YOU & ME - 30 years experience with special needs Yoga
With support from Mencap, the YOU & ME system as it is today, was developed in the late 1980s and piloted several years later by the Open College of the North West.
YOU & ME Yoga is suitable for people of all ages and disabilities. It improves quality of life by increasing their mobility, dexterity, concentration, adaptive behaviour, communication, sensory-awareness, self-confidence and well-being.
Maria has been student and practitioner of yoga since 1973 following a car accident where she sustained multiple injuries. She has since dedicated her work to the service of others that can benefit from yoga.
She is an approved In-Service Tutor (IST) for the UK’s lead body, the British Wheel of Yoga and for the Yoga Biomedical Trust. The YOU & ME Yoga system has been accepted as a registered Yoga Therapy diploma course by the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC). Read more about Maria in an interview from the British Wheel of Yoga South East newsletter from October 2008.
an extract from Firsthand, the newsletter of the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists, November 2009, vol 24 no: 8
A course entitled “Yoga for People with Learning Difficulties – Introductory Course for Physiotherapists” took place on 26 Sept 2009 at St Michaels House, Dublin. The course was given by Maria Gunstone, author of “You and Me Yoga” and tutor of this specialized system of teaching yoga to people with learning difficulties. Maria outlined the background and ethos of the “You & Me Yoga” system, gave an overview of the basic techniques and principles used, and explored different types of learning abilities using the system.
The system is developed to allow the therapist to tailor sessions precisely to the needs of individuals and groups. Maria shared her passion and enthusiasm with 15 physiotherapists from around the country for the system she has developed over the past 20 years whereby she has carried out pioneering work in making yoga accessible and adaptable for people with learning and physical difficulties.
Chartered Physiotherapists in Disability would like to take this opportunity to thank Maria for an excellent course.