COURSE INFORMATION
This comprehensive CE course provides a very comprehensive overview of studies, research and treatments related to herbal medicine. Students study many facets of herbal and natural medicine as it relates to the treatment of multiple conditions to include depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, chronic stress, insomnia, thyroid disorder, dysmenorrhea, premenstrual syndrome/premenstrual dysphoric disorder, gastrointestinal disorders, polycystic ovarian syndrome and hyperglycemia/insulin resistance. Multiple vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids and other natural/physical treatments will be extensively discussed.
Course Code: HH 500. Contract hours of education: 55 hours.
Instructor/Course Author: Rebecca Belschner, FNP-BC, SMC-C, HIHC-CSp
Is an Advanced Practice Nurse, a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Rebecca has 25 years in healthcare experience focusing from acute care, family practice, women’s health, mental health, occupational health and pediatrics. She is currently certified as a stress management consultant as well as holistic and integrative health care. She has recently been published by Covenant Books: Stress almost killed me, literally: And it could kill you too.
Link to Resume: access here
TIME FRAME: You are allotted two years from the date of enrollment, to complete all of the courses in the Holistic & Integrative health care practice program. There are no set time-frames, other than the two year allotted time. If you do not complete the courses within the two-year time-frame, you will be removed from the course and an “incomplete” will be recorded for you in our records. Also, if you would like to complete the courses after this two-year expiration time, you would need to register and pay the course tuition fee again.
TEXTBOOKS: There are two (2) required textbooks for this course.
Herbal Medicine for Mental Health: Natural Treatments for Anxiety, Depression, ADHD, and More (Amen Clinic Library) by Lillian Somner
- ISBN-10 – 0806541105
- ISBN-13 – 978-0806541105
Link to Purchase on Amazon.com: Click Here
Herbal Remedies for Sleep: How to Use Healing Herbs and Natural Therapies to Ease Stress, Promote Relaxation, and Encourage Health Sleep Habits by Maria Noel Groves
- ISBN-10 – 1635867746
- ISBN-13 – 978-1635867749
Link to Purchase on Amazon.com: Click Here
GRADING: You must achieve a passing score of at least 70% to complete this course and receive the 55 hours of awarded continuing education credit. There are no letter grades assigned. You will receive notice of your total % score. Those who score below the minimum of 70% will be contacted by the and options for completing additional course work to achieve a passing score, will be presented.
BOARD APPROVALS: The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is an Approved Provider for Continuing Education by the South Carolina Professional Counselors, Marriage & Family Therapists and Psycho-Educational Specialists licensing board, Provider # 4637.
AIHCP is an approved provider of continuing education by the American Institute of Health Care Professionals (The Provider) is approved by the California Board of Registered Nurses, Provider number # CEP 15595 for 55 Contact Hours. Access information
This course, which is approved by the Florida State Board Of Nursing (CE Provider # 50-11975) also has the following Board of Nursing Approvals, for 55 contact hours of CE
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the Arkansas Board of Nursing. CE Provider # 50-11975.
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the Georgia Board of Nursing. CE Provider # 50-11975.
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the South Carolina Board of Nursing. CE Provider # 50-11975.
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the West Virginia Board of Examiners for Professional Registered Nurses. CE Provider # 50-11975.
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the New Mexico Board of Nursing. CE Provider # 50-11975.
Course Refund & AIHCP Policies: access here
ONLINE CLASSROOM RESOURCES AND TOOLS
* Examination Access: there is link to take you right to the online examination program where you can print out your examination and work with it. All examinations are formatted as “open book” tests. When you are ready, you can access the exam program at anytime and click in your responses to the questions. Full information is provided in the online classrooms.
* Student Resource Center: there is a link for access to a web page “Student Resource Center.” The Resource Center provides for easy access to all of our policies/procedures and additional information regarding applying for certification. We also have many links to many outside reference sites, such as online libraries that you may freely access.
* Online Evaluation: there is a link in the classroom where you may access the course evaluation. All students completing a course, must, without exception, complete the course evaluation.
* Faculty Access Information: you will have access to your instructor’s online resume/biography, as well as your instructor’s specific contact information.
* Additional Learning Materials: some faculty have prepared additional “readings” and /or brief lecture notes to enhance your experience. All of these are available in the online classrooms.
