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Cannabis Education
Why We Embarked on this Journey to Educate Others about Cannabis
The integrity of what we provide our customers rests squarely on who we are – holistic-minded health practitioners, first & foremost. While other cannabis education programs are available, most are produced by business people who have little or no hands-on patient experience. We are our target audience – health & wellness professionals committed to holistic healing.
We’re also seasoned educators & communications experts. We know how to dissect studies & translate findings. We know how to develop curricula that’s timely & practical. Let us do the heavy lifting so you can sit back & enjoy the learning curve.
We know what’s like to personally hit a healing wall. Laura has a daughter with a developmental delay who was at a plateau. It was frustrating to say the least. Donna received the diagnosis that every woman dreads – breast cancer. Once each of them included cannabis in their healthcare plans, things started changing – for the better & forever!
We knew that we had to help other clinicians gain the knowledge about cannabis & build their practices.
Get Answers to Questions about How to Help your Clients Heal with Cannabis PLUS How to Build your Business
- Are your clients asking about medical marijuana, but you’re at a loss?
- Have some of your patients hit a wall & could use a different healing modality?
- Would you like to skyrocket your practice to the next level?
- Do you want stay progressive & be an early adopter, bringing cannabis consulting to your clients?
Cannabis Consulting: the Missing Piece of a True Holistic Counseling Practice
If you’re looking to enhance your practice & healing skills when working with patients with inflammation, chronic pain, anxiety, insomnia, and many other health conditions, our signature practitioner program is for you.
As clinicians, we know that many of our clients are stuck. They get better, but are not completely back to their former selves. When people get to this plateau point, they go online & consult Dr. Google. Unless they’ve been living under a rock, it’s only a matter of time before they learn something about the healing powers of cannabis. This is where things can go awry.
We know that you care about your clients. We’ll show you another way – a way that helps your patients AND you – by building your reputation!
These skills will not only boost your confidence working with your clients, but will help you develop a specialty for your practice creating a culture where—
- Clients feel understood & refer you to their friends & family
- You have a reputation as a progressive practitioner
- Medical marijuana doctors refer their patients to you for specific plans
Imagine have a practice where clients are eager to work with you & doctors refer to you regularly.
This 31-module online training program is a mix of audio & video presentations with slides plus patient education handouts & practitioner resources for a turnkey experience.
We promise that your knowledge will expand, your confidence will grow & you’ll complete the program with a toolbox of resources that you’ll be excited to share with your clients.
What Is this Program?
Our signature Holistic Cannabis Practitioner program is an online training curriculum that features expert faculty in the fields of medical cannabis, aromatherapy, acupuncture, nutrition, yoga & other integrative disciplines. The program is not only about learning a new & ancient healing modality. It’s about how build your business by developing vital skills in cannabis counseling & consulting. When you train with the Holistic Cannabis Academy, you will learn how to

Obtain optimal health & wellness results for your clients by integrating cannabis with other holistic modalities

