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Date: 9/28/2022
CHESTER — The Southern Hilltowns Adult Education Center is sponsoring a workshop on “Essential Oils for Stressful Times” led by certified aromatherapist Kay Judge of Blue Skye Wellness at the Village Enterprise Center, 26 Main St., Chester, 6-8 p.m. on Oct. 4.
In this first class, Judge will teach how to safely use essential oils to manage stress, achieve restful sleep and promote emotional balance. Participants will learn how to choose essential oils targeted toward their specific concerns, and will create an essential oil inhaler to take home. She said she plans to offer more classes in November and December.
According to Judge, an essential oil is actually not an oil.
“Most often it’s made from plant matter that goes through a condenser coil, like a still, then collects and drips into a collector. On the top floats an essential oil. It acts like an oil but it’s the volatile components of the plant that you can use therapeutically — they’re not just good smells,” she said.
She said as a certified aromatherapist, people will come to ask her about a recommendation they had heard or read to add an essential to their tea, or under their tongue. Usually essential oils aren’t meant to be taken orally, which can be dangerous, she said.
“Essential oils work the best when you inhale them. That’s why you need an aromatherapist,” Judge said. “I stress safety, how essential oils are meant to be used, and how not to use them.”
A materials fee of $20 will be collected for the class materials. After hearing Judge talk about the therapeutic properties of different essential oils, each participant will create an inhaler using different combinations.
“Some people want a calming effect, some want an uplifting effect. We’ll talk about how essential oils can help you, and have you choose what to make,” she said.
The class is limited to 10 people. There will be a second class “overflow” date of Oct. 6 at 6 p.m. To register online, visit umass.edu/shaec/register, or call 354-1055.
Blue Skye Wellness LLC is the mother-and-daughter collaboration of Kay and Erin Judge. In addition to a range of self-care products, Blue Skye Wellness offers aromatherapy consultations, educational classes and workshops, traditional Usui Reiki sessions as well as SoulCollage facilitation to support the quest for emotional, physical and spiritual well being.
Kay Judge is a clinical aromatherapist, certified through Heart of Herbs Herbal School and the Eclectic Institute of Aromatherapy and Herbal Studies in Northampton. She has studied with Demetria Clark, Linda Patterson, Kathy Duffy, Kelly Ablard, Rosemary Gladstar and Kelli Hughart, and continued her aromatherapy education by studying with Aromahead, Stillpoint Aromatics, The School for Aromatic Studies, RBK Aromatherapy, the Tisserand Institute, and Lunaroma. She is a business member of the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy and a professional member of the Alliance for International Aromatherapists.
Kay Judge is also a Reiki Master, taught by spiritual healer Rebecca Bleecher and energy medicine practitioner Maureen Suriner. In June of 2020 she received SoulCollage facilitator certification.
Erin Judge is the brains behind the formulations for Erin’s Essentials, a line of aromatherapy products including soap, body butter bars, lip balm, bug and tick sprays, essential oil roller blends and other specialty items. Erin’s Essentials was born from the desire to use honey and beeswax from the Judge’s own beehives in self-care products made from naturally derived ingredients.