Special Yoga
“Everything we teach at Special Yoga is grounded in love, with respect for ourselves and compassion for those in our care. Everybody has the right to shine.”
Jyoti Manuel – Founder of Special Yoga
What is Special Yoga?
Therapeutic yoga for children with special and additional needs
I provide inclusive Special Yoga for Special Children sessions as 1:1 or small groups, privately and within schools/colleges/centres for all ages. As a parent of a child with profound, multiple and complex special needs, I realised the potential of using adapted and accessible yoga for additional needs as a way to encourage them to flourish and truly reach their fullest potential – physically, mentally emotionally, physiologically, energetically and neurologically. Through my training with Special Yoga, under the guidance of Jyoti Jo Manuel, I have been further amazed by the power of these practices that enhance their ability to gain strength and balance, to feel comfortable in their bodies, release their fears and to achieve what they have come into this life and this body to do.
Within the Special Yoga Methodology we also endeavour to work with the caregivers supporting those with additional needs to help them create a calm state, providing a strong foundation for those they work with, to self regulate and thrive. I also offer training days and or workshops for the staff and parents working or caring for those with additional needs, to find the methods to not only keep themselves self-regulated but also share compassion based, accessible, adaptable and effective practices for everybody.
Who Can Special Yoga help?
Compassion based Yoga, practiced in a therapeutic and accessible way can help a variety of people with additional needs including Autism, ADHD, Cerebral Palsy, Down’s Syndrome, learning disability difficulties, PMLD, complex needs and other physical challenges.
Special Yoga Can Help to:
- Increase body and spatial awareness
- Develop motor skills
- Encourage self-initiation and self-regulation
- Experience less physical pain and emotional trauma
- Form rewarding relationships with all those around them
- Learn practical communication skills and techniques
- Improve natural sleep and digestion patterns
- Develop cognition, fostering a greater capacity to learn
- Build strength, coordination and flexibility
- Reduce anxiety and depression
Sessions include a range of practices:
- Breathing practices
- Physical postures & Movement
- Working with the feet
- Deep pressure massage & energy
- Tapping – body awareness practices
- Sound therapy
- Mindfulness
- Relaxation
Special Yoga: Supporting Children with Special and Additional Needs to Achieve their True Potential and Purpose
