SANDPOINT — In a world that seems filled with chaos and division, how do you stay balanced?

That's the question that presenters at today's Natural Connections programs will be addressing in a series of three workshops. The programs, which begin at 11 a.m. in the Sandpoint Library garden, focus on everyday resilience, herbs and emotional resilience, and making natural inks and pigments.

"So many people are feeling anxious these days," said Joyce Jowdy, the East Bonner County Library District's community engagement and adult programming coordinator. "So many people are feeling stressed out, whether it's politics, personal life changes or just regular life."

This month's Natural Connections program aims to address the stress and give area residents the tools to better handle those challenges, Jowdy said.

The daylong program begins at 11 a.m. and continues until 4 p.m. Broken into three workshops, residents can attend one, two or all three of the programs, all of which will be held in the library garden.

The first workshop at 11 a.m. will focus on everyday resilience and will be taught by licensed social worker Ginna Minervini. The second workshop with Suzanne Tabert of Cedar Mountain Herb School at 12:30 p.m. will focus on "herbs, hacks and healing" and how herbs can help achieve calm and emotional resilience.

In the third workshop at 2:30 p.m., Brianna Larson will teach participants how to make natural inks and pigments, which could then be used in journaling or painting.

The daylong event will begin with Minervini's interactive workshop that blends mindfulness techniques with cutting-edge science to explore how the brain responds to stress. A psychotherapist since 1999, Minervini has specialized in mindfulness techniques, teaching others how to use practical tools to teach the brain to recover, refocus and thrive even when faced with the barrage of modern life.

"She really wants to help people understand better what's going on in their brain, and how to be resilient when all these things come unexpectedly, or just throw you for a loop," Jowdy said. "She teaches how mindfulness can play a role and what that means, as well as some techniques and practices."

The second workshop with Tabert is also one not to be missed, Jowdy said.

Tabert, who works as the director of herbal education at the school, has 38 years of experience teaching plant medicine, wildcrafting and healthy lifestyle practices. At Saturday's workshop, the bioregional herbalist and author will talk about how chronic stress impacts the nervous system, contributes to inflammation and shows up in a host of physical and emotional symptoms, library officials said.

Key herbs that nourish the nervous system and support emotional resilience can help the body recover from stress. Among the herbs will be a deeper dive into mugwort, a plant long valued for its role in emotional and energetic resilience.

Participants will have the opportunity to create either a mugwort bundle for clearing and protection, or a mugwort vinegar to nourish and support the nervous system at home. All materials will be provided, library officials said.

Wrapping up the day will be Larson's workshop on making natural inks and pigments, giving participants a chance to explore different plants and rocks to create nontoxic art.

The "highly scientific" techniques of smashing, smooshing, sifting and boiling will be key parts of making the inks and pigments, library officials said. Participants will explore the library's garden, examining plants and rocks that make color.

"It will be another way to express oneself and release any tensions," Jowdy said, noting that natural pigments and inks have long been used in journaling and to create. "It creates some beautiful artwork and the physicality of actually making something can also release tension."

The Sandpoint Library is located at 1407 Cedar St.