LYB Yoga Program

Individuals who have experienced a TBI and are:

• Interested in being in a group setting

• Able to move independently (no wheelchairs, canes)

• Able to follow instructions

• Can commit to attending all 6 classes in the chosen series

• 15+ years old

Currently, our program is available only for individuals who have experienced TBI because we feel we are most capable of serving this population. Although we understand that there are overlapping symptoms in different types of brain injury, we feel that maintaining a focus on TBI is helpful for building community of people with shared experiences. Also, we feel strongly that yoga teachers need to be highly knowledgeable about the injury that they are working with to effectively tailor their classes. The diversity in the etiology and effects of different types of brain injury make it too challenging for us to train yoga teachers to become experts in all types. There are rare occasions when we will make exceptions if a person has a brain injury that manifests similarly to TBI. We will discuss any exceptions with teachers so they are fully prepared.  

Studios host the LYB Yoga program four times per year in January, April, July, and October.

Absolutely.  As long as you can accommodate all new students, we encourage anyone to return and take the series more than once.

We require that students attend the first class, and do not allow anyone to join once the series has started. However, it’s important to remember that short-term memory loss is one of the most common effects of TBI, and “life happens”, which may result in missing a subsequent class.

It is our policy to not invite individuals from the waitlist. We feel that the first class is instrumental for building community and trust and there is a possibility students may show up later in the series.

It is our policy to not invite individuals from the waitlist. We feel that the first class is instrumental for building community and trust.

Caregivers are not required to attend the LYB Yoga program. They are also are welcome to attend alone or alongside the person with TBI whom they support.

First choice is to reach out to the LoveYourBrain trained teachers at your own studio.  Second choice is to reach out to a LoveYourBrain trained teacher from another studio in the area (if possible).  If neither of those are options, then we recommend canceling the class.

Share what motivated you to teach LoveYourBrain Yoga, or a time when you found yoga to be particularly healing.  Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable.

LYB-Friendly Classes

LYB friendly classes are existing classes offered at partner studios that have been identified as accessible for the TBI community and are taught by teachers who have completed the LoveYourBrain training.

Safety

Although we respect your motivation to best serve your students, we respect the HIPAA Privacy Rule, which protects individuals' medical records and other personal health information, and thus cannot share this information.  If your studio has its own intake form, we encourage you to use that. To date, teachers who have offered our program have not found this information to be necessary to their teaching abilities. However, before your series begins, we will share information about students’ special needs, such as if they experience weakness on one side of the body.  

Begin timing the seizure and call 911 after 5 minutes. Most people with seizures have a medical protocol that we ask them to share with us and we include in the attendance form we emailed you the day before your program’s first class.

All students, survivors and caregivers, are required to register for the FUNdamentals series by completing the Eligibility Survey found on the LYB website.  The survey includes a waiver of liability, which is necessary for all students to complete before attending their first class.  The Eligibility Survey only takes a few minutes to complete, so if it is possible to access the survey (via Smartphone, etc.) the student can complete right then and there.  The survey is accessed through the following page: http://www.loveyourbrain.com/yoga/practice

If accessible, we recommend using a chair.  There are photos and suggestions of how a chair can be used in the LoveYourBrain Teacher Training Manual.  If a chair is not accessible, suggest modifications for the student based on their mobility. If a student feels uncomfortable physically moving at all, offer the option of remaining stationary and instead visualizing the movement. Pranayama and meditation exercises are always useful tools. We have heard from survivors that just being in a yoga studio, a community space, and having the freedom to rest without feeling like they have to move, can be very beneficial.

Logistics

We will schedule a series of mentorship calls with yoga teachers during each FUNdamentals series, as well as regular touchbase calls with studio managers/program contact. Our goal is to schedule an annual in-person follow-up visit at each program location.

Please see the invoice instructions in the Teacher Portal.

We require that all partner teachers have their own liability insurance.  LoveYourBrain does not offer insurance for teachers or studios. All students (survivors and caregivers) sign a liability waiver on the LoveYourBrain website when they register for the program, releasing LoveYourBrain from all responsibility.  We ask that you ensure that all students also sign your studio's waiver on their first visit to the studio.

A Few Questions We’ve Heard from the TBI Community

This may happen occasionally without any safety concerns. But, this may be an indication that they are moving too quickly, particularly in/out of forward folds. Depending on the cause, suggest that they keep their head above their heart, etc.

In general, please avoid bright lights. Some individuals find it more comfortable to wear sunglasses during the class. You can also arrange the class so people are not looking out windows.

The Americans with Disabilities Act states that, “A service animal must be allowed to accompany the handler to any place in the building or facility where members of the public, program participants, customers, or clients are allowed. Even if the business or public program has a ‘no pets’ policy, it may not deny entry to a person with a service animal. Service animals are not pets. So, although a ‘no pets’ policy is perfectly legal, it does not allow a business to exclude service animals.  When a person with a service animal enters a public facility or place of public accommodation, the person cannot be asked about the nature or extent of his disability. Only two questions may be asked:
1. Is the animal required because of a disability?
2. What work or task has the animal been trained to perform?”

To read more, visit:  https://adata.org/publication/service-animals-booklet

 Contact

Please email the Yoga Program Manager, Libby Nicholaou at (e) libby@loveyourbrain.com