For thousands of years, wherever humans and animals have inhabited the earth, plants have been used for their healing properties. It is the oldest known healing modality.

Herbalism can be defined as "the art and science of collecting, preparing, and utilizing herbs for healing."

Well-trained herbalists are aware of issues of quality manufacturing of herbal products, safety and herb-drug interactions, and sustainable methods of harvesting herbs.

Clinical herbalists work with individuals to achieve optimal health through the use of herbal supplements, diet and lifestyle. Western Herbal Medicine is a healing modality that blends knowledge of traditional herb use with knowledge of current scientific literature. In this combined model, herbs are not used to treat but rather support the individual. Herbs are carefully chosen and formulated for the individual. In order to craft the herbal formulation, the herbalist will evaluate lab tests, medical history, family history, lifestyle, diet, and traditional diagnostic techniques such as pulse, tongue, and facial diagnosis.