On the podcast today, Amy talks with Shawnee Thornton Hardy. Shawnee is an Educational/Behavior Specialist and the founder of Asanas for Autism and Special Needs and Founder/Director of Yoga Therapy for Youth. She is also the author of “Asanas for Autism and Special Needs: Yoga to Help Children with their Emotions, Self-Regulation and Body Awareness”, and the creator of the C.A.L.M.M Yoga Toolkit.

With over 20 years of experience Shawnee has worked with children with Autism, ADHD, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Prader Willi, Sensory Processing Disorder, Learning Difficulties, Motor Coordination Difficulties, Language Processing deficits, Mental Health issues, Behavior Disorders & Children who have experienced significant Trauma and Abuse.

Amy and Shawnee talk about her journey and how she got started, Her inspiring work with children, Boundaries, Importance of nature for regulation of the nervous system, Shawnee’s superpower with kids and so much more.

They talk about the following:

·        Shawnee’s background and how she got started with working with children

·        Shawnee’s work and how the book ‘Asanas for Autism and Special Needs’ emerged organically

·        Some benefits of integrating nature into our lives and the impact on the regulation of the nervous system

·        Shawnee’s thoughts on the impact of teaching appropriate boundaries in children with needs and examples of how she does this in her work

·        How Shawnee works with youth who have complex needs due to trauma 

·        Shawnee’s experience with her own personal trauma, grief and unexpected illness and how it has caused her to shift in her own nervous system and mind as she works through it

·        The importance of knowing our personal boundaries, and how to be more embodied in our work as yoga therapists and yoga teachers, so that we can teach others to do the same

·        Shawnee’s superpower when it comes to her work

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Today’s podcasts is sponsored by: Optimal State

https://theoptimalstate.com/

We have all benefitted from the ancient wisdom of India and her people, so it feels really great to be able to serve in this way. The Optimal State family has pledged on-going support of $250 per month, to go directly to KYM Mitra (www.kym.org). We will collect the monies and gift them each month. Please consider a recurring monthly payment to the fund. Even a small gift or intention makes a difference! If we make more than $250 in any given month, it will roll into the following month’s payment. The hope is that we can contribute for many years to come. If you even lose the link to donate, it is at the top of the homepage at www.amywheeler.com also. I will be reporting on the website the progress; how much money is coming in at any given time and where we are in the process of getting this project off the ground.

Here is the link for you to get started with your donation. We are so happy that you have decided to join us. We thank you for the bottom of our hearts!

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Check out Amy's website http://www.amywheeler.com

To learn about Shawnee’s training website:

https://www.asanasforautismandspecialneeds.com/

Books mentioned in the podcast

Asanas for Autism and Special Needs

Facebook:

https://web.facebook.com/shawneethorntonhardy/