Course Objectives: Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Define the meaning of herbal medicine
- Recall when homeopathic medicine was first developed
- List herbs that can be useful in the treatment of mental illness
- Differentiate the practice of Eastern and Western medicine in the treatment of mental illness
- Define the meaning of leaky gut
- List causes of leaky gut
- Recognize the primary chemicals/neurotransmitters affected by chronic stress
- List herbs utilized in the management of chronic stress
- Discuss why the act of relaxation matters
- List effective relaxation techniques
- List which vitamins / minerals are commonly depleted in the setting of chronic stress
- Summarize the DSM5 criteria for a diagnosis of depression
- Name the types of depression that are recognized in the psychiatric field
- Recall additional types of depression recognized by herbal medicine
- List the herbs utilized in each type of depression
- List the herbs utilized for nervous system nourishment
- Differentiate adaptogens and nootropics
- List adaptogens utilized in chronic stress
- List the bitters utilized in chronic stress
- Recognize potential side effects and contraindications for herbs utilized in mental illness
- Discuss how the gastrointestinal system and central nervous system interact
- Summarize the digestive process
- Explain how to reduce inflammation in the gut
- List what herbs can help reduce inflammation in the gut
- Discuss probiotics and their use
- Recall common types of probiotics
- List signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism
- Recall medications that have the potential of interfering with thyroid function
- Identify what supplements have the potential to support thyroid function
- Review causes of painful menses
- Differentiate the causes and symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)
- Recall different types of PMS
- Define polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
- List herbs that can potentially be helpful in supporting PCOS
- Discuss vitamin D benefits and key effects
- Differentiate type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- Define insulin resistance
- Name natural approaches in lowering blood sugar and insulin levels
- List herbs and spices that can lower blood sugar
- Define cognitive behavior therapy
- Describe types of automatic negative thoughts
- Recall physical approaches for the treatment of anxiety and depression
- Name the five types of anxiety disorders
- Recall herbs that has been helpful in treating anxiety disorders
- Discuss the meaning of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the symptoms of each type
- Recall potential causes of ADHD
- List potential herbs that may be helpful in the treatment of ADHD
- Compare bipolar 1 with bipolar 2 disorder
- List common pharmaceutical medications utilized in the treatment of bipolar disorder
- Recall the importance of sleep
- Review core habits for better sleep
- List potential causes of insomnia
- Recall which amino acids and herbs have been found to assist in the treatment of insomnia
- Discuss physical treatments for pain management
- Restate herbs used that may be helpful in pain management
- Discuss the purpose and types of aromatherapies
- Recall safety tips when considering the usage of herbs
COURSE CONTENT
- Definition of herbal medicine
- History of herbal medicine
- History of homeopathic medicine
- Herbal affinity for specific organ systems
- Safety of herbs
- Diagnosis in herbal medicine
- Energies and meridians
- Depression definition and types
- Diagnosis and treatment differences between allopathic and herbal medicine in depression
- Herbs utilized in the diagnosis of each type of depression
- Chronic stress, HPA axis dysfunction and herbs recommended to support HPA axis dysfunction
- The gut-brain connection
- Review of the digestive system
- Reducing inflammation in the gut
- Herbs recommended to be helpful in reducing inflammation in the gut
- Pre and probiotics, types and benefits
- Dr. Hans Selye model of stress reaction
- Biological ramifications of chronic stress
- Biology of the thyroid function
- Symptoms of hypothyroidism
- Role of inflammation in thyroid disorders
- Medications and metals that can interfere with thyroid function
- Herbs and supplements that support thyroid function
- Painful menses (dysmenorrhea), polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) definition, causes and symptoms of
- Lifestyle methods and nutrients that can support dysmenorrhea, PCOS, PMS and PMDD
- Vitamin D definition and benefits
- Insulin and insulin resistance
- Dr. Dale Bredesen insulin resistance as it relates to diabetes, fatty liver, metabolic syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease
- Nutrients that lower blood glucose and insulin levels
- Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), alpha stim, interactive metronome, hyperbaric oxygen therapy as potential adjunct treatments in the treatment of depression
- Biology of anxiety disorder
- Types of anxiety disorders
- Nootropics vs. Adaptogens definition and examples
- Herbs for children with anxiety
- Essential oils for anxiety
- Resistance training, CBT, Alpha stim and neurofeedback as potential adjunct treatments in the treatment of anxiety disorder
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) definition, etiology and symptoms
- Dr. Scott Shannon’s seven ADHD subtypes
- Dr. Daniel Amen’s seven ADHD subtypes
- Causes of increasing incidence of ADHD
- Herbal and amino acid approaches in the treatment of ADHD
- Bipolar disorder etiology, types, subtypes and symptoms
- Common pharmaceutical medications utilized in the treatment of bipolar disorder
- Insomnia definition and causes
- Herbal options for improved sleep
- Sleep hygiene
- Essential oils and mind/body therapies for improved sleep
- Safety and storage of common herbs