"Honoring Our Plant Medicine Origins: Ceremony and Mind/Body/Spiritual Considerations"

Presenter: Gary Ferguson, ND 
Original Date: July 27 2025

The healing power of plants is deeply rooted in ceremony, tradition, and the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit. Honoring Our Plant Medicine Origins invites participants to explore the cultural, spiritual, and energetic dimensions of botanical medicine that have long been integral to indigenous and ancestral healing systems. This session reflects on the ceremonial use of plants as sacred allies in healing, the importance of intention and ritual in herbal practice, and the ways in which spiritual and emotional health intersect with physical well-being. By weaving together traditional knowledge and contemporary insight, attendees will deepen their understanding of the holistic nature of plant medicine and how to respectfully integrate ceremonial and spiritual perspectives into modern practice. Emphasis will be placed on cultural humility, ethical stewardship, and honoring the diverse lineages from which these healing traditions emerge.

Bio: Dr. Gary Ferguson is the Interim Health System Administrator at Tulalip Health System. Originally from the Shumagin Islands community of Sand Point, Alaska, he is Unangax̂ (Aleut) and an enrolled member of the Qagan Tayagunin Tribe. Dr. Ferguson has an ND from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine and a BS in Spiritual Studies from Multnomah University. In addition, he trained in Addiction Medicine as a Tobacco Treatment Specialist at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, completed an Indian Health Service Healthy Native Communities Fellowship in Community Health with the Indian Health Service, and earned a Foraker Certificate in Nonprofit Management and a Graduate Certificate in Business from the Alaska Native Executive Leadership Program. Formally trained as a Naturopathic Physician, Dr. Ferguson has a passion for healthy communities and a population health approach. He is the co-producer of the Store Outside Your Door – Alaska Native cultural food traditions around how to hunt, fish, gather, and grow. He also currently has several volunteer and professional organization positions, including with the Alaska Traditional Foods Community Advisory Board, Alaska Growth Capital CDFI Advisory Board, the Arctic Council Working Group/Sustainable Development Working Group/Arctic Human Health Expert Group, Alaska Association of Naturopathic Physicians (Member/Past President), American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (Member), American Indian Cancer Foundation (Board Director, Chair), State of Alaska Pain & Opioid Management ECHO (Team Member), The Aleut Corporation (Board Director, Treasurer/Past President), University of Alaska Master of Public Health Advisory Committee, and Washington State University Center for Native American Health Sciences Indigenous Healer Cohort. His prior positions include providing clinical services to his home region at Eastern Aleutian Tribes, serving at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium as Senior Director of Community Health Services, and as Chief Executive Officer at RurAL CAP. Dr. Ferguson’s personal interests include nutrition, traditional foods, botanical/traditional medicines, Indigenous health, hiking, photography, music, travel, outdoor recreation, boating, fishing, hunting, gardening, and reading.

NUNM is accredited by the North American Naturopathic Continuing Education Council (NANCEAC). This activity qualifies for 1.5 Cultural Competency CEUs Total.