Maximize your practice capacity with new patients plus referrals

Position your practice as forward-thinking & progressive

Create value-added services to enhance your bottom line
As a Holistic Cannabis Practitioner, You Can Expect to:
- Become a medical cannabis pro!
- Develop an exceptional, practical knowledge based on current research of medical cannabis
- Integrate cannabis into other holistic healing modalities such as nutrition, aromatherapy, yoga & massage
- Learn the language of cannabis to increase your confidence in having conversations
- Learn how to broach the topic of cannabis with patients who may not appear open-minded
- Increase understanding & application of the various cannabis forms & modes of administration
- Grow your business & enhance your bottom line by helping patients heal
Why Learn about Cannabis?
If you’ve ever thought that there’s more you could do to heal a client…
If you know the federal government says cannabis is an illegal schedule 1 drug with no benefit, yet you also know that more than half the US states have approved medical marijuana and many people have benefited….
If you’re goal is to guide your clients to optimal health & wellness with best practices in holistic healthcare….
If you’ve been looking for a game-changing career opportunity to set yourself apart in your community…
Then the Holistic Cannabis Academy Was Created Just for You!
Few, if any, healthcare professionals learn about cannabis & the endocannabinoid system in their training. In fact, many – including herbalists – shun cannabis because of its status as a schedule 1 drug, even though it’s approved in more than half the country for medical use & states have sanctioned cannabis for adult, or recreational, use.
There’s an enormous amount of online information about medical cannabis. Let’s face it – cannabis is a hot topic! Is the online info science-based and accurate? Can you trust that it’s the best information for building your business?
If you want the best program about integrating cannabis into holistic healthcare, your search is over! Medical marijuana is at the forefront of personalized lifestyle medicine. You can be, too.
And, in the process, create raving fans who cannot stop singing your praises!
States across the US & countries around the world are approving medical cannabis.
Isn’t it time for you to join the holistic cannabis movement & remain at the forefront of personalized medicine?
Isn’t it time to free yourself of the outdated beliefs lingering from the reefer madness days & learn about the sacred plant? It’s time to discover that—
- Cannabis can be an integral part of healing
- Healing with cannabis does not need to mean getting high
- Upregulating the endocannabinoid system with lifestyle behaviors & cannabis may be the missing piece for many clients
We’d love for you to join us for our signature program & become a Holistic Cannabis Practitioner!
States across the country & countries around the world are approving medical cannabis at rates faster than healthcare professionals are becoming competent to discuss the plant with clients.
Do you want to become the early adopter healthcare professional who adds cannabis counseling to your progressive practice?
It’s Time to Change the Cannabis Paradigm & You Can Be in the Front Row!
What Do You Get with the Signature Program?
- 4 of the 31 modules are video interviews with cannabis clinicians & advocates about setting up a cannabis consulting practice
- Ready-to-Go education handouts for you to offer your clients, supporting the salient points of your counseling sessions
- Links to additional, vetted research studies, book chapters & other resources for more in-depth learning to accompany modules
- Access to the online 2016 Holistic Cannabis Summit – a 4-day event with 28 experts
- Interactive video chats with co-founders Laura & Donna to share best practices and get questions answered
- Access to a private Facebook page for students to engage with one another, sharing concerns & advice about building a cannabis consulting business
- Upon successful completion of the 31 Holistic Cannabis Academy modules, students take a 200-question multiple-choice exam to receive the Holistic Cannabis Practitioner certificate of training
- Once certified, a professional profile is listed in the online HCA Practitioner Directory
- 1-year membership in the Holistic Cannabis Network, connecting you with doctor recommenders & dispensaries
Is this Program for Me?*
If you’re a nurse who knows that cannabis alleviates the side effects of chemo, find out how much more this plant can do for your patients.
If you’re an herbalist who realizes that cannabis is in your wheelhouse, isn’t it time to learn about this ancient plant’s healing power & put it into your toolbox!
If you’re a dietitian or nutritionist who believes that food is medicine & recognizes that cannabis is a plant, what are you waiting for?
If you’re a pharmacist who recognizes that plants are medicinal (think foxglove & valerian), get ready to dispense cannabis (in some states) & cannabis advice to clients.
If you’re an aromatherapist who uses the astounding powers of essential oils, integrating cannabis will bring your practice to another plane!
If you’re a chiropractor or massage therapist who deals with pain daily, cannabis can be your game changer you’ve been waiting for!
If you’re a doctor or physician’s assistant who never learned about the endocannabinoid system & cannabis, now is your opportunity to be the progressive practitioner you set out to be!
CONTINUING EDUCATION APPROVALS
The National Association of Nutrition Professionals has approved the HCA signature programs for 30 continuing education credit hours as part of its Advanced Specialty Education Program.
Holistic Cannabis Academy is a preferred provider of the Nutrition Therapy Association, which grants 24 continuing education hours for the program.
The Canadian Health Coach Alliance & the Canadian Association for Integrative Nutrition offer 30 continuing education credit hours for the program.
What is the Value of the Signature Holistic Cannabis Practitioner Program?
We are the only online training curriculum designed for health professionals by health professionals that looks at cannabis through a holistic lens.
Forget the expense & time incurred traveling to conferences as you start building your new cannabis career. There’s no single conference that delivers comprehensive clinical information plus business-building advice, along with the practical education, tools & ongoing networking support. Holistic Cannabis Academy is unique!
The Real Monetary Value
- 31 modules from expert faculty: $3100 value
- Ready-to-go client handouts: $1350 value
- 27 slide PDFs: $1350 value
- Research links & additional resources: invaluable
- 200-question competency exam: $250
- Peer to peer networking access: invaluable
- Certification as a Holistic Cannabis Practitioner
- Membership (1 year) in HCA practitioner directory: $250

Why Should You Take Our Signature Practitioner Program?
Because we are incredible curricula developers & have put together a premier cannabis education program with the best cannabis clinicians, researchers & advocates who know how to teach.
There is no better time to jump in & join colleagues who are passionate about offering the latest & most ancient healing tool by becoming a Holistic Cannabis Practitioner.
We believe in our hearts that our signature practitioner program is the best training for professionals who want to take practices to the next level & help more clients in the process. Imagine where you’ll be in less than 6 months after becoming a Holistic Cannabis Practitioner!
Not Yet Ready to Take the Signature Practitioner Program?
Curated Cannabis Packages
We curated 23 modules from our Holistic Cannabis Practitioner program into 6 packages of 3-5 modules each, so you could sample our signature program in smaller chunks.
Test drive the Holistic Cannabis Academy with our curated packages. These feature the same professional modules contained in our practitioner program, but in smaller bundles, ranging from 3-5 modules each. It's a great way to get started on your cannabis training, if you're not quite ready for the full commitment.
Note: You must complete the full practitioner program plus exam to become a Holistic Cannabis Practitioner. If you purchase a package or two & later decide that you’d like to pursue the full program, we will credit the package prices toward your full tuition.
If you have questions we haven’t answered here, please check out our FAQ page.
Who Are Your Program Developers?
Laura Lagano & Donna Shields have a combined 50+ years in the healthcare education field. They are dynamic, intelligent & know their stuff! Consider joining us & our esteemed faculty for the best program about integrating cannabis into healthcare & building your practice.
Always ahead of the curve, Laura was a nutrition communicator years before the current onslaught of media dietitians. She is poised to become one of a handful of dietitians certified by the Institute of Functional Medicine. And now, along with Donna, she has developed the premier online cannabis training program.
Having developed curricula ranging from kindergarten to medical education, Laura has a private practice – both in person & distance – that’s all about root cause resolution. Her client give her rave reviews, taking them from feeling blah to feeling spectacular.
As a cookbook author & former instructor at the Culinary Institute of America, Donna knows her way around a kitchen. She possesses an innate ability to create products, recipes & meal plans that are healing, but not restrictive. Writer extraordinaire, Donna brings an element of pizzazz to any project.
Together, Laura & Donna are an incredible team, bringing cannabis to its rightful place in the toolbox of all healthcare practitioners!