Yoga Therapy with Autistic Adults

Yoga therapy is uniquely suited to addressing the needs of autistic clients, yet there are very few opportunities for yoga therapists to learn about the adaptations and approaches that best serve this population. This book provides yoga therapists with the resources they need to make their services accessible to autistic adults without intellectual disability. Elizabeth Walen Walunas, an experienced autistic yoga therapist, examines the social and medical contexts of autism and explores ways of integrating this knowledge into yogic practices. Chapters include research on the potential benefits of yoga and mindfulness adapted for autistic adults, insights into adaptations used in healthcare and mental healthcare and finally applications of traditional yogic frameworks including kosha, guna and adhi-vyadhi theories. Offering yoga and mindfulness practices tailored to different presentations of autistic traits, this guide allows yoga therapists to provide the safe, empowering and empathetic support that their autistic clients deserve. With this multi-dimensional approach, yoga therapists will be well equipped to begin collaborating with their adult autistic clients.