Lynne is a great instructor for kids yoga and brings a strong teaching background and passionate love of children with her to every session. She's very personable, professional and makes all the sessions fun and challenging for the kids. We have seen great improvements from our very first session and continue to see our child grow with every week. I would highly recommend Lynne as a person and a yoga instructor.”
(Parent of a neurotypical child who participates in an inclusive group) Lynne - we're seeing definite progress. It's not that she's not getting distressed as often (she is), it's just that she's dealing with it in different ways. I'm probably jinxing her by saying this, but her last rage episode was last Tuesday evening - that's nearly a record for her. Another one is sure to come soon, but the more space we can put between them, the better life is for all of us. (Parent of a child with sensory issues) Hi Lynne, Thank you...I will sign him up for the next weeks as well since he seems enjoying Yoga. Every night, before he goes to bed he put his quilt on the floor and start teaching us Yoga :) Best regards (Parent of a child with speech and developmental delays)  | "Lynne is a talented and innovative therapist. She has a very solid knowledge base of Yoga for Special Needs Children and is always looking for opportunities to
increase her knowledge and skills. She looks for new and inventive programs to offer and partners well with other therapeutic disciplines. She has a very effective approach with children, parents and teachers."- Prior Co-worker Lynne: I really enjoyed the class and the opportunity to do yoga with Alex! It was awesome, and I want to thank you for thinking about us. Yoga is something Alex and I can do together, and he shows such confidence when he shows me the poses. I also want to thank you for all that you have done to help Alex. Your guidance has been so important to his development, and I don't know if I can say enough. Your confidence and patience with your students is a rare gift. (Parent of a child with Autism This was really fun for everyone. My son didn't want to do it, and he ended up having a great time. The workout was excellent. Lynne is very good with our kids. She knows how to get their interest and keep it throughout the workout. (Parent of children with Aspergers)  |
College Essay written by Lynne's younger cousin:
Certain traits set Lynne apart as a person and as a leader. She has an incredibly high moral standard, has an endless imagination, and has a positive, optimistic outlook on life and on those less fortunate. She is motivating, inspiring, helpful, encouraging, responsible, passionate, and selfless. She embraces change as a necessity, and isn’t too stifled by hubris to know when she needs to ask for help. Her patience, awareness, and sympathy towards others originated from her innately ability to listen, really listen. Listening attentively to those who speak: she exhibits a genuine interest in what people have to say. She reserves judgment, and resists the inclination to interrupt, so to truly hear what is being said. Active listening, along with her other expressed traits, plays a vital role in her recently founded business.
Lynne has volunteered with different special-need organizations since she was sixteen years old. She has worked with children with special needs in a variety of different environments including hospitals, inclusive classrooms, as well as pediatric therapy clinics. Last year, at twenty-three years old, she acquired the sufficient resources and qualifications to start her own program for special-need kids. Her fearless expression of love and passionate drive to care and nourish others began to spark interest within the community. She began to embrace and channel her sympathetic imagination into innovative ways to help disabled kids. “Sympathetic imagination is the ability of a person to penetrate the barrier which space puts between him and his object, and, by actually entering into the object, so to speak, to secure a momentary but complete identification with it (Course packet, 347).” Thus, she created S t r e t c h , a unique program to help children with and without special needs. It creates an inclusive environment that enables children to enjoy a fun, social, and physical activity while gaining a greater sense of body control and awareness through yoga. Her mission is to “stretch the body, mind, and imagination to help reach each individuals potential (Stretchitall.com).” Through yoga, she teaches the children techniques to control their self-stimulating or hyperactive behavior, and to foster focus and concentration, thus creating a more confident, successful, and self-sufficient child.
There is an inarguable correlation between Lynne’s initial compassion for animals, and her more recently developed compassion for special-needs children. She says that both share similar characteristics, and thus need special care. She devotes her life to both because she “has the ability to create new techniques to make them feel special in a world where they may feel over looked or misunderstood.” Both special needs children and animals, if left without help, are often voiceless, defenseless, helpless, and vulnerable. Lynne recognizes the obstacles they face daily, and takes it upon herself to ease such problems. She truly uses her power, gained from leadership, for good, and “to transform lives and benefit society (UT core purpose).”
Lynne’s leadership ability and approach is undeniably effective. Her ability to sense how others feel, and to understand their perspectives, has helped her articulate a truly authentic and inspirational vision. She utilizes her emotional intellect daily, as “gifted leadership occurs where heart and head—feeling and thought—meet (Goleman, 322).” She possesses all four domains of emotional intelligence required for resonance leadership: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Also, she achieves the “main tasks [required] of a leader… to generate excitement, optimism, and passion for the job ahead, as well as to cultivate an atmosphere of cooperation and trust (Goleman, 324).” Her spiritual intelligence represents her drive for meaning and her connection with the infinite. Lynne, as an “emotionally intell[ectual] leader builds resonance by tuning into people’s feelings—[her] own and others— and guiding them in the right direction (Goleman, 322).” No matter where life takes her, she wants to continue the yoga classes, stating, “I could never give up on my students; I form inexplicable bonds with them."
