Wellness Community hosts special programs

The Wellness Community Valley/Ventura will begin another eight-week "Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction" course at 6:30 p.m. Mon., Sept. 22, with orientation for this class at 6:30 p.m. Mon., Sept. 15. The course is based on Jon Kabat-Zinn’s program at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Pre-registration is required.

Jay Udani, M.D. will present a workshop titled "Preparing and Recovering from Surgery—An Alternative Approach" at 7 p.m. Thurs., Sept. 18. Dr. Udani is board certified in Internal Medicine and holds a certificate in Medical Acupuncture from UCLA.

He has been the medical director of the Northridge Hospital Integrative Medicine Program since 2001. He will discuss pre-operative preparation (including when to stop certain supplements) and post-operative recovery (relaxation techniques to decrease pain supplements to improve healing, and detoxification to accelerate the removal of anesthesia.)

Jane Ivey, a certified reflexologist and teacher at the Cancer Center of Ventura County will lecture on "Reflexology: What It Is and How Can It Help You Relax" at 12:15 p.m. Thurs., Sept. 25. Reflexology is described as "a unique method of using the thumb and fingers on reflex areas in the feet and hands to relieve stress and tension, improve blood supply, and promote the unblocking of nerve impulses."

All programs are at the Wellness facility at 530 Hampshire Road, Westlake Village. To register or request more information, please call (805) 379-4777.