Yoga for the Special Child®, LLC, is a multi-level comprehensive program of Yoga techniques designed to enhance the natural development of children with special needs. Our style of Yoga is gentle and therapeutic—it is safe for babies and children with Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Microcephaly, Autism, and other developmental disabilities. These methods also provide an effective treatment for children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD) and learning disabilities.

A therapeutic approach, this program helps to increase body awareness and strength, improve concentration, and ensure healthy formative development in children with special needs.

Through hands-on instruction, participants will be guided on how to facilitate Yoga poses designed for each stage of a child’s development. Participants will also learn how to interact and bond with infants and children, how to create the optimum home environment, and how to work with specific syndromes and disorders.

Yoga for the Special Child curriculum includes:

• Specific techniques for evaluating infants (0-3) and children (3-12)
• Live or video demonstrations of working with children of different ages
• Components of a complete Yoga practice
• Benefits and contraindications
• Breathing exercises
• Relaxation techniques
• Information on the four stages of development:

1. Preparatory Stage (birth to 6 months)
2. Inductive Stage (6 months to 1 year)
3. Interactive Stage (1 to 2 years)
4. Imitative Stage (2 to 3 years)Training Information

Who Should Attend
Yoga for the Special Child is ideal for parents, caregivers, Yoga teachers, educators, nurses, and occupational, physical, and speech therapists, or anyone interested in teaching Yoga to children with special needs.

Training Information

Prerequisites
None.

Continuing Education (CE) Opportunities

• Yoga Alliance (YA):  Approximately 45 contact hours.
  You can input your contact hours using your YA log in information.
• Integral Yoga Teachers Association (IYTA) can provide you a CE certificate with your program’s total contact hours for a $10 fee (free for IYTA members.) For more information, email [email protected].

Yoga for the Special Child Basic Certification

After Basic Part 1, participants will receive a Certificate of Participation.

After Basic Part 1 and Basic Part 2, participants will receive a Certificate of Accomplishment for the Yoga for the Special Child® Basic Certification. For Registered Yoga Teachers with 200 hours, completion of both Basic Part 1 and Basic Part 2 satisfies the 95 contact hours for Yoga Alliance RCYT (Registered Children’s Yoga Teacher). Please note: you must complete both courses to have the combined 95 contact hours for the Yoga Alliance. Please refer to Yoga Alliance for additional information on the requirement to obtain RCYT certification.

After completing Basic Part 1 and Basic Part 2, you will not be certified to teach Yoga for the Special Child® to other teachers, but you will be certified to teach children of all ages using the Sonia Sumar Method.

Testimonials

The hands-on experience, the advice, and the wisdom I got from Sivakami herself will help me to be a better Yoga practitioner, which will, in turn, help me be a better teacher.  — Sarah Gilbert

This program was truly life-changing. Not only did I receive the training I was expecting, I also felt that I became a true yogini while attending. It allowed me to go so much deeper on my own spiritual journey, which in turn will make me a far better teacher for the children I work with.  It is so much more than just a training. — Jennifer Novak

I found this to be a phenomenal program. Sonia Sumar’s method of teaching, modeling, and presenting was heartfelt. — Johnnie Stewart