THIS COURSE IS NOW FULLY BOOKED, NEXT COURSE STARTS SEPTEMBER

The Special Yoga Flagship Course

The course was developed by Jyoti Jo Manuel who has led the path in the UK for the delivery of therapeutic yoga for children with special and additional needs for many years. As a participant, you will be guided through highly effective and accessible strategies for integrating the remedial advantages of the Special Yoga methodology into the lives of children with special and additional needs. With these skills you will have the ability to tailor this therapeutic intervention in various settings to the specific needs of the child or group you support. This comprehensive course is appropriate for sharing yoga with all children and young people with special and additional needs, including children with autism and ADHD, Down’s Syndrome, cerebral palsy, PMLD and other learning, developmental and physical challenges.

Course Structure

6 live webinars and 28 modules of online learning

This course will be taught using both the modular content you'll find here and six live webinars with Jyoti and the Senior Special Yoga team. All of the modules contain multiple lessons.
Dates for the webinars are:

  • Thursday 28th May to open the course, 
  • mid course webinars on Thursday 25th June, Thursday 23rd July, Thursday 24th September, Thursday 22nd October and then on 
  • Wednesday 18th  November to close the course.
  • All webinars will take place between 7.00 and 9.00pm

You will be awarded a Certificate upon satisfactory completion of the course and a demonstration of the knowledge you have gained throughout the course and it's practical application. This can be by submitting a film of you working with children using the Special Yoga practices you have learned or by having a mentor attend a class you are leading.

Lead Teacher

Jyoti Jo Manuel

Founder

Founder of Special Yoga, passionate about the healing potential of a therapeutic yoga, mind, body, breath practice for children with special or additional needs

Course Content

Click on the + symbol, then click on 'Overview' and you'll see a brief description of what you'll be learning in each module

  • 1

    Welcome

    • A message from Jyoti

    • Use of the Special Yoga Methodology

    • Before we begin...

    • IMPORTANT - How to navigate this course

    • Welcome to the Course

    • Course Schedule

    • Course Assignments

    • Mentors and Study Groups

    • Study Resources

    • Zoom link for closing webinar 2 Saturday Nov 28th 11am
  • 2

    Webinar Recordings

    • Webinar 25th May Recording

    • Webinar 25th June Recording

    • Webinar 25th July Recording

    • Teachback Zoom Recording

    • Webinar 24th September Recording

    • Webinar 26th September Recording

    • Webinar 24th October Recoding

    • Webinar 18th November Recording

    • Webinar 28th November Recording

  • 3

    Study Group Breakout Recordings 25th May

    • Christine's Group

    • Tory's Group

    • Daniella's Group

    • Katy's Group

    • Francesca's Group

    • Karuna's Group

    • Claire's Group
  • 4

    Module One: Introduction to Special Yoga as a Practitioner

    • Overview

      FREE PREVIEW

    • Lesson 1: Heart Meditation

    • Heart Meditation to Download

    • Lesson 2: Introducing the Practice

    • Lesson 3: Introduction to the Principles of Our Practice

    • Lesson 4: Special Yoga Precepts and Self Learning

    • Lesson 5: Self Care

    • Lesson 6: Gratitude

    • Lesson 7: Affirmations

    • Lesson 8: The Impact of Our Inner Thoughts

    • Lesson 9: Deep Listening

    • Lesson 10: Communication - Our Basic Needs

  • 5

    Module Two: Introduction to Special Yoga for the Children

    • Overview

      FREE PREVIEW

    • Lesson 1: Introduction to Practising With the Children

    • Lesson 2: Managing Behaviours

    • Lesson 3: What are we Trying to 'Achieve' With the Children

    • Lesson 4: The Grounding and Soothing Yoga Practice

    • Lesson 5: Preparing the Practice

    • Lesson 6: Sensory Processing Systems

    • Lesson 7: Yoga as a Sensory Diet

    • Lesson 8: Polyvagal Theory - Autism

  • 6

    Module Three: Pranayama

    • Overview and Disclaimer

      FREE PREVIEW

    • Lesson 1: Introduction to the Breath

    • Lesson 2: Introduction to Your Breath Q&A

    • Lesson 3: Our Breath

    • Lesson 4: Reverse Breathing

    • Lesson 5: Entrainment

    • Lesson 6: Ujjayi Breathing

    • Lesson 7: How to Support the Child to Breathe

    • Lesson 8: Touch Supported Breath

    • Lesson 9: Touch Supported Breath Supine

    • Lesson 10: Touch Supported Breath Supine Practice

    • Lesson 11: Touch Supported Breath From Prone

    • Lesson 12: Touch Supported Breath From Sitting

    • Lesson 13: Touch Supported Breath From Standing. Questions.

