Cerebral Palsy and PMLD extension

This extension to SYSC offers a broader range of practices for parents of, or those who work with a child or young adult with Cerebral Palsy / PMLD.

With this Extension you’ll get…

Live CP/PMLD Webinar

On Saturday 17th May from 2.00pm - 4.00pm join this live webinar led by Special Yoga Advanced Practitioners and CP/PMLD specialists Christine Levrot and Laura Tilley.

Christine and Laura will share how Special Yoga practices can be adapted for those with Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy, Hemiplegia and PMLD.

CP/PMLD Study Group

When allocated to a study group as part of the Special Yoga for Special Children training you will join others who are interested in CP/PMLD and will have either Christine or Laura as your Study Group Leader throughout the course.

CP/PMLD Course Content

Within the Special Yoga for Special Children course materials are modules which teach the practise of Special Yoga for CP/PMLD populations. When purchasing this extension you will also get access to additional practices for your toolkit - specifically extra ways of working with the feet, sound, rhythm and mantra and the use of relaxation techniques.
This additional content will also be included in your Course Handbook

Here’s a deeper look at the benefits of some of the practices you’ll learn on this Cerebral Palsy and PMLD extension:

Sound, Music & Mantra:

  • Sensory Stimulation: Sound, music, and mantra can provide rich sensory experiences stimulating auditory, tactile, and sometimes even visual senses and providing opportunities for engagement and exploration.

  • Emotional Regulation: Music has a powerful effect on emotions and can help regulate mood. Listening to calming music or chanting mantras can promote relaxation and reduce anxiety or stress in children with cerebral palsy and PMLD

Massage and Working with the Feet:

  • Muscle Relaxation & Pain Relief: Massage can help relax tight muscles and reduce muscles spasms and spasticity, which is common in individuals with CP. This can help to alleviate pain by releasing tension in the muscles, promote circulation and improve range of motion and overall mobility.

  • Enhanced Communication: Massage can serve as a form of nonverbal communication, allowing individuals with CP and PMLD to express their needs and preferences through physical cues and responses. Massage may also provide an opportunity for positive social interaction and bonding, strengthening the relationship between parent and child

Book CP/PMLD extension

Please ensure you also book a place on the Special Yoga for Special Children course.
This extension cannot be taken on its own.

Introducing Your Teachers

Laura Tilley

Laura is a caring, intuitive and creative individual and teaches yoga to children and adults with SEND in nurseries, schools, day centres and private 1-2-1 work. 

Her background is in dance and movement therapy and yoga for over 10 years. She has an in depth knowledge of Special Yoga having studied with us for many years and having taken foundation and senior practitioner courses. She now supports our work as a study group leader and teacher.

Laura has two very special daughters, one with complex learning disabilities and another with ADHD and Autism. This experience has shaped her journey towards yoga and self care for the children. She is also keenly aware of the importance of practise and self care for parents/carers and enjoys sharing ways in which this has supported her.

Christine Levrot

Based in Canada, Christine was introduced to yoga at the turn of the century and since then has relearned to live, breathe and move!
Christine completed teacher trainings with Lyne St-Roch and Hart Lazer but it was in
2015 after her mother had a stroke causing hemiplegia that she began to see yoga through another lens, that of people with disabilities who did not have access to it.
Christine is now a Special Yoga Senior Practitioner and teaches on this course for Cerebral Palsy and PMLD.

Christine guides children with multiple disabilities on the path to yoga, adapting the practice to their body and their heart helping them find freedom through subtle movement.
She continues to study with Special Yoga and has completed many courses over the years to keep up to date with the latest research on using yoga as a therapy.

Jyoti Jo Manuel

With her depth of knowledge and many years of experience, Jyoti Jo Manuel is recognised by many as one of the worlds leading authorities on therapeutic yoga for children. Her personal yoga journey started in 1974 and she began teaching in 1989. 

Jyoti has travelled extensively implementing Special Yoga programmes in orphanages, social care, education and health care and for paediatric therapists and psychologists.
As founder, lead and spiritual head of Special Yoga she has trained senior practitioners to support the effective and impactful delivery of Special Yoga for children with special needs meeting them wherever they are.