BETHEL – “How Anxiety and Stress Can Affect Your Life,” a workshop presented by Wayne DuPlessis, counselor, will launch this year’s new series by the To Your Health Committee of the Western Mountains Senior College. The workshop will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, at the West Parish Congregational Church, Garland Chapel, Church Street.

In today’s environment, the committee considered this topic to be especially relevant. Stress and anxiety were high on the list of patient needs according to staff at the Bethel Family Health Center. Comments on evaluations of previous workshops also confirmed that people saw it as a need.

DuPlessis has counseled clients for 14 years. He said, “High levels of stress have the capacity to destroy relationships as well as your health.”

He will explore the mind-body connection and provide suggestions for destressing one’s life, including physical and psychological harmony; causes of anxiety, emotional stress and depression; and healing and restoration for total well being.

Several follow-up workshops have been planned to aid people in destressing. The first one will be held on Saturday, Nov. 8, with Betsey Foster, tai chi and qigong instructor giving a workshop on “Breath of Life – Breathing and Moving Meditation for Stress Reduction.”

A workshop on healthy exercise in January by Jan Silas, physical therapist, is in the planning stages, and area restaurants are being polled for their interest in participating in a series of “Healthy Eating on a Budget” presentations next spring.

The public is invited and admission is free. For more information, contact R. Tifft at 824-2053.