FACULTY
"When we seek to find the best in others, somehow we bring out the best in ourselves."
FOUNDER & LEAD TRAINER: Shawnee Thornton Hardy is a C-IAYT Certified Yoga Therapist, M.Ed, and the Founder of Asanas for Autism and Special Needs, Founder and Director of Yoga Therapy for Youth and the Founder of Embodied Wellness Yoga Therapy
She has worked with children and youth for almost 30 years, specializing in working with children with diverse needs and behavior challenges. She has worked with children with Autism, ADHD, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Prader Willi, Developmental Disability, Sensory Processing Challenges, Learning Difficulties, Motor Coordination Difficulties, Language Processing deficits, Mental Health issues, Behavior Disorders & Children who have experienced significant Trauma and Abuse.
Shawnee is a P-SEP, Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner through the Trauma Institute, developed by Peter Levine. She has also studied with Kathy Kain and Stephen Terrell with an emphasis on working with developmental trauma. She integrates Somatic work in her Yoga Therapy sessions with children, teens and adults.
Shawnee is 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 and My Body Sensations Curriculum.
She is excited to be working on a new published book through Singing Dragon Publishers: Yoga Therapy for Children and Teens with Complex Needs - A SomatoSensory Approach for Mental, Emotional and Physical Health and Wellbeing scheduled to release in 2023!
She has presented at conferences in the US and Internationally on Yoga for Autism, Yoga Therapy for Sensory Integration & Self-Regulation, Yoga & Mindfulness for Teens facing Mental Illness, Yoga & Mindfulness for Youth and Yoga to Reduce Stress for Educators and has written articles on topics related to yoga & mindfulness for youth for various magazines and online journals. Shawnee leads trainings in the US and internationally to empower others to bring yoga & mindfulness to youth and adults of diverse needs and abilities.
