16 | NOVEMBER 7 • 2024 J
N

A

fter 20 years of making yoga 
accessible for people with 
multiple sclerosis, Yoga 
Moves MS founder Mindy Eisenberg is 
gearing up to expand services to even 
more people in need.
Now, the free accessible yoga pro-
gram is in the midst of developing pro-
gramming for people with Parkinson’s 
disease, strokes and other conditions 
that affect the nervous system.
Through evidence-based yoga 
programming, Eisenberg created the 
practice in 2004 to help students alle-
viate symptoms of multiple sclerosis, a 
disease of the nervous system.
After serving thousands of students, 
Yoga Moves MS — which specializes 
in adaptive yoga, or a style of yoga 
tailored to all bodies and abilities — 
has recently received a $15,000 grant 
from the Kirk Gibson Foundation, an 
organization for people diagnosed with 
Parkinson’s disease.
The grant will provide critical 
funding for the new Yoga Moves for 
Parkinson’s program, as well as an 
on-demand library. Yoga Moves MS 
offers both in-person and virtual classes.

AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
Eisenberg, 60, of Franklin, didn’t have 
the traditional path toward yoga teach-
er training.

In fact, she received her yoga teacher 
training certification at age 40.
Her mother, who had primary- 
progressive MS, inspired Eisenberg to 
use yoga as a means of helping others 
going through similar life experiences 
and challenges. Eisenberg also worked 
as a former health administrator at the 
University of Michigan Medical Center.
Through her practice and her career 
in health, Eisenberg saw firsthand 
how adaptive yoga helped people cope 
with symptoms of MS, which include 
muscle weakness, difficulty walking, 
dizziness and mood changes. It can 
also be hard to cope with mentally and 
emotionally.
It was one of the key reasons why 
Eisenberg knew the programming 
must be free. On top of other medical 
expenses people with MS face, the last 
thing she wanted was for people to pay 
even more money for adaptive yoga 
classes, which generally aren’t covered 
by insurance.
However, Eisenberg, an Adat Shalom 
member, never anticipated that the 
nonprofit Yoga Moves MS would grow 
to its current scale today 20 years after 
first starting the organization.
Even now, Yoga Moves MS has no 
official brick-and-mortar location.
Instead, it relies on the generosity 
of local churches, synagogues, yoga 

studios and schools that offer their 
locations for small-group adaptive yoga 
therapy classes.
In total, more than 70 students from 
the ages of 18 to those in their 70s par-
ticipate each week.
It’s a trajectory for Yoga Moves MS 
Eisenberg calls “fate.
”
“I didn’t have this grandiose plan, 
but I think someone above did,
” she 
says. “I’m proud of it and I’
d like to see 
Yoga Moves MS expand.
”
Still, Eisenberg wasn’t alone in her 
thinking. She’s received countless mes-
sages requesting adaptive yoga classes 
for people with other neuromuscular 
conditions, like muscular dystrophy.
Yet while programming wasn’t cre-
ated specifically for other conditions, 
Yoga Moves MS has always been open 
to those in need. Students have includ-
ed people with spinal injuries, arthritis, 
and knee and hip replacements. Now, 
however, the inclusivity for all condi-
tions is more intentional.

SUPPORTING ADAPTIVE YOGA
As Yoga Moves MS looks to the future, 
the organization is celebrating its two 
decades of growth at Yoga Moves MS’s 
official Gratitude Gala on Nov. 16 at 
The MINT in Lathrup Village.
Tickets start at $150 and help sup-
port the organization and its adaptive 

yoga programming.
The Gratitude Gala is the 13th annu-
al leadership recognition dinner hosted 
by Yoga Moves MS. 
The 2024 honorees include Dr. 
Anthony Emmer of Neurology 
Consultants, Dr. Robert Pace, director 
of neuroimmunology at Memorial 
Healthcare Institute for Neuroscience 
in Owosso, and Yoga Moves MS com-
munity leader Lindsay Dembs, who 
lives with MS.
WDIV meteorologist Ron Hillard, 
whose family has been impacted by 
MS, will be honored at the event as its 
special guest.
The Gratitude Gala will include a 
tin can auction, wine pull and treasure 
box. 

Yoga Moves MS has helped thousands of people impacted by multiple sclerosis.
20 Years of Adaptive Yoga

ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Mindy teaching adaptive yoga at a recent class.

Gratitude Gala

Saturday, Nov. 16
Main event starts at 6:30 p.m., 
pre-glow party begins at 6 p.m.

The MINT
27000 Evergreen Road, 
Lathrup Village
For more information on the 
Gratitude Gala or to purchase 
tickets, visit https://cbo.io/tickets/
ymms24/tix24.

Mindy Eisenberg of Franklin teaching yoga to a Yoga Moves Parkinson’s student.

OUR COMMUNITY