturopathic oncology and has been practicing for over 30 years. She graduated from Brown University with an undergraduate degree in Medical Anthropology and received a doctoral degree in naturopathic medicine from Bastyr University where she also completed her residency. She is co-author of Definitive Guide to Cancer, now in its 3rd edition, and Definitive Guide to Thriving After Cancer. More about Lise.
Lectures
Dr. Suzanne Blaising, PhD, MSW, is a psychotherapist, trauma specialist, and psychedelic-medicine clinician with more than twenty years of clinical experience. Trained in psychodynamic and trauma-informed modalities, she has facilitated over 450 hours of psilocybin-administration sessions and more than 1000 ketamine sessions. She holds a Professional Certificate in Psilocybin Facilitation and serves as the Psychedelic Lead at Wholeness, where she provides clinical consultation and guides individuals through preparation, dosing, and integration with an emphasis on safety, meaning-making, and durable psychological change.
Dr. Blaising’s research roles include co-therapist in the MAPS Phase 3 MDMA-assisted therapy trials for PTSD, lead therapist in Beckley Psytech’s 5-MeO-DMT clinical trial for treatment-resistant depression, and dosing-session monitor in MindMed’s Phase 2 LSD study for generalized anxiety disorder. She has taught for the Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine on the role of spirit in mental health, co-authored work on psychedelics within holistic psychiatric models, and contributed to the international Delphi collaboration establishing minimum clinical standards for psychedelic therapy. Licensed in Colorado, Illinois, and California, she remains committed to advancing ethically grounded, evidence-based psychedelic care.
Lectures:
Robin Rose Bennett is a story-teller, writer, and herbalist, offering classes in Herbal Medicine and EarthSpirit Teachings since 1986 - at herb conferences, festivals, medical schools, and most joyously, outside with the plants. Robin Rose shares herbal medicine with gratitude for the loving generosity of the plants and the magic, mystery, and beauty of the web of life. She is the author of: Healing Magic - A Green Witch Guidebook to Conscious Living, The Gift of Healing Herbs - Plant Medicines and Home Remedies for a Vibrantly Healthy Life, The Young Green Witch’s Guide to Plant Magic - Rituals and Recipes from Nature, and A Green Witch's Pocket Book of Wisdom-Big Little Life Tips.
Lectures:
The Director of the North American Institute of Medical Herbalismin Portland, Oregon, Paul Bergner offers seminar training in clinical skills, medical herbalism, nutrition, and nature cure. He has mentored more than 400 students through residencies in teaching clinics since 1996, and continues to mentor 20 or more students a year in two different school clinics. He has edited the Medical Herbalism journal since 1989, and is the author of seven books on herbal medicine, ethnobotany, nutrition, and naturopathic medicine.
Lectures:
Bevin Clare, M.S., R.H., CNS, is a clinical herbalist, nutritionist, and professor with a deep love of plants. She is the Program Director of the MS in Clinical Herbal Medicine at the Notre Dome of Maryland University. Bevin has studied herbal medicine around the world and blends her knowledge of traditional uses of plants with modern science and contemporary healthcare strategies. After many years of witnessing the powers of medicinal plants in infectious disease situations when modern biomedicine was unavailable, she gained a MSc in Infectious Disease from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Bevin has continued her academic work on both a traditional and conventional front as an herbalist and nutritionist. As popular national and international speaker and with academic appointments at several universities, Bevin still sees her roots in community herbal medicine movement in this country. More about Bevin.
Lectures:
A former army special forces medic, Sam Coffman, L.Ac, W-EMT, RH(AHG), Best-selling Author, is the founder and director of The Human Path, where he teaches botanical medicine, western pathophysiology, physiology, integrative medicine, austere and post-disaster medicine. He has taught herbalism for over 25 years, and has been a clinical herbalist for over 15 years. He is also the co-founder of Herbal Medics, which brings medicine for indigenous, local residents in remote areas. This organization has assisted with first aid and herbal first aid support at numerous gatherings and protests, as well as post-disaster medical and botanical medicine clinics along the Texas coastline and in Houston during hurricane Harvey. Sam is also the training director for Taos Search and Rescue (TSAR), where he serves on the canine team with his dog, Lucy. More about Sam.
Lectures:
Lillea Hartwell is a naturopathic physician and registered herbalist who practices in southwestern Arizona at the Saguaro Blossom Medical Center, where she specializes in autoimmune conditions using the full scope of naturopathic modalities including botanical medicine, clinical nutrition, mind-body medicine, intramuscular nutrients, intravenous nutrients and minor surgery. She holds a BS in plant sciences with an emphasis in medical ethnobotany and a minor in environmental sciences. She teaches in the botanical medicine department of Sonoran University (formerly Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine). More about Lillea.
