Where Play Becomes Possible: Yoga with Teens with
Special Needs 

Tien founded Yoganic, a yoga & wellness studio, to build a space where people can come to move safely, feel grounded, and find peace within. But her softest spot has always been for children — especially children with special needs. As an ex-national athlete, play has been close to her heart for as long as she can remember: it's where she first learned that moving your body could feel like freedom. Today, that's what she hopes to pass on — that play is how we all feel safe, seen, and wonderfully ourselves. 

For Marilyn, play is more than just about fun — it's a child's first language. It's how children connect, communicate, and make sense of their world. As a Registered Educational Psychologist and Therapeutic Play Practitioner, she has the privilege of journeying alongside children and young people, from the preschool years to early adulthood, especially those with diverse developmental needs. She loves creating spaces where children feel safe enough to play, because when a child chooses to play with you, they're also saying, "I feel safe with you."