Onsite Herbal Apprenticeship

3 MONTH INTENSIVE

An in-person, hands-on herbalism apprenticeship residency program at our working apothecary and retreat center in Lake Atitlán, Guatemala. A rare opportunity to dive deep into herbalism with hands-on training and mentorship.

Including 12 Lectures on vitalist herbalism theory, 100+ hours of hands on apothecary training, mentorship with our on-site herbalists & much more.

Apply Now:
October 2027 Herbal Apprenticeship

Apply for October 2027 cohort

WHAT IS AN HERBAL APPRENTICESHIP?

A living education in the heart of the apothecary.

In a world of online courses, we’re offering something rare and rooted. An in-person, hands-on herbalism apprenticeship program at our working apothecary and retreat center in Lake Atitlán, Guatemala.

This is not a retreat. This is an invitation into a living lineage, one where you learn by doing, in rhythm with the plants and the seasons. Gain hands on experience and practical skills while connecting to the plants on a deep level.

Spots are limited to a maximum of 5 apprentices per cohort. Positions are secured through interview process and deposit.

Now accepting applications: Oct 2027
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A woman with curly hair and freckles is sitting outdoors among tall plants, smelling a purple flower on a sunny day.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Live the Herbal Life

Apprentices live onsite in our amazing 2 acre property. Staying in our beautiful cabins. Scroll down for more info on the spaces.

Work-Study Herbal Immersion

You’ll contribute a minimum of 10 hours/week to the apothecary, with training and mentorship from our experienced staff every step of the way.

Ongoing Herbal Education

Apprentices receive 1 formal 2hr class per week and free access to our bi-monthly community herbalism classes, taught onsite. This is where the Vitalist tradition comes alive, through touch, taste, smell, and storytelling.

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Theory & Practice Combined

As an apprentice, you’ll be immersed in the day-to-day operations of our working apothecary. Your tasks aren’t just labor; they’re doorways into embodied herbal knowledge. Each week, you’ll receive dedicated class training focused on the “how” and “why” of what we do, including materia medica and traditional context for the herbs you’re working with. Then we will set you free in the garden and the lab to put those teachings into immediate context with hands-on tasks.

WHAT YOU’LL BE LEARNING & DOING:

A woman is trimming green herbs or plants with pruning shears in a rustic kitchen. She is holding a small bundle of herbs in one hand and wearing rings on her fingers. The background includes wooden shelves with various jars and kitchen items, and a table with more herbs and a plastic bag.

You’ll participate in our weekly fresh plant harvests from the medicinal gardens here at Casa Curativa, as well as our partner gardens around the valley of Tzununa.

What you’ll learn and do:

  • Harvest timing & technique for optimal potency

  • Field identification and wild-tending practices

  • Garbling (sorting and cleaning fresh herbs)

  • Proper drying methods for quality preservation

  • Storage and labeling protocols for apothecary stock

Harvesting & Post-Harvest Garbling & Processing

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We offer a line of hand-blended herbal teas using our garden-grown plants. Apprentices help ensure each tea is mixed accurately and with care, maintaining the integrity of the formulas.

What you’ll learn and do:

  • Understanding blending ratios, weights, and balance of constituents

  • Sensory evaluation for freshness and synergy

  • Packaging and labeling for our tea line

  • Assisting with inventory and rotation of dried herbs

Mixing Herbal Teas

Two hands holding bottles of herbal tinctures with labels reading 'ADRENAL RESET' and 'RESETEO RENAL' above orange flowers and green foliage.

Our formula line relies on consistent, high-quality herbal extractions. You’ll be part of the production process that brings plant medicine from fresh harvest to shelf-ready product.

What you’ll learn and do:

  • Preparing herbal macerations using alcohol-based solvents

  • Measuring and weighing for standardization

  • Labeling, dating, and record-keeping for tincture batches

  • Straining and bottling finished extracts

Macerating Tinctures

What your tuition covers

  • 12 weeks of Private housing in our Riverside, Honeycomb (June only) or Lodge (shared with one other apprentice) – Full kitchen, bathroom, porch, and peaceful setting

  • 12 Weekly 1hr Lecture every Monday where we explore the foundational aspects of Vitalist herbal theory with nourishing lunch

  • 1 Weekly hands-on practicum training in our Herbal Apothecary with our production team and faculty

  • 10+ hours/week of hands-on apothecary training
    Gardening, harvesting, processing, medicine making, herbal spa prep, and retreat support. All tasks come with guided training from our staff

  • Immersion in a working herbal apothecary
    Learn systems, formulations, workflow, and seasonal medicine cycles

  • 15% apprentice discount in the Casa Curativa apothecary

  • Supportive learning culture
    We want to meet our apprentices where they are, and make sure we remain flexible to their learning needs.