Lectures:
Dr. Marianne Marchese is a naturopathic physician with over 23 years of experience in integrative medicine, women’s health, and environmental medicine. She has a diverse career in clinical practice, teaching, writing, speaking, consulting, and professional advocacy, and has developed post-graduate curricula and presented at numerous conferences.
She is an associate professor at NUNM, Clinical Innovation and Development Manager for NUNM Health Centers, and a sought-after speaker and consultant. Dr. Marchese is the author of 8 Weeks to Women’s Wellness, has written for publications including The Arizona Republic and Natural Medicine Journal, and has developed supplements for Priority One, Vitanica, and Health Freedom Nutrition. She has also appeared on Fox News Phoenix, ABC News Phoenix, radio shows, and podcasts.
Lectures:
Jason Miller, DACM, LAc, practices botanical and nutritional medicine,acupuncture, and Asian bodywork at his clinic, Jade Mountain Medicine, in Ashland, Oregon. He received his master’s degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine in 2005 and completed a postgraduate internship at the “House of Celebrity Doctors” in Nanjing, China. He earned his Doctorate of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine from the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in 2018. His approach bridges the frameworks of traditional and modern medicine in the management of chronic disease. At Jade Mountain, he specializes in the management of cancer, diabetes and neuromuscular disorders. He has taught advanced clinical training classes at the Mederi Foundation and worked closely with Donald Yance, RH (AHG) in his clinic.
Lectures:
Kenneth Proefrock, NMD, graduated from Sonoran University of Health Sciences (formerly the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine) in 1996. Prior to naturopathic medical school, he received a Bachelors of Science degree in Chemistry and Zoology from Northern Arizona University. He now practices naturopathic medicine at his clinic, Total Wellness, in Sun City, Arizona, where he specializes in difficult to treat conditions in patients of all ages.
He speaks at conferences across the country sharing his perspective on botanical medicine and the modern practice of naturopathic medicine. He is the Vice-President for the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners and the chairperson for the biochemistry portion of the Naturopathic Physician’s Licensing Exam. In his spare time, when such a thing really exists, he is in the desert with his kids, honing his skills in primitive archery, wildcrafting, animal husbandry and gardening.
Dr. Proefrock's presentations are often included in our Naturopathic CE offerings.
Lectures:
Dedicated to holistic healing and transformative mental health care, Dr. Mary is a passionate Co-owner of Wholeness Center, in Fort Collins, CO. Wholeness Center is one of the most innovative integrative mental health centers in the country and has been leading the field with cutting-edge mental health therapies since 2010. Her passion is to transform mental health by treating individuals as whole beings, and acknowledging the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit. Her passion for travel and wellness extends to hosting immersive, transformative psychedelic retreats for professionals and patients, locally and abroad.
Throughout her career, Dr. Mary has prioritized comprehensive assessments to provide objective data for treatment guidance, a unique approach in the mental health field. As an educator, she lectures nationally on topics including nutritional psychiatry, botanical medicine, lifestyle medicine, and integrative psychiatry. Dr. Mary is a founding member of Psychedelic Research and Training Institute (PRATI) and is a core faculty at the Integrative Psychiatry Institute (IPI). Dr. Mary is the program director of the Nutritional Psychiatry CME certification program for IPI and created the Botanical Medicine in Psychiatry CE fellowship course for the Academy of Health and Medicine (AIHM). More about Mary.
Lectures:
John is a Vitalist Bioregional Herbalist helping people develop relationship with wild plants. He founded Desert Tortoise Botanicals in 2005 which offers wildharvested plant remedies from the Southwest and beyond. He offers live and online classes and courses focused on the edible and therapeutic wild plants of the Southwest, including the Vitalist Herbalist Course beginning September of each year. More about John.
Lectures:
Katie Stage, ND, RH (AHG), FABNG is a naturopathic physician and registered herbalist of the American Herbalists Guild. Her lectures are full of clinical information based on experience in her practice in family medicine at the Sonoran University Medical Center in Tempe, AZ, where she practices family medicine focusing on optimizing women’s/men’s health, gastrointestinal diseases, and mental health. Her lectures combine clinical information with a deep respect for indigenous healing and the ability to heal oneself through connection with nature and simple lifestyle practices. She is also a member of the Ric Scalzo Botanical Research Institute. More about Katie.
