Accessible Yoga Community Forum
Neurological Conditions & Yoga
March 31st, 2021 | 9am-11am Pacific | 12pm-2pm Eastern
Eligible for 2 CEUs through Yoga Alliance and IAYT (International Association of Yoga Therapists).
Replay will be made available for those who cannot attend live. Captions available.
Join teachers Candace Jennings, Rodrigo Souza, and Sarah Helt as they discuss the ways that the tools of yoga can support students with a range of neurological conditions, including those who have incurred brain or spinal cord injuries or stroke, as well as people with Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and other disabilities. We’ll discuss how yoga practices can be adapted for all bodies, needs and levels of mobility.
As part of this discussion, we will invite you to ask questions, share your own work and wisdom, and network with other yoga teachers and organizations whose work centers accessibility of yoga for all.
Continuing Education
Learn how yoga can support a range of neurological conditions from our experienced guest presenters.
Discussion
Build community and learn how you can support individuals and organizations whose work centers accessibility of yoga for all.
Networking
Learn together and meet other teachers who teach classes that center and support those with neurological conditions.
Meet The Presenters
Candace A. Jennings (she/her)
Candace A. Jennings comes to the yoga community with 45+ years, extensive background in Theatre and Dance as a Director, Educator, and Choreographer; Dance under the tutelage of Frank Hatchett (Frank Hatchett School of Performing Arts/Broadway Dance Center) and Theatre under the guidance of George Houston Bass (Rights and Reasons Theatre, Brown University). Candace is also a Visual Artist, Vocalist, an Arts Integration Curriculum Developer and Master Teaching Artist, in Charlotte, NC.
Candace came to yoga to recover from post-operative paralysis from 3 spinal surgeries in 2012, of which the doctors told her “You may never walk again.” After 30 days in the hospital, two months of physical and occupational therapies, Candace pushed herself to walk ¼ mile daily on numb legs and feet. Once she returned to NC, she hired an athletic trainer and Deep-tissue therapist to help bring feeling back into her lower extremities. That work along with yoga helped her to develop more stability, grounding, feeling, and confidence in her body.
Her daily practice showed her what was still possible in her abilities to move, stretch and be sound in her feet. Yoga became her therapy, strengthening, and hope. Since then Candace has earned many certifications in Yoga. She completed her 200-hour and 300 yoga teacher training programs at I Am Yoga in Charlotte, NC. Candace is a seeker of knowledge and continues to grow and provide healing practices to others that may have been told “They will never…”
Rodrigo Souza (he/him)
Rodrigo Souza is a 200 CYT Accessible Yoga teacher. More or less 6 years ago he fell from a cliff and broke his back, due to that he is also a full-time wheelchair user and he has a complete T3 spinal cord injury. He is paralyzed from the chest down.
Yoga helps Rodrigo to deal with chronic neuropathic pain, spasticity, stiffness, stress, anxiety and the list goes on and on. So he became a Yoga teacher so he could show newly injured folks all amazing benefits Yoga can offer them. It gives him a sense of responsibility and an opportunity to contribute to the well-being of others. Rodrigo believes that Yoga doesn’t choose favorites, it doesn’t choose one body over others. Yoga happens everywhere.
Connect with Rodrigo @goodtimetorollon
Sarah Helt (she/her)
Sarah Elizabeth Helt has been practicing yoga and meditation since 2007. Working with matters of the spine and nervous system through meditation, breathing, and yoga-inspired movement Sarah has developed a unique style of teaching that embraces all bodies and ability levels. Sarah is certified in Yin Yoga, Pre/post Natal Yoga, Power/Vinyasa Flow, and Accessible/Adaptive Yoga. Originally certified through Santosha Yoga School in Bali, Indonesia in 2011; Sarah completed another 300 hours at Wanderlust Hollywood in 2018 and continues to educated herself on a daily basis through practice, trainings and workshops. She is a Yoga Alliance certified continuing education provider and a teacher trainer with the Accessible Yoga training school.
Sarah has a history of working with disabled athletes through organizations such as Dare2Tri, Backbonesonline, and the Triumph organization. She specializes in mentoring new teachers, private & small group classes, corporate, and specialty populations.
Check out Grounded Source Yoga.
Community Forum Pricing
We recognize that financial barriers to access are just as real as physical ones. As an organization committed to equity and promoting financial accessibility, we've created three pricing tiers for individual Community Forums. If you do not see a tier that reflects your financial situation, you're invited to apply for a scholarship. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Accessible Yoga Ambassadors are invited to attend all nine of our 2021 Community Forums for FREE. If you would like to attend multiple Community Forums in 2021, becoming an Ambassador offers you the best price. Sign up today to make your first monthly or annual sustaining contribution to Accessible Yoga (as low as $9/mo. or $108/yr.) and immediately gain access to the free registration link OR register for a single event (below).
Current Ambassadors should log in to their Ambassador dashboard to access their special registration link.
Partner Organizations
The International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT)
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