The Green Brain Initiative will hold its fourth annual Sacred Being Health and Wellness Fair April 18, 2015, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Locust Grove Estate on Route 9 in Poughkeepsie, NY. This year’s event will focus on reducing and healing the effects of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As always, the fair is free and open to the public, and the PTSD workshops are also open to everyone, military and civilian. Online preregistration is recommended, as space is limited.

“We live in a world that encourages us to hide what is dark and unpleasant in our lives,” says Karen Dipnarine-Saroop, cofounder of the Green Brain Initiative. “Many cases of severe depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and other symptoms of PTSD go unreported because of the stigma attached to mental illnesses, and because sufferers have an aversion to antidepressant medications. Complementary forms of healing can heal at the point of original trauma and eliminate the need for the patient to reconstruct the traumatic incidents.”

The fair will feature more than 35 wellness businesses in the Mid-Hudson Valley offering free samples, mini-consultations, and specials on products and services. Visitors can receive free reiki and mini-massages, participate in a free seed swap, and hear a presentation from a master herbalist. Proceeds will benefit the fourth annual Sacred Earth Festival, which will be held later this year, and the Green Brain Initiative’s work in alleviating poverty, advancing environmental conservation and sustainability, and promoting a healthy Hudson Valley.

For info or workshop preregistration, visit Green-Brain.org or email [email protected].