Dawn Mendoza is the owner of Movement, Mindfulness and Me, LLC. She has been a pediatric occupational therapist for over 25 years and has been practicing yoga since 2010. Dawn is an Registered Yoga Teacher and Registered Children’s Yoga Teacher having attended the 95 Hour Certification as well as other CE courses including Yoga for Children with ADHD, Autism and those who are Neuro-Diverse, Pre-Natal and Adaptive Yoga.
My passion is working with children, families and those with injury and illness recovery. Assisting them with their journey is a blessing and a privilege. Challenges are embraced, as they development is made at each persons own pace. Clients gain their personal best level of independence and maintain overall emotional and physical health as they grow in their yoga practices.
Through my education as an OT and yoga instructor I have come to understand the influence that yoga has on the body and the neurological system. Yoga found me after a severe motor vehicle accident in 2010. Following the accident and limitation in activities I previously participated in, yoga was my path to wellness. The love was not immediate, but as I began to practice regularly, I realized that the greatest benefit was the internal peace that was occurring as my mind became quiet and my attention turned to the daily blessings that surround me in a way I never felt before. Positive mental states are created when practicing and the belief in ones self and appreciation of all blessings can blossom. I believe that through quieting the mind, one can “clear the clutter” during practice and open the door for deeper concentration and sustained attention to thoughts and process. This is so beneficial for children and adults of all ages and stages.
At Movement, Mindfulness and Me Family Yoga our team offers classes to children, tweens and teens and the people that love them. Classes focus on integrating neuro-diverse children with their peers, while educating parents and caregivers in the value and benefit that yoga and mindfulness can have on developmental skills, as well as anxiety and attention both at home and within the school setting.
I continue to consult/teach with individual families who home school as well as local specialty schools. I look forward to continually expanding the relationships we have with local schools, home school groups and even corporate connections to share yoga and mindfulness.
I feel privileged to share the joy of yoga with each and every person I encounter.