Breathe. Relax. Renew.

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.

 

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