somapsyche - Special Yoga

Regular yoga practise can have many beneficial effects for both the body and mind, including people with additional support needs. We believe yoga should be available to all children, both in schools and as an after-school activity.

What is Special Yoga?

Sonia Sumar developed the comprehensive program of yoga techniques known as Yoga for the Special Child, which is designed to enhance the natural development of children with additional support needs. It uses a step by step integrated system of yoga poses designed to improve cognitive and motor skills, as well as specialized breathing exercises and relaxation techniques which help to improve concentration and reduce hyperactivity. At somapsyche, we use this programme with children with additional support needs, and a modified programme for adults.

Who is it suitable for?

somapsyche works with children and adults of all ages who have a variety of conditions including autism, ADD, ADHD, cerebral palsy, Down's Syndrome, epilepsy, spina bifida, dyspraxia, and other physical and developmental difficulties.

Often parents of children with additional support needs can find it difficult to find suitable healthy activities for their children to join in with. Similarly, adults with disabilities can find many fitness activities are inaccessible for them. somapsyche’s Special Yoga can provide for all levels of disability and help to open up new opportunities.

Assessment and techniques

Marie assesses each person individually and puts together a personalised learning programme, which is reviewed and updated as the child/adult develops. In some cases the individual may be encouraged to join in with group classes.

Classical Hatha yoga methods and techniques are used, and sessions are comprised of the 5 main disciplines:

Asanas or body postures, Pranayama or breathing exercises, i.e. the science of proper breathing Kriyas or cleansing practices, Music and sound therapy, and Deep relaxation, which traditionally comes at the end of every yoga session.

One-to one sessions are offered to children of all ages with additional support needs, ranging from autism, cerebral palsy, Down's Syndrome, microcephaly, epilepsy, and other developmental and physical difficulties. Children can enter into group classes as and when they are ready. There is no lower age limit - the younger we start the better. Yoga for the Special Child is suitable for babies, infants and children, from birth onwards.

The Benefits of Special Yoga

Unlike traditional therapies that target specific issues, Yoga benefits the whole person, improving:

• Communication skills
• Cognitive skills
• Develops greater concentration and attention span
• Works on fine motor coordination, hand to eye coordination and auditory processing
• Improves muscle tone – relaxing spasticity and firming floppy muscles
• Flexibility and postural alignment develop
• Increased self -esteem
• Works in harmony with physiotherapy, relaxing the body and supporting the therapeutic intervention
• Yoga and breathing techniques can help to improve respiration and complements the work of a Speech and Language Therapist

About the teacher

Marie Hartigan has trained with Jo Manuel, the founder of the Special Yoga Centre, who teaches the UK-wide Yoga for the Special Child basic training courses for Sonia from the centre in London.

As well as being a qualified yoga teacher and specialist in Children’s yoga teaching, Marie is an experienced additional support needs teacher. She also lectures in Learning Disabilities / Difficulties at the Adam Smith College, Fife. Marie holds a Masters Degree in Education (Psychology).

We hope that somapsyche will reach out across Scotland so that children and adults with additional support needs across the country, both privately and within schools and centres, can feel the benefits of a regular yoga practise.

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