Attention issues have increased within the last few years. Children are being diagnosed more often with ADHD than ever before. Whether the diagnosis is accurate or not is always debated. If your child has been diagnosed with ADHD make sure you have a qualified clinician that has experience with ADHD, developmental psychology, and preferably a comprehensive diagnosis. I strongly recommend a comprehensive diagnosis because many symptoms are very similar to ADHD but are not. To avoid a misdiagnosis, a comprehensive evaluation is always the best course of action. Similarly to ADHD, Autism and communication disorders are much more prevalent. Again, comprehensive evaluations are key. With social skills on the decline, due to the increased use of social media, children are struggling more and more with their ability to communicate. A proper diagnosis is extremely important.
As a yoga instructor and therapist, my goal is to provide children in the Charlotte, NC area with alternatives to therapy. For children that have already been in therapy, this yoga group could be very helpful but is not a replacement for individual therapy. For that reason, I created KidzYOGA which is specifically for children that struggle with attention issues, social skills, body awareness, emotional regulation, and coping skills. The goal of yoga is awareness and body movement while synchronizing the breath with the body. All of the postures are specifically incorporated to increase attention/concentration, body awareness, and body regulation. Incorporating social skills with yoga is very beneficial for this population and is effective with their specific difficulties. In addition, meditation and mindfulness are major components of this group. Mindfulness is a component of mindfulness-based CBT and Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction.
Example of a session:
Modeling: Story Telling (using the talking stick)
- The therapist models healthy communication between group members
- Utilize S.L.A.N.T. (Sit, Listen, Answer, Nod, and Track)
- Members will learn listening skills, volume of voice, facial expressions, and nonverbal
- Partner Story Telling
- the therapist will split members into pairs to each share a time they remember that was enjoyable (increase awareness of excessive talking and utilize S.L.A.N.T)
- Breathing techniques
- Yoga circle hug
- Standing poses to increase concentration and improve balance
- Visualization and guided meditation
Are you interested in your child participating in KidzYoga? Click below for more information
Want to learn more about how KidzYOGA specifically helps children with ADHD? Click here