Online and In-Person

with Emily Smith and Susan Somers-Willett

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May 27th - July 10th (4 weekends)

Dates: 

May 27, 28, 29 - Fri 5:30-8:30, Sat 12-5:30, Sun 12-5:30

June 11, 12 - Sat 12-5:30, Sun 12-5:30

June 25, 26 - Sat 12-5:30, Sun 12-5:30

July 9, 10 - 12-5:30, Sun 12-5:30

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Yoga is for everybody and every body, but it is often offered in ways that exclude people of diverse ages, sizes, abilities, and identities. In this 50-hour course, you will discover how to individualize the practice of yoga for all. We'll begin with the foundations of how to make yoga functional for a diverse range of bodies, focusing on principles for adaptation and sequencing, and discussing the therapeutic uses of yoga to address chronic conditions. We will engage in appropriate yet challenging practices such as chair yoga and bed yoga that empower the communities they serve. Through lecture, discussion, and practice teaching, we will explore how to meet the anatomical, practical, and emotional needs of different populations, including seniors, people with bigger bodies, people with injuries or disabilities, LBGTQIA+ communities, people of the global majority and more. By the end of the course, you will create and teach a yoga sequence for a community of your choosing, preparing you to bring your accessible yoga skills to public classes and private instruction.

 

​$700 - Payment plan available

 

CURRICULUM OUTLINE

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Foundations of Accessible Yoga

• Anatomy trains and functional movement principles

• Planes and levels: surface, force, and relationships to gravity

• Vinyasa Krama: progression and regression

• How to conduct an initial assessment/intake

 

Accessible Asana Clinics

Exploration of key postures in different expressions/planes/relationships to gravity for accessibility 

 

Functional Practices

• Yoga for Back Pain (Anatomy of the Spine + common injury)-e.g. stenosis, scoliosis, osteoporosis, disc herniation

• Yoga for the Neck and Shoulders (anatomy of the shoulder girdle and neck)

• Yoga for Stress Management (nervous system review and pendiculation)

• Yoga for Digestive Health (anatomical focus on issues of intestinal motility and GERD)

• Yoga for Pelvic Health (SI joint stability, diaphragmatic anatomy and energy) 

 

Teaching Methods for Body-Diverse Populations, such as:

• People in the second half of life (Seniors, Elders)

• People using chairs or beds as part of their practice (People in wheelchairs, on bedrest, or in palliative care)

• People with hypermobility, including perinatal bodies (overview)

• People with chronic pain (including fibromyalgia, arthritis, and MS)

• People with bigger bodies (overview)

 

Teaching Methods for Specialized Populations, such as:

• Veterans

• People with mobility impairments/folks in wheelchairs

• Cancer survivors

• LGBTQA+ folks

• BIPOC/PGM populations

• People in prison

• Sexual assault survivors

• People in recovery for addiction

• Caregivers