Emily Watson
1 Course • 0 StudentBiography
Emily Watson is a clinical herbalist, nutritionist, massage therapist, and educator who has dedicated her career to helping healers thrive—both in their personal well-being and in their professional practices. Since 2014, Emily has guided countless herbalists in transforming their passion for healing into sustainable, profitable businesses through her work at Artemisia Academy, which she founded and directs.
Emily’s journey into holistic health began in 2007, with hands-on farming apprenticeships in Hawaii and at the Herb Pharm in Oregon. She later completed a two-year clinical program in herbalism and nutrition at the North American Institute of Medical Herbalism (now the Colorado School of Clinical Herbalism), where she trained under Paul Bergner in vitalist herbalism—a philosophy rooted in the body’s innate ability to heal with the support of herbs, nutrition, and lifestyle practices.
In addition to her herbal work, Emily is a Certified Massage Therapist and Medical Qigong practitioner, having studied at the Santa Barbara Body Therapy Institute. There, she also served as an educator, teaching courses in anatomy, physiology, pathology, business, nutrition, and massage modalities. Emily has led public herb walks and workshops at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and continues to foster community education around plant medicine.
Through her own experiences as a practitioner, Emily recognized the need for greater support and business training for healers. She has pursued extensive business education—including Women's Economic Ventures Self Employment Training—and now weaves entrepreneurial skills and self-care practices into her teaching. Her mission is to empower healers to nourish themselves first, so they can sustain their work and their communities for the long term.
Emily’s credentials include:
Director & Founder, Artemisia Academy
Certified Clinical Herbalist
Certified Clinical Nutritionist
Certified Massage Therapist (CAMTC #46037)
