Observational Physical Assessment
for Herbal Practice
with Julie Beal, BSN, RN, Certified Clinical Herbalist
Wednesday, April 15, 2026, 6-9 pm Eastern Time
Live Streamed via Zoom (& Recorded)
This class will be recorded and a replay link sent to students within 48 hours after the class.
*This class is geared towards advanced students and practitioners. It is included within 2026 Advanced Clinical & Assessment Skills Series, and also available for drop-in registrations here.
Dive into observational health assessment using a structured head-to-toe framework adapted from professional nursing and traditional observational systems. The focus is on physical observation, clinical pattern recognition, and history-taking rather than diagnosis or full hands-on examination.
Students are taught how to organize what they see, hear, and elicit through client self-report into a coherent assessment that supports safe herbal practice and appropriate referral. We will work within the legal and ethical scope of herbalists in clinical practice with non-diagnostic pattern recognition. Content includes the systematic observation of physically visible and perceptible patterns of affect, symmetry, proportion, and posture; tissue qualities including porosity, tension, and edema; surface characteristics such as lines and texture; voice quality, breath, and speech patterns; color changes of the face, lips, skin, and nails; facial features and expression; introductory tongue observation; nail assessment; traditional pulse awareness as an observational tool; ear observation; and the integration of these findings within a traditional head-to-toe assessment structure.
Emphasis is placed on clinical discernment, pattern clustering, and recognizing red-flag indicators outside our scope that may require outside referral. All assessment approaches taught are mainly visual, conversational, and observational. Students leave with a clear, repeatable assessment framework that strengthens safety, confidence, and professional clarity during advanced herbal clinical encounters.
Julie Beal, BSN, RN, Certified Clinical Herbalist, roots her work in a lifelong study of plants and the natural world, bringing together her early academic training in plant biology with nearly two decades of experience in nursing. Her professional path has come full circle, beginning with formal education in plant sciences, expanding into nursing and clinical care, and eventually returning to herbal medicine with a deeper understanding of physiology and whole-person healing.
She began her studies at the University of New Hampshire, earning a bachelor’s degree in Plant Biology before completing a second bachelor’s degree in Nursing. She is currently enrolled in a master’s program in Nursing, furthering her education through advanced academic training.
Driven to support healing at a deeper and more holistic level, especially in the years following COVID, Julie expanded her clinical lens to include herbalism and integrative wellness. She has completed the Certified Clinical Herbalist Program at Misty Meadows with Wendy Snow-Fogg and the Advanced Herbalist Intensive Training Program with Maria Noël Groves at Wintergreen Botanicals. Julie was also fortunate to spend a significant amount of time studying closely with Margi Flint of EarthSong Herbals. She is also a Level Two Reiki Practitioner and certified in Sound Healing Foundations.
Julie’s approach bridges her nursing background with her herbal education, focusing on the interplay of physiology, lifestyle, emotional patterning, and environmental influences on health. Her work is grounded, accessible, and designed to support whole-person healing.
Alongside her human-centered practice, Julie has a strong foundation in veterinary herbalism. She has spent more than six years working at a local dog rescue, studied 1:1 with veterinary herbalist Carol Lizotte of Green Gem Herbals, and founded Herbal Paws, her herbal pet-care product line. Julie supports the health of pets and animals through both herbal consultation and handcrafted herbal products.
Julie is also currently an adjunct professor in the nursing program at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences as well as teaching faculty for the Level II Community Herbalist Program at Misty Meadows Herbal Center. She currently also volunteers internationally with the Global Smile Foundation on medical missions.
Connect with Julie via boneandbloombotanicals@gmail.com
You will receive an email at least 24 hours prior to each live class as a reminder and zoom/class materials access links. If you do not see that message, check your spam folder. If it's not there, email the Wintergreen Botanicals team directly at support@wintergreenbotanicals.com or call 603-340-5161.
The post-class recording link(s) will be sent out within 24 hours after the live class. There is no deadline to watch or access materials.
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