    • Lesson 14: Breath and Touch Q&A

    • Lesson 15: Pressure Points to Assist Breathing

    • Lesson 16: Movement and Posture to Support Breathing

    • Lesson 17: Breathing Through the Nose

    • Lesson 18: Breath Practices

    • Lesson 19: Coherent Breathing From Sitting

    • Lesson 20: Up and Down Coherent Breathing

    • Lesson 21: Breath Ratios 4-4-6-2

    • Lesson 22: Breath Ratios 4-6

    • Lesson 23: Breath Ratios Three Part Breathing

    • Lesson 24: Kapalabhati Breathing

    • Lesson 25: Bhastrika Breathing

    • Lesson 26: Alternate Nostril Breathing

    • Lesson 27: HA Breath for ADHD

    • Lesson 28: HA Breath for Energy Release

    • Lesson 29: Heart HA Breath

  • 7

    Module Four: Singing and Sound

    • Overview

      FREE PREVIEW

    • Lesson 1: What Happens When we Sing

    • Lesson 2: The Sound of OM

    • Lesson 3: Rhythm and Mantras

    • Lesson 4: Basic Rhythm with Simple Sanskrit Sounds

    • Lesson 5: Mantra and Movement

    • Lesson 6: Singing Bowls

    • Lesson 7: Closing Chants

  • 8

    Module Five: Relaxation

    • Overview

      FREE PREVIEW

    • Lesson 1: Deep Relaxation

    • Lesson 2: Relaxation Practices

    • Lesson 3: Coming out of Relaxation

    • Lesson 4: Yoga Nidra
  • 9

    Module Six: Postures

    • Overview

    • Lesson 1: Introduction to the Asanas

    • Lesson 2: The Postures

    • Lesson 3: Forward Bends

    • Lesson 4: Sitting Positions

    • Lesson 5: Prone Positions

    • Lesson 6: Postures on Hands, Knees and/or Feet

    • Lesson 7: Supine Poses

    • Lesson 8: Standing Poses

    • Lesson 9: Balances

    • Lesson 10: Inversions

    • Lesson 11: Eye Exercises

    • Lesson 12: Sequencing
  • 10

    Module Seven: Massage and Energy Medicine

    • Overview

      FREE PREVIEW

    • Lesson 1: Touch

    • Lesson Two: Importance of Massage

    • Lesson Three: Acupressure

    • Lesson Four: Indian Head Massage

    • Lesson Five: Tapping

    • Lesson Six: Shaking

    • Lesson Seven: Energy Medicine

    • Lesson Eight: Energy Medicine for Immunity

    • Lesson Nine: Elemental Energy
  • 11

    Module Eight: Mindfulness

    • Overview

      FREE PREVIEW

    • Lesson 1: What is Mindfulness?

