Yoga for All Abilities, the Sonia Sumar Method

Why train with us ?

  • Yoga for the Special Child is the Original Special Yoga.

  • Yoga for the Special Child is the Pioneering Therapeutic Yoga Methodology for children and adults with additional and or complex needs - you will be learning from the source.

  • We prioritise Quality of training over Quantity therefore we cap our course at 12 participants max.

  • We offer follow up Support and Guidance.

PART 1 | 22-24th November & 29-1st December 2024 | HYBRID

In person training places are limited to 12.

 Yoga for All Abilities, Part 1, is a comprehensive, hands on, experiential course that will help you gain all the tools and skills you need to start teaching yoga to children with special needs. The course is open to yoga teachers, yoga students, school teachers, health practitioners, OT, PT, parents of children with special needs and everyone who is interested in helping children with special needs through the means of yoga.

The Method Sonia Sumar pioneered over 50 years ago, is rooted in classical Hatha Yoga, therefore it carries all of its components : voice work- chanting, eyes exercises, breathing work- pranayama, physical exercise - asanas, deep relaxation and meditation- yoga nidra. It is a safe and gentle but yet extremely powerful therapeutic yoga approach that has been helping improve the life of children and adults with additinal and or complex needs across the globe. The method is suitable for any age and any conditions. 

Itinerary and what you will learn  

Timetable :   9:00am - 5:00pm GMT daily

You will be provided with a manual - workbook and as the course progresses you will be handed out more materials to read and study. All material from the manual will be covered fully.

With this training you will learn how to work with babies and children up to 12 years of age. SriDevi Denisa Vulkova will share with you all of her knowledge and experience and all she has learned and keeps on learning from Sonia Sumar Sivakami directly. She will guide you through deepening your knowledge of Yoga , developing your own yoga practice, developing a practice for a child with special needs, gaining all the tools and skills you would need in order to deliver a yoga class, and gaining an understanding of the core Yoga for the Special Child Method values and structure.

As the training progresses and you learn more about the different stages of development we would share 4 / 5 different videos with you so you can see the methodology applied directly. This offers a really fantastic opportunity for all participants on the course to not only see but also have the chance to discus, question and investigate further all that has been learned over the week. 

Each day will start with a short yoga session with the aim of you learning how to lead a class for a child with special needs. It is important to be able to understand and experience the benefits of this particular yoga methodology on your own body/ self before even attempting to apply it & share it with children with special needs.

Part 1 looks closely at the different stages of physiological and phycological development of an individual and how yoga helps and supports the  individual’s development. The methodology is divided in 4 stages which you will study and learn about in depth so by the end of the course you will be able to work with children with special / additional needs right away.

The curriculum is rich and engaging. The course includes:

  • how to evaluate infants and children

  • how to create the optimum home environment

  • how to work with specific conditions

  • how to create a practice suitable for each individual

  • how to adjust and accommodate a child so he/she is safe

  • how to improve the breath of the child which in turn promotes better overall wellbeing

  • how to calm the child's nervous system so they are better self regulated

  • how to improve child's strength balance, flexibility, stamina, concentration, focus, sleep, self -esteem and state of mind

Accreditation 

“Yoga for the Special Child” is recognised by Yoga Alliance Professionals, Yoga Alliance International, International Association of Yoga Therapists and AOTA which proves the high quality of training you will be undertaking.

Once you receive your credit hours papers you can start sharing yoga with children with special needs from 0 to 12 years old but to fully be recognised and approved by all of the above bodies you will need to complete the full 95hrs of training by attending Part 2.

For those who embark on teaching yoga you will need to consider getting an insurance and valid up to date enhanced CRB ( please note , this is applicable/needed in UK, other countries may have different rules and regulations. ) 

Investment  

£805

The initial deposit is £200 and the rest is payable before the starting date of the course. 

However, we understand that sometimes splitting things on monthly instalments is more manageable financially therefore that option is also available. Once you pay the deposit we can then split the rest of the payment into equal amounts and you can pay it off monthly till the start of the course. If you choose this option please do let us know so we can arrange the details. 

Further Help 

If you need any further information, feel free to email us at any time. We will do our best to help and support you in the process. 

We look forward to meeting you and welcoming you to MahaDevi Yoga Centre and the Yoga for the Special Child Family.