Movement Therapy for Children
by Mary Glover- CYI, RYT, M.ED.
It is well known that yoga has therapeutic value for adults, and the same is true for children. In a world where demands on children are increasing and the incidence of autism is now one in every 150 children, yoga offers unique possibilities as a therapy for developmental challenges. Integrated Movement Therapy (IMT), an approach developed at the Samarya Center in Seattle, attends to the needs of the whole person. IMT has a healing focus that addresses these six core principles:
- Structure and continuity
- Language stimulation
- Physical stimulation
- Self-calming
- Social interaction
- Direct self-esteem building
Putting Movement Therapy Into Practice
Each session with a child incorporates all of the above principles through relaxation techniques, breath awareness, and games using yoga poses that stimulate physical, language and social development. Every child is seen as a whole, perfect being, not participating in therapy to be “fixed,” but to become more present to the divine essence that resides in each of us.
Looking for more information about Therapies?