Della Medicina/Of Medicine
9 month course & training program focused on folkloric magic, medicine, and plants.
“Together we will discover the threads that take us to our traditional medicine memories and magic.
The natural magic of the peasants and immigrants of Southern Italy that offer us the innovative, adaptive, and regenerative healing skills we need now.”
~Della Medicina upcoming course, starts October 2025
There are few questions that I am often asked about both Italian American folk medicine and my personal teaching style when people inquire about any of my courses. These are, in fact, questions that I am always asking myself. One is “why” Italian folk medicine here and now? What relevance does this type of cultural reclamation and revival have for those of us who have long become alienated from our ancestral homelands? What relevance is there to those of us enculturated in places far from where our roots began?
This is a living question for me but, from what I've learned so far, there are a couple of main desires for ancestral connection that are significant to our lives in this time and this place. One is that it places us in history and orients us to the past, present, and future which effectively brings more into presence and engagement with our current life places. Another is that these skills, these folk traditions, this medicine of the people is still much needed today.
On the question of my personal teaching style, the way I teach emerges from the above questions. I do not see myself as the sole authority or any type of expert on how folk medicine and ancestral traditions will come through others as they practice. I am not interested in starting a cult. I am not interested in imposing my experience on others. But instead to share what I have learned and practiced with others so that they can have their own.
With this I have created this 9 month course, based on my book of the same name. This an in-depth journey through the major elements of Southern Italian/American diasporic spiritual practice so that shares a holistic, comprehensive understanding of this ancient-rooted practice which has survived many transformations and continues to changes, as do we, to this day.
I am excited to announce that the next cohort of DELLA MEDICINA is now officially open for early bird registration. We begin on October 8, 2025 and will go through to June 2026.
When you join this journey, you’ll experience an in-depth teaching of 1 plant each month, paired with 1 major element of Southern Italian spirituality.
The hands-on and integrative curriculum will include:
Southern Italian/American diasporic healing and spirituality — from a holistic perspective
“Medicina popolare” or “the medicine of the people” that can be found in all cultures around the world
The mythos, history, and language of this region
Regenerative healing skills found in the natural magic of the peasants and immigrants of Southern Italy — but still are relevant today
Ethical responsibility and personal empowerment within your heritage
How to integrate ancient practices into modern lives
Think: Olive and the Practitioner's Essentials, Mallow and Ritual Farming, Garlic and the Cult of the Saints, Cannabis and Dream Temples, and more!
This course isn’t passive — it’s communal.
We will work closely together in community, with knowledge transmission happening on live calls. Each call is recorded.
We’ll meet online for monthly live meetings, practicums, and plant share circles. Sessions are held least 4 times a month, with extra meetings offered from our guest teachers.
Each participant will receive a package of plant preparations and other materials to work with during the course.
You’ll also have an opportunity to schedule a one-to-one mentoring session with Lisa to discuss your personal path with the ancestors and plants.
Who is it for?
This course is open to any level of practitioner and there are no prerequisites except for a desire to learn and a commitment to these creative and ancient traditions. And it is a commitment.
The original meaning of the word “commitment” means “to come together to let go” from com- “to unite, connect” + mittere which means “to let go or release”.
Della Medicina doesn't just offer fragments of tradition; it provides a complete, intact weave of cultural heritage, enabling participants to reclaim their spiritual identity with authenticity and depth.
Through plant learning and hands-on practice, participants weave together the threads of their heritage, gaining a profound sense of connection, ethical responsibility, and personal empowerment.
Early bird registration is happening right now until July 1! Space is limited to 30 participants.
To find out the full details and to register go HERE
