Maria Rosner

We’re excited to have Maria Rosner joining us in April in support of Autism Speaks during Autism Awareness Month. Maria will be teaching a Warrior Flow at 6:30 pm CT on World Autism Awareness Day (4/2). Class will be offered both virtually and LIVE at We the People Fitness Studio.

We will also be supporting Maria as she teaches for Autism Speaks at their Empower Summit & Challenge in Chicago on May 3rd, stay tuned for more information on this class!

Maria Rosner discovered yoga 25 years ago, when she was in the midst of raising a young son with autism. Besides being her son’s parent, teacher, advocate, and life coach, Maria created and coordinated the Autism Awareness Project in Southwest Michigan, which included a bikeathon fundraiser, disability awareness fair, and dozens of free educational events. As president of the Berrien County Special Education Parent Advisory Committee and advisor on the Transition Council, she took an active role creating opportunity for other students affected by autism. Knowing from firsthand experience the challenges faced by those raising and caring for individuals on the autism spectrum, Maria created Yoga for Special Parents and Caregivers and presented several times at the annual Chicago Early Learning Parent Conference. Maria also did a series of interviews over a 10-year period on the podcast, With Respect, discussing her changing role and the changing needs of her son as Dylan navigated adulthood. These interviews are available on Spotify.

It was during this tumultuous and uncertain time of her life that Maria discovered yoga. The effects on her health and wellness were so profound that she made it her vocation to teach others. Maria always wanted to be a teacher. As a teenager, she was talked out of pursuing a degree in teaching by a well-meaning mentor at her high school…but teaching found her anyway, when her son was diagnosed with autism. She became her son’s full-time therapist and teacher, which led to several years of substitute teaching in the public school system while also teaching fitness classes at her local gym.

Maria completed her RYT 200-hour teacher training at Dancing Feet Yoga in 2003 and her Advanced Yoga Teacher training at Yogaview in 2011. She is also certified to teach Yin Yoga and Prenatal Yoga. She is a certified Level 2 Reiki practitioner.

Maria infuses her classes with passion, creativity, and a spirit of playfulness. Some of her most influential teachers come from various yoga disciplines: Gabriel Halpern, Seane Corn, Ana Forrest, Desiree Rumbaugh, Rolf Gates, Paul Grilley. Rather than subscribing to any one “style” of yoga, Maria synthesizes aspects from each, to create a practice that challenges and inspires her students while emphasizing safe alignment and breath awareness.

Maria strongly believes in educating her students about their own anatomy and body mechanics. Using insights she’s gained from rehabilitating and learning to avoid injuries to her own body, Maria is adept at customizing yoga poses for anyone, regardless of age, experience, or physical limitation. She is continually curious about ways to enhance health and wellness through nutrition, mind-body healing, and positive thinking, and enjoys passing on her knowledge and experience to others.