DANBURY, CONN. — The Institute for Holistic Health Studies (IHHS), housed within the Western Connecticut State University Department of Health Promotion and Exercise Sciences (HPX), will sponsor a series of “Wellness Wednesday Workshops” in spring 2017 to encourage the community and students to live healthier, happier lives and manage stress effectively. 

These free, public workshops will be at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesdays in Room 127 of White Hall on the university’s Midtown campus, 181 White St. in Danbury.

• Feb. 1: “Healthy Eating on a Budget” with Registered Dietician Dr. Elizabeth Balk. Balk will discuss how to choose food that is good for the body, but not bad for the pocketbook.

• Feb. 15: “Yoga for Everybody” with Registered Yoga Teacher Lara Ward, director of the Lotus Gardens Yoga School in Sherman, and HPX students. Yoga is not about twisting the body into the shape of a pretzel. Anyone who can breathe and stretch, can do yoga. Ward will demonstrate the benefits of yoga for body, mind and spirit.

• Mar. 8: “Herbs for Better Health” with Master Herbalist Lupo Passero, director of Twin Star Herbs in New Milford. The immune system goes into overdrive, especially at this time of year, to fight off colds and flu. Passero will show how common herbs can be used to support and strengthen the immune system and promote good health.

• Mar. 29: “Aromatherapy” with HPX Department Chair Dr. Robyn Housemann and HPX students. Housemann will explore how essential oils from plants and trees can have a positive effect on the body, how some oils are uplifting and energizing while others have a calming effect, and how they can be incorporated them into daily life.

• April 5: “Crystals for Healing” with Advanced Crystal Master Mary Oquendo. Crystals and gemstones have been used for centuries not only for jewelry and decoration, but for their health benefits. Oquendo will explain the energy of crystals and how this energy can be used to promote better health and wellness.

• April 12: “Law of Attraction” with Certified Life Coach Darlene Alvarez Maddern. Maddern will explain the power of positive thinking and how to use it.

• May 3: “Emotional Freedom Technique” (EFT) with Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Jennifer Salkin. EFT, often known as “Tapping,” can be used to release negative thoughts and emotions. The workshop will explore how to apply this technique in daily life.

IHHS Director Christel Autuori organized the workshops.

“Many people think health and wellness are determined only by diet and exercise,” Autuori said, “but wellness is multi-dimensional, encompassing the mind/body connection, spirituality, relationships and communication, and connections to nature and the environment. The series of Wellness Wednesday workshops is designed to bring greater awareness to the many aspects and influences on our health and well-being, and to introduce easy-to-use practices and techniques that can be incorporated into our daily lives.”

The workshops are one of the many educational offerings from the HPX department and the IHHS at WCSU. The mission of the IHHS is to provide the university and Danbury area communities with an opportunity to engage in and explore different aspects of holistic and integrative health through programming and instruction. A holistic perspective on health and healing integrates conventional healing with traditional and modern alternative practices from around the world.

For more information, visit www.wcsu.edu/ihhs/ or contact Autuori at autuoric@wcsu.edu.

Western Connecticut State University offers outstanding faculty in a range of quality academic programs. Our diverse university community provides students an enriching and supportive environment that takes advantage of the unique cultural offerings of Western Connecticut and New York. Our vision: To be an affordable public university with the characteristics of New England’s best small private universities.