Even though we both share an extreme affinity for animals of all kinds, Lynne has always been a sort of conundrum to me because of our vast differences. Her endless capacity to love others, paired with her selflessness, simply baffles my Darwinian life outlook. She is my role model because she consistently lives her life for others, admirably sacrificing trivialities in life that others might become encompassed with. I admire her as an enigma to most societal members, as she is not afraid to feel or express emotion, whereas I try to bury my emotion and focus on my mental intelligence or IQ. “The theory of emotional intelligence is destabilizing to people [like me] who have anchored their strategy for success [narrowly] on sheer mental intelligence or IQ—the ability to reason, analyze, think abstractly, use language, visualize, and comprehend (Course Packet, 87).” Unlike my expressed emotion impoverished self, she freely embraces her emotions and utilizes them to spark change. "[Her] emotions are, in a very real sense, more powerful than [my] intellect (Goleman, 322)," in degree and effective leadership ability. Also, she embraces risks head on to further her vision. She is much braver than I. She patiently works at finding solutions to make life for others a bit more bearable. She is not disillusioned, knowing she can’t change the world, but rather uses this knowledge to focus more arduously on the things she can change, a few at a time.
Written by Match Support Specialist with the Big Brother Big Sister organization
I nominated you for Big Sister of the year and I hope that you get it!
At 14, Molly (name has been changed for privacy purposes) is a young woman who has dealt with many difficult challenges in her life - from grieving the loss of 2 parents to losing her grandmother shortly thereafter, to having to adjust to several different home and school situations all in a short period of time. As Molly tried to cope with so many emotional issues that accompany losing many people close to her, Molly made several destructive life choices and was in need of a supportive Big Sister more than ever.
While other adults may have been scared away by the challenges of having a Little Sister like Molly, Big Sister Lynne has been there for Molly no matter what. Lynne deeply believes in Molly and is always trying to instill in her a sense of self-respect, self worth responsibility, the importance of a good education and the idea that life is worth living.
Over the mentoring relationship, the match had to work though Molly reverting back to some of the destructive behaviors she had done in the past; but Lynne has never backed away from her. Due to Molly’s many losses in her life, it is understandable that Molly always thought her Big Sister Lynne would leave her, too. But quite the opposite; Lynne consistently talks to, and sees Molly on an average of two times a month even though Big Sister now lives North Dallas and Little Sister lives in Oak Cliff.
Lynne has helped broaden Molly's horizons and helped her see that her future is bright and hopeful. Molly just recently reported to myself that she has learned how to be happy without causing destructive behavior and reports that Lynne has a lot to do with her improved self esteem and outlook. Molly’s aunt has also reported that Molly’s grades, self outlook and behavior has been the best they have ever been in years and feels that Lynne’s friendship has had a profound impact on her.
Lynne and Molly have done many educational activities, but they mostly do activities just to have fun and enjoy life. Lynne has shown the true spirit of Big Brothers Big Sisters with consistency and supporting Molly’s needs, rather than trying to “fix” Molly.
At 14, Molly (name has been changed for privacy purposes) is a young woman who has dealt with many difficult challenges in her life - from grieving the loss of 2 parents to losing her grandmother shortly thereafter, to having to adjust to several different home and school situations all in a short period of time. As Molly tried to cope with so many emotional issues that accompany losing many people close to her, Molly made several destructive life choices and was in need of a supportive Big Sister more than ever.
While other adults may have been scared away by the challenges of having a Little Sister like Molly, Big Sister Lynne has been there for Molly no matter what. Lynne deeply believes in Molly and is always trying to instill in her a sense of self-respect, self worth responsibility, the importance of a good education and the idea that life is worth living.
Over the mentoring relationship, the match had to work though Molly reverting back to some of the destructive behaviors she had done in the past; but Lynne has never backed away from her. Due to Molly’s many losses in her life, it is understandable that Molly always thought her Big Sister Lynne would leave her, too. But quite the opposite; Lynne consistently talks to, and sees Molly on an average of two times a month even though Big Sister now lives North Dallas and Little Sister lives in Oak Cliff.
Lynne has helped broaden Molly's horizons and helped her see that her future is bright and hopeful. Molly just recently reported to myself that she has learned how to be happy without causing destructive behavior and reports that Lynne has a lot to do with her improved self esteem and outlook. Molly’s aunt has also reported that Molly’s grades, self outlook and behavior has been the best they have ever been in years and feels that Lynne’s friendship has had a profound impact on her.
Lynne and Molly have done many educational activities, but they mostly do activities just to have fun and enjoy life. Lynne has shown the true spirit of Big Brothers Big Sisters with consistency and supporting Molly’s needs, rather than trying to “fix” Molly.
