Licensed Psychologist Aimee Todd will lead an eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program at The Yoga Place, in Ephrata. Classes will be held from 9 to 11:30 a.m., Saturdays, beginning February 22 and ending April 12; a retreat from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., March 30, is also part of the series. Tuition includes two CDs for home practice and a notebook with handouts; participants should expect to attend all sessions.

The practices of MBSR help people learn to live more fully in the present moment and to deepen their connection to themselves. Research supports the efficacy of MBSR to lower blood pressure and boost the immune system, as well as to help people manage work stress better, accept the diagnosis of a terminal illness or live with chronic pain. Practitioners report sleeping better and feeling less anxious and depressed.

Todd, a doctor of psychology, owns the Psychology and Mindfulness Center, in Ephrata. In 2011, she completed an MBSR practicum at the Mindfulness Institute of the Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine.

Cost: $300. Registration closes February 15. Location: 922 N. Reading Rd., Ephrata. For preregistration (required) and more information, call 717-466-6565 or email [email protected].