    • Lesson 2: Learning What It Is To Be Human

    • Lesson 3: Managing Our Emotions for Us And The Children

    • Lesson 4: Planting Seeds

    • Lesson 5: Mindful Practices for Children

    • Lesson 6: Tips for Mindfulness with Lorraine Murray

  • 12

    Module Nine: Working with the Feet

    • Overview

      FREE PREVIEW

    • Lesson 1: Holding the Foot Correctly

    • Lesson 2: Observing the Foot

    • Lesson 3: The Exercises with the Feet

    • Lesson 4: The Power of the Feet
  • 13

    Module Ten: Teaching in Groups

    • Overview

    • Lesson 1: Working with the Adults in the Room

    • Lesson 2: How to Start Working in a Group Setting

    • Lesson 3: How To Manage Children Who Don't Stay On The Mat

    • Lesson 4: Groups of Children with Autism/Learning Difficulties

    • Lesson 5: Groups of Children with CP/PMLD

    • Lesson 6: Mixed Groups

    • Lesson 7: Family Yoga

  • 14

    Module Eleven: Adolescence

    • Overview

    • Lesson 1: Adolescent Boys

    • Lesson 2: Adolescent Girls

    • Lesson 3: Group Sessions
  • 15

    Module Twelve: Aspergers Syndrome

    • Overview

    • Lesson 1: Atypical Autism

    • Lesson 2: Aspergers Syndrome

    • Lesson 3: Adapting the Practice

  • 16

    Module Thirteen: ADHD

    • Overview

    • Lesson 1: Practices for Children with ADHD

  • 17

    Module Fourteen: Atypical Autism and PDA

    • Overview

    • Lesson 1: Communication

    • Lesson 2: Adapting the Practice

  • 18

    Module Fifteen: Girls with Autism

    • Overview

    • Lesson 1: Characteristics of Girls with Autism

    • Lesson 2: Delivering Sessions via Zoom

    • Lesson 3: A Practice

  • 19

    Module Sixteen: Profound Autism

    • Overview

    • Lesson 1: Sessions with Children with Profound Autism

  • 20

    Module Seventeen: Sensory Processing Disorder

    • Overview

    • Lesson 1: Yoga as a Sensory Diet
  • 21

    Module Eighteen: Children with Autism in Mainstream

    • Overview

    • Lesson 1: Yoga in Schools

    • Lesson 2: Sensory Breaks and Daily Practice

  • 22

    Module Nineteen: OCD

  • 23

    Module Twenty: Hemiplegia

    • Overview

    • Lesson 1: Language for Hemplegia

    • Lesson 2: Working with the Body

  • 24

    Module Twenty One: Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy

    • Overview

    • Lesson 1: Adapting the Practices

    • Lesson 2: Breathing

    • Lesson 3: Preparing the Body for Asanas - Undoing Spasticity

    • Lesson 4: Movement

    • Lesson 5: Use of Props

    • Lesson 6: Dislocation in Hips

    • Lesson 7: Working with Pain
  • 25

    Module Twenty Two: Ataxic and Athetoid Cerebral Palsy

    • Overview

    • Lesson1: Ataxic Cerebral Palsy

    • Lesson 2: Athetoid or Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy

  • 26

    Module Twenty Three: PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties

    • Overview

    • Lesson 1: Communication

    • Lesson 2: Practise
  • 27

    Module Twenty Four: Down Syndrome

    • Overview

    • Lesson 1: The Effects of Down Syndrome

    • Lesson 2: Benefits of Yoga for Down Syndrome

    • Lesson 3: Hypermobility

    • Lesson 4: Immunity and Breath Work

    • Lesson 5: Practising with Down Syndrome

  • 28

    Module Twenty Five: Working with Babies with Special Needs

    • Overview

    • Lesson 1: Challenges

    • Lesson 2: Supporting Parents of Babies with Special Needs

    • Lesson 3: Touch

    • Lesson 4: Connecting with Babies

    • Lesson5: Preparing the Body for Asana

    • Lesson 6: The Feet

    • Lesson 7: The Hands

    • Lesson 8: The Back and Spine

    • Lesson 9: Crawling

    • Lesson 10: The Practice
  • 29

    Module Twenty Six: Other Diagnoses

    • Overview

    • Lesson 1: Working with Different Needs

    • Lesson 2: Physical Practise

  • 30

    Module Twenty Seven: Hearing Impairment

    • Overview

    • Lesson 1: Types of Hearing Impairment

    • Lesson 2: Tips to Working with These Children

    • Lesson 3: Relaxing

    • Lesson 4: Babies with Hearing Impairment

  • 31

    Module Twenty Eight: Visual Impairment

    • Overview

    • Lesson1: Touch

    • Lesson2: Communication and Guiding the Practice

    • Lesson 3: Physical Practice

  • 32

    Next Steps...

    • Before you go...

    • The Special Yoga Path

The Special Yoga Path

Becoming an Accredited Practitioner

For Accreditation as a Special Yoga Practitioner you would need to take all of the modules, attend three live webinars with Jyoti and her senior team and demonstrate that you have learned and understood our methodology. This can be by submitting a film of you working with children using the Special Yoga practices you have learned or by having a mentor attend a class you are leading. Included in the Accreditation Training is Mentor support from a Special Yoga Senior Practitioner and Mentor. As a training centre of excellence we offer a practitioner development programme for those who wish to be registered with Special Yoga. This will be open to students who complete this Special Yoga for Special Children flagship course followed by Special Yoga for Special Children Level Two.

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