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ChildLight Yoga Mission
ChildLight Yoga provides evidence-based yoga education to children in schools and communities, and to
professionals whose work supports the well-being of children. It is our
mission to teach strategies that help children and youth develop resilience,
positive perceptions, good health habits and mindful awareness.
Yoga provides vital therapeutic benefits to children. This is ChildLight Yoga’s foundational
philosophy and motivation. While our classes provide an opportunity for
children to explore movement in a fun and supportive environment, our primary objective
is to provide children with strategies that build the resilience they need to
adapt to the busy, outcome-based world in which they live. Breathing, movement,
meditation, affirmation are some of many strategies we utilize to promote
adaptibility, self-esteem, courage, a healthy body and a calm and confident
mind. This is important - necessary - work, and we are proud of
our competent and caring team of teachers that works so effectively to offer
the benefits of a holistically healthy lifestyle to children.
In future years, we foresee ChildLight Yoga moving toward
greater involvement in supporting and producing the research that validates the
work that we do. We anticipate opportunities for collaboration with
children's healthcare providers, adapting yoga programming for use in therapy
and other mainstream healthcare settings. We foresee yoga being used, not
just in yoga classes, but as a means of sustaining a healthy and academically
sound educational environment in schools; in the clinical treatment of issues
such as ADHD, anxiety, depression and autism spectrum disorders; and in the
home, as a tool to help children and families to work and play harmoniously
together. And, we are taking a
leadership role in collaboration with children's yoga educators throughout the
U.S. to cooperatively develop children's yoga standards and to promote our work
to schools and other organizations and professions which offer services to
support the well-being of children.
At ChildLight Yoga, we are blessed with a team of talented and dedicated yoga professionals who whole-heartedly embrace our mission. We are entirely committed to the work that we do, and to the children who never fair to ignite our passion.
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About Lisa Flynn, Founder & Director
Several years ago new mother and long-time yoga practitioner, Lisa Flynn, noticed
that when her toddlers would join her morning yoga practice, it was not only fun
and natural for them, but seemed to improve their focus and mood as well.
While researching yoga for babies, toddlers and older children, she quickly
realized that the benefits of yoga can be enjoyed by people of all ages,
3 weeks old to 100+. She went on to search her local area for children's
yoga classes and came up empty-handed. The lightbulb came on. She
attended the first of many related trainings in 2002 and immediately began teaching up to 15 classes per week. ChildLight Yoga was officially founded in 2005.
Though she has little interest in teaching yoga to adults ("they're not as
much fun!"), Lisa, an E-RYT 200, RYT 500 and RCYT, continues her personal study of yoga
and yoga philosophy with Julie Rost of the YogaLife Institute. In addition, she has
earned over 200 hours of training in yoga for children. She holds an
advanced-level certification from Color Me Yoga for Children® and is certified
as an Itsy Bitsy Yoga® Facilitator, a YogaEd.™ Instructor and Circus Yoga Teacher. She has also studied with Craig Hanauer of Every Kids Yoga, focusing
on children with special needs and Christy Brock of Yoga 4 Teens. As a Level II Reiki Practitioner, Lisa incorporates
her knowledge of chakras, energy centers in the body, in her work with children
and families.
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Developed and facilitated by Lisa Flynn, the ChildLight Yoga Teacher Training and Yoga 4 Classrooms™ programs are popular, effective opportunities for other parents, teachers and yoga therapists to
learn to share yoga with children. Lisa trains and speaks at many schools, wellness conventions, and yoga centers
around the Northeastern United States. She is an active member and sponsor of the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) and the International Association of School Yoga and Mindfulness (IASYM).
With a B.A. in Communication, Lisa spent over 10 years working as an Advertising Executive and Marketing Director in
Atlanta and Chicago and Business Manager in Portsmouth, NH. She is extremely grateful to be able to combine the
knowledge gained from her past work experience with her love of yoga and children.
Most importantly, Lisa is Mom and wife in a most beautiful and busy family. Admittedly, work, her children's activities,
and even just keeping the house clean can become stressful at times. She uses yoga, meditation, and power of
positive thought to bring balance into her life. Her intention is to teach her young students to do the same, providing
them with tools they can use for a lifetime of health and wellness.
With Gratitude...
Enormous amounts of gratitude to Carrie Tyler, Founder/Director of Dover Yoga Studio and Rasamaya Yoga, mentor
and friend, for believing in, and seeing through, the vision of opening a beautiful studio to yoga for babies, tots, kids,
teens and moms-to-be, providing a special place to share the joy of yoga with children and families!
Thanks to Marsha Metzger, creator of the Color Me Yoga for Children® program, for seeing my light and giving me the tools to bring it out in my work with children.
Another thank you to Helen Garabedian, Founder of Itsy Bitsy Yoga®, and Author of Itsy Bitsy Yoga: Poses to Help
your Baby Sleep Better, Digest Easier and Grow Stronger, for sharing with me her amazing and inspiring work with
babies, tots, preschoolers and their families.
I am eternally grateful to Eeve B. Crowe, shamanic practitioner, metaphysician, Reiki Master and friend, for her gentle
guidance on this path to introduce children to yoga - and for bestowing upon me the healing power of Reiki.
To Julie Rost, teacher and Director of YogaLife Institute NH, and Dr. Bob Butera, Founder of YogaLife Institute, for their ongoing mentorship and whose teachings, listening and wise words have transformed me
personally, and added depth to my work.
A loving thank you to my children, Brooke and Jack, for being my inspiration, and my husband, John, my Mom, and
other family and friends for their ongoing encouragement and support. |
And, to all of my students...you are, by far, the most inspirational teachers of all.
Parents, thank you for sharing them all with me! 
Namaste. |
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