PhytoHumana is the
integrative health care practice of
Amanda McQuade Crawford.

It is the unique and vital blending of two holistic therapies: Botanical Medicine and Clinical Psychology. Amanda focuses on the treatment of the whole person, giving equal attention to mental and social factors, not just symptoms or disease.

Phytotherapy

ORIGIN > Greek

phyt(ón) a plant + therapeía healing

Simply put, phytotherapy is the practice of modern western herbal medicine: the use of whole plants and plant-derived medications in the treatment and prevention of disease.

The universal use of plants for healing purposes is the origin of much of our modern medicine, predating recorded history. As a contemporary science-based medical practice, phytotherapy – while benefiting from the insights that have been gained from traditional herbal medicine texts and records – is distinguished from those approaches by rigorous biomedical and pharmacological studies, with specific phytotherapeutic preparations evaluated in controlled clinical trials under the highest professional standards.

Modern western herbalism emphasizes the effects of herbs on individual body systems. Plant medicines are selected to stimulate or strengthen the body’s functions, helping the body in healing itself. For example, herbs may be used for their anti-inflammatory, hemostatic, expectorant, antispasmodic, or immunostimulatory properties.

Psychotherapy is the use of psychological methods, involving regular personal interaction and verbal communication, to help a person change behavior and overcome problems in desired and beneficial ways. It focuses on the alteration in an individual's interpersonal environment, relationships, or life situation to alleviating symptoms of mental or emotional disturbance.

Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) are trained in psychotherapy and family systems, and licensed to diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders within the context of marriage, couples and family systems. MFTs take a holistic perspective to health care; they are concerned with the overall, long-term well-being of individuals and their families.

Psychotherapy

ORIGIN > Greek | psyche breath; spirit; soul + therapeía healing

Amanda is available for engagements of public speaking, symposiums, lectures and educational events in the field of integrative medicine and natural healing.

Biography

biography

Amanda McQuade Crawford is an herbalist and psychotherapist practicing integrative health care at her clinic PhytoHumana, with locations in Ojai and Ventura, California, serving Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties. She practiced as a Consultant Medical Herbalist for decades before she became a licensed therapist (MFT), and now offers an experienced perspective on botanical medicine and clinical psychology.

Amanda has a degree in phytotherapy (herbal medicine) from Britain’s College of Phytotherapy. She was elected a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (MNIMH) in 1986, and is a founding member of the American Herbalists Guild.

She has studied the healing traditions of other countries while living and working as a clinician abroad. In 2005, Amanda spent a year in New Zealand as the Clinic Supervisor for Canterbury College of Natural Healing.

She is the author of three books on women’s health: The Natural Menopause Handbook, Herbal Remedies for Women and The Herbal Menopause Book. She also shared her methods of herbal self-care on her TV show, What a Relief! on the Veria network.

Amanda frequently participates with internationally active groups dedicated to quality in health care. As a member of the Union of Concerned Scientists and United Plant Savers, Amanda experiences science as a spiritual discipline. She is a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists, a founding member of the American Herbalists Guild, a consultant in the natural products industry, and she continues to serve the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (Review Panelist) and the American Botanical Council (Advisory Board Member).