  • Mentorship and real-world practice daily

  • Full access to our gardens

pricing by accommodation
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WHY DO THIS?

Because herbalism is best learned through living it; with your hands in the soil, your senses tuned to the plants, and your heart aligned with the rhythm of the seasons.

Because most herbal students never get the chance to see how an apothecary actually runs, how fresh plants are transformed into medicine, or how herbalism is woven into real-life healing work.

Because you're seeking more than information; you want embodiment, applied skills, and a community of practitioners to learn from in real time.

Because opportunities like this are rare. This is a chance to step into a lineage of living herbalism, to apprentice in a vibrant ecosystem of plants, people, and healing work.

Do this if you're ready to walk the path, not just study it.
Do this if you’re ready to serve, learn, contribute, and grow.
Do this if your soul is craving real apprenticeship in a place where the plants are teachers, the work is sacred, and the learning never ends.

Apply now for oct 2027
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FALL 2026 COHORT

Oct 1 - Dec 18, 2026: Sold Out

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2027 COHORTs

May 24 2027 - August 13 2027: Sold Out

October 2027: Accepting Applications

pricing by accommodation

Meet Your Teachers

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  • Herbalist, Mother, Teacher, Birth & Postpartum Doula, Steward of Casa Curativa

    Julia Bentley, originally from Tennessee (ancestral territory of the Cherokee people), found her path into herbalism through her own healing journey from eczema and psoriasis. After studying with Sajah Popham, Julia moved to Lake Atitlán, Guatemala, where she founded Casa Curativa, a sanctuary where people from all over the world can connect with the healing power of plants.

    A humorous and engaging teacher, Julia blends lightheartedness with deep wisdom, encouraging students to laugh and find humility in their practice. Her lectures on alchemy and the spagyric arts invite exploration into the more mystical aspects of herbal medicine. Julia’s entrepreneurial spirit shines through in her work, as she has cultivated Casa Curativa into not only an educational hub but also a thriving herbal brand, focused on quality, ethics, and community.

    Living onsite at Casa Curativa with her son Emmitt, Julia continues to steward the sanctuary, nurturing both the plants and the community that surrounds it. Her teaching inspires students to embrace both the practical and the profound in their herbal practice, empowering them to create their own path in the world of herbalism.

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  • Herbalist, Astrological Guide, & Musician

    Lindsay is an herbalist, permaculture practitioner, and educator whose work explores the relationships between plants, people, and the patterns that shape both earth and cosmos. Raised in Michigan among the Great Lakes, her early background in entrepreneurship, leadership, and performance arts fostered a lifelong interest in storytelling and living systems.

    After training as a yoga teacher and completing a Permaculture Design Certification in Guatemala in 2015, Lindsay pursued studies in natural medicine, nutrition, and aromatherapy before formally training with Sajah Popham through the School of Evolutionary Herbalism. She relocated to Lake Atitlán in 2020, becoming a key force behind Casa Curativa’s apothecary systems and operational development.

    Known for her precision and organizational insight, Lindsay has helped design production workflows and quality control protocols that support the creation of consistent, potent herbal medicines. Her teaching weaves herbal energetics, physiology, astrology, and hermetic philosophy, guiding students to recognize the patterns connecting plants, bodies, and cosmic cycles through storytelling, somatics, rituals and experiential learning.

“Plants have the ability to facilitate the healing of our bodies, the clarification of our minds, the opening and strengthening of our hearts, and the evolution of our souls.”

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-Sajah Popham

PRICING BY ACCOMMODATION

Payment Plans Available

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Total Program Cost: $7,550

Riverside Cottage

The Zome Home

Total Program Cost: $8,550

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A small wooden cabin surrounded by lush green trees and plants in a forested area.

The Lodge (shared)

Honeycomb Cabin

Total Program Cost: $6,550

Total Program Cost: $7,550

Apply for October 2027 Cohort 
Positions are secured through interview process and then a $1500 is taken upon acceptance into the program as a non-refundable deposit to reserve your space. Remaining balance is due 1 month before the apprenticeship begins. Contract is signed upon acceptance. **Food not included.
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Join the Waitlist:

If you're not quite sure you're ready to join the October 2027 Herbal Apprenticeship, join the waitlist to be the first to hear about enrollment, program updates, and upcoming opportunities.

    Already have housing and want to come join the lectures?

    The Offsite Apprenticeship is designed for people already living around Lake Atitlán who want to root deeper into herbal study while keeping their own housing. If you’ll be here for three months or more, you’re invited to join our 12-week cohort and weave yourself into the rhythm of classes, medicine-making, and community practice.

    Enrollment is closed for all 2026 cohorts.
    Join waitlist for October 2027 enrollment.

    offsite applications are currently closed