Lectures:
Dr. Jillian Stansbury is a naturopathic physician who recently retired but practiced in SW Washington for over 35 years specializing in women's health, mental health, and chronic disease. She holds undergraduate degrees in Medical Illustration and Medical Assisting and graduated with honors in both programs. She was the chair of the botanical medicine department at the National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) for over 20 years. She also leads classes and Ethnobotany trips in the Andes and Manu region of the Peruvian Amazon. She is presently fixing up an old farmstead - of course adding lots of gardens, greenhouses, and plants. More about Jillian.
Lectures:
A community herbalist and health educator, Jen Stovall believes that herbalism is a potent tool for social justice. Her work as a teacher and practitioner is informed by Western Herbalism, Southern Folk Medicine, and harm reduction practices. She has a BSN-RN and is a NADA Ear Acupuncture Detox Specialist and Trainer. She provides education and outreach for the Trystereo Harm Reduction Collective, a grassroots Syringe Access Program in New Orleans. Her herb school in North Carolina, Terra Sylva School of Botanical Medicine, is focused on centering concepts of bioregional herbalism, embodiment practices, and liberatory frameworks in herbalism.
Lectures:
Christina has been a licensed psychotherapist and addiction recovery/relapse prevention specialist for over 40 years. Along with tremendous experience and training in supporting the emotional, social and spiritual components of recovery, her long-time expertise as a mental health nutritionist and training in Western Herbal Medicine allows her to effectively address many of the biochemical aspects of addictive disorders, including sugar, using dietary and supplement recommendations.
She is the founder and director of the Academy for Addiction and Mental Health Nutrition which teaches practitioners how to use diet, along with amino acid and nutrient therapy to help prevent cravings and recurrent use in their clients by restoring neurotransmitter function and keeping blood sugar in balance. Finally, she is delighted to offer the non-profit organization, Eating Protein Saves Lives, Inc. as a source of life-saving information about optimally feeding the recovering brain, thus providing people with a solid foundation for their recovery journey.
Lectures
Dr. Wendy Warner is a board-certified gynecologist and expert in functional medicine and hormone health. After spending 14 years in conventional OB/GYN practice, she transitioned to a holistic, integrative approach, founding a collaborative medical practice in suburban Philadelphia. There, she worked alongside diverse healthcare practitioners to offer a wide range of therapeutic options. In 2022, she shifted exclusively to telemedicine, allowing her to provide care virtually.
In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Warner is an IFM Certified Practitioner, an herbalist, and a mesa carrier. She is a nationally recognized speaker and educator, serving on the faculty of David Winston’s Center for Herbal Studies. She also contributed a chapter to the latest edition of Rakel’s Integrative Medicine textbook and previously served as president of the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine.
Lectures:
Donnie Yance is a Clinical Master Herbalist and Certified Nutritionist renowned for integrating traditional botanical medicine with modern scientific disciplines, including epigenetics, laboratory medicine, and molecular oncology. He is the Founder of the Mederi Center, a nonprofit based in Ashland, Oregon, where he developed and practices Mederi Care—a whole-systems, integrative approach to complex and chronic illness, including cancer—serving clients both in person and via telemedicine.
A professional member of the American Herbalists Guild and the National Association of Nutrition Professionals, Donnie lectures internationally and has influenced thousands of lives as a clinician, teacher, and mentor. He is also the Founder and Formulator of Natura Health Products and the Mederi Academy, which educates healthcare practitioners worldwide. Donnie is the author of Herbal Medicine, Healing and Cancer and Adaptogens in Medical Herbalism, and he publishes a weekly blog at donnieyance.com.
Lectures:
Eric Yarnell is associate professor in the department of botanical medicine at Bastyr University and chief medical officer at Northwest Naturopathic Urology. He is the author and co-author of numerous articles and books for practitioners including Clinical Botanical Medicine and Natural Approach to Gastroenterology.
Lectures:
Saturday, February 14
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM Pacific
Paul Bergner, Clinical Herbalist, Lillea Hartwell, ND, RH (AHG), and Jillian Stansbury, ND
Panel: Protecting Our Lungs: Offsetting the Impact of Air Pollution and Wildfire Smoke
Sunday, February 15
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM Pacific
Katie Stage, ND, RH (AHG), FABNG, Donald Yance, CN, RH (AHG), and Eric Yarnell, ND, RH (AHG)
Panel: Optimizing Men's Health: Integrative Strategies for Body, Mind & Beyond
-2024 Attendee, Registered Nurse
-2024 Attendee, Registered Nurse
Naturopathic doctors approved for up to:
Nursing professionalsapproved for up to:
Acupuncturists approved for up to:
