Bach Flower Remedies · Programs compared
By Valérie Fabre, Founder & Director, Harmonika Institute · Updated September 2026 · Facts as published by each provider
In the U.S., complete flower remedy training paths cost about $1,750 to $1,800: $1,790 for Bach Centre Levels 1 to 3 with licensed trainer Carl Anderson, or $1,750 for the Flower Essence Society practitioner course. Every certification relies on case studies or assessed consultations after classes. Choose by lineage, registry goals, live format and practice requirements.
| Criteria | The Bach Centre (Levels 1 to 3) | Carl Anderson, BFRP (Bach Flower Education) | Flower Essence Society Practitioner Certification (School for Flower Essence Studies) | Harmonika Institute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Credential | Level 1, 2 and 3 certificates; after Level 3, application to the Bach Foundation Registered Practitioner (BFRP) register, at the Centre's discretion and under its Code of Practice | Bach Centre Level 1, 2 and 3 certificates (BFRP route) | FES Practitioner Certification (optional, after the professional course) | Certified Flower Remedies Practitioner (CFRP) |
| Format | In person at Mount Vernon (UK) or through licensed trainers; distance learning: Level 1 in 5 lessons, Level 2 videos and online group sessions, Level 3 seven weekly Zoom seminars plus 2 one-to-one sessions | Level 1 on Zoom; Level 2 on Zoom or in person in Seattle; Level 3 in person (4 consecutive days) plus home study | Online: 9 live Zoom sessions of 2 hours plus 36 hours of recorded video lessons and self-study | 100% live online |
| Teaching time | In person: Level 1 2 days, Level 2 2 days, Level 3 4 days; up to 18 months to complete Level 3 work; hours not published | Level 1: 4 sessions of 3.5 h (14 h); Level 2: 4 Zoom sessions of 3.5 h or 2 in-person days; Level 3: 4 days plus 4 to 12 months of home study | 80 hours, including 18 live hours; 9 weeks of classes; 1 year to submit certification work | 3 days (24 hours of class) |
| Tuition | Not published on the pages consulted | $395 (Level 1) + $445 (Level 2) + $950 (Level 3) = $1,790; Level 3 dates not announced | $1,750 (spring 2026 cohort) + $250 certification portfolio reading fee | $1,500 |
| Accreditation | Holds the BFRP register and approves the courses of its licensed U.S. trainers (as published) | Bach Centre licensed trainer; courses listed in the Bach Centre's official U.S. calendar (as published) | Program authorized and certified by the Flower Essence Society (as published) | Private certification, not a state license |
| Best for | Students who want the original Bach Centre levels and a path to the BFRP register | U.S. students who want the Bach Centre levels taught by a licensed trainer, partly on Zoom | Students who want a plant-centered approach covering FES and Bach essences, with essence making | Coaches and wellness practitioners who want a short live online course on all 38 remedies and consultation |
Provider details as published on their websites in September 2026. Prices and schedules change: check with each provider.
Each program teaches the 38 Bach remedies and their emotional indications. They form the core of Levels 1 and 2 at the Bach Centre and in Carl Anderson's courses, and the Flower Essence Society school covers them in its in-depth exploration of FES and Bach essences.
Distinguishing close remedies is a shared skill. The Bach Centre's Level 2, also taught by Carl Anderson, focuses on fine differences between remedies and on type and mood remedies. The Flower Essence Society school teaches principles of flower essence selection in its professional course.
All three move from knowing remedies to working with clients. The Bach Centre's Level 3 and Carl Anderson's practitioner training teach consultation and listening skills, while the Flower Essence Society school includes a session on structuring the client consultation within its professional course.
Certification rests on real practice completed after classes, with a deadline. The Bach Centre allows up to 18 months for Level 3 work, including filmed consultations. Carl Anderson lists 4 to 12 months of home study, and the Flower Essence Society school gives 1 year to submit 3 client case studies.
Live video classes are now common. The Bach Centre's Level 3 distance learning programme runs seven weekly Zoom seminars, Carl Anderson teaches Level 1 and Level 2 on Zoom, and the Flower Essence Society school holds 9 live Zoom sessions alongside recorded lessons.
The Bach Centre keeps the Bach Foundation Registered Practitioner register and approves courses given by licensed trainers such as Carl Anderson. The Flower Essence Society certifies practitioners through its authorized school and works with a wider range of essences beyond the 38 Bach remedies.
The Bach Centre's Level 3 combines a knowledge test, a written exam, a viva voce and a reflective essay, and distance students have a real consultation observed. The Flower Essence Society school asks for client case studies, a plant study and an archetypal character study, reviewed for a $250 fee.
Carl Anderson offers Level 1 Pets & Their People, which adds animal behavior basics. The Flower Essence Society school teaches plant observation, plant attunement and essence making, anchoring indications in living plants. The Bach Centre keeps a strict three-level progression whose certificates are recognized worldwide for entry to the next level.
As published in September 2026, Carl Anderson charges $395, $445 and $950 for Levels 1 to 3, a total of $1,790. The Flower Essence Society school charges $1,750 plus a $250 certification fee. The Bach Centre does not publish prices on the pages consulted.
If joining the Bach Foundation Registered Practitioner register matters to you, follow the Bach Centre's Levels 1 to 3 with the Centre or a licensed trainer. Harmonika Institute's CFRP is an independent private certification with no Bach Centre affiliation and no path to the BFRP register.
The Bach Centre path focuses on the 38 Bach remedies. The Flower Essence Society school teaches both FES and Bach essences, with plant observation and essence making. Choose the system you expect to use with clients day to day.
Carl Anderson's Level 3 is taught in person over 4 days, while the Bach Centre offers a Level 3 distance learning programme on Zoom. The Flower Essence Society school and Harmonika Institute teach live online. Consider travel, time zones and session length.
Ask how many case studies or consultations you must complete, the deadline and who reviews them. Requirements range from filmed consultations at the Bach Centre to 3 case studies at the Flower Essence Society school and at Harmonika Institute.
Add all levels and fees. Carl Anderson's three levels total $1,790, and the Flower Essence Society school adds a $250 certification review fee to its $1,750 tuition. Ask whether remedy sets and books are included.
As published in September 2026, Carl Anderson, a Bach Centre licensed trainer, charges $395 for Level 1, $445 for Level 2 and $950 for Level 3, or $1,790 in total. The Flower Essence Society practitioner course costs $1,750 plus a $250 certification fee. The Bach Centre does not publish prices on the pages consulted.
At the Bach Centre, Levels 1 and 2 take 2 days each in person and Level 3 takes 4 days, with up to 18 months to finish Level 3 work. Carl Anderson adds 4 to 12 months of home study after Level 3. The Flower Essence Society course runs 9 weeks, with 1 year to submit certification work.
Yes, at least in part. The Bach Centre offers a distance learning programme, including a Level 3 with Zoom seminars. Carl Anderson teaches Level 1 and Level 2 on Zoom and Level 3 in person. The Flower Essence Society course is online. Harmonika Institute's CFRP is taught live online, camera on, with daily consultation practice.
Recognition comes from the organizations themselves. The Bach Centre manages the BFRP register and licenses trainers, and the Flower Essence Society certifies practitioners through its authorized school. Harmonika Institute's CFRP is a private certification, not a license, not accredited by outside bodies and independent of the Bach Centre.
BFRP is the register kept by the Bach Centre at Mount Vernon in the UK. After completing Level 3, practitioners can apply to join it, at the Centre's discretion and under its Code of Practice. Level 3 includes filmed consultations, a written exam, a viva voce and a reflective essay.
The Bach system has 38 remedies developed by Dr. Edward Bach and organized in seven groups. The Flower Essence Society works with a wider range of essences, teaching both FES and Bach essences with plant observation and essence making. Harmonika Institute's CFRP covers the 38 Bach remedies and the seven groups.
We selected the reference organization for the Bach system, the Bach Centre, which publishes its levels and assessment; the U.S. licensed trainer who publishes all three levels with prices, Carl Anderson; and the second major U.S. certifier, the Flower Essence Society, through its authorized school. Trainers publishing only Level 1 were set aside. Data comes from each provider's website, collected in September 2026. Prices change, so check with each provider before enrolling.
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3 days of live online teaching, a cohort of 15, $1,500 tuition.