During these challenging times, Jessica feels that it is important to mention that while we must follow safety guidelines, we must also remember to enjoy ourselves. Online classes are a great way to still have fun, in the comfort your own home without a mask on and without worrying about distancing guidelines.
Yoga for Autism, involves a lot deep breath-work. Doing so with a mask on, for your child may be even more triggering and result in a tantrum. The practices Jessica offers are important to do so in a one-one setting, or a group class online. Sometimes friends/siblings like to take online yoga classes together, to improve skills and self-regulation.
What you can expect in her sessions is a therapeutic yoga practice to assist in anxiety related struggles. Online classes are either 30 minutes or 45 minutes. In a 30 minute session, Jessica will introduce yoga songs to improve speech and attention, gentle restorative yoga postures for flexibility and overall movement, deep breathing always accompanied by each yoga posture, and a guided meditation to close off the practice. A 45 minute session allows her to take more time to play a yoga game, allowing the student to build rapport with her and feel comfortable. In a 45 minute session, they will also build on their yoga practice, taking the time to learn each pose, and learning many positive affirmations.
In her experience working with this population, she has been reaching the non-verbal community the most. They absolutely love the practice and what comes along with it. She has noticed that with each online class, speech and overall eye contact improves drastically. Jessica believes that each individual is on a different emotional and mental level, but when we come together for yoga, it really feels like we are all together just trying to unwind and work on ourselves.
