A new yoga class at Tula Yoga aims to offer something the instructor says she’s never seen before in a studio setting: a safe, inclusive, and accessible space specifically designed for neurodivergent individuals to find calm, connection, and community.
'Ease and Embody', led by yoga instructor Isabelle Desmarais, runs Saturday mornings at 10:30 a.m. at Tula Yoga in Royal Oak. The class is open to anyone 18 and older, regardless of ability or experience, but is tailored with the neurodivergent community in mind – an audience Desmarais is personally connected to.
“I’m neurodivergent myself,” Desmarais said. “When I was doing my yoga teacher training, I kept thinking – where can I offer from my heart? I didn’t see spaces in studios that really welcomed folks like me, so I decided to create one.”
The class environment is carefully curated: dimmed lights, a small class size (limited to 10 participants), and an emphasis on gentleness and choice. Each session begins with a seated meditation and breathwork, moving into restorative poses and optional standing postures depending on the needs of the group that day.
“There’s no recipe. I always start by asking: where do you need love in your body today?” Desmarais explained. “From there, we shape the practice together. If someone wants to lie still the whole time, that’s totally welcome. If someone wants to move more, we make space for that too.”
The response so far has been emotional.
"One person told me they were walking by the studio and just burst into tears when they saw the sign. They said, ‘That’s us,’” Desmarais recalled. “That moment really stuck with me.”
Desmarais said the focus of the class is not on form or flexibility but on cultivating a deeper relationship with the body – something that can be especially difficult for neurodivergent individuals who may live with heightened anxiety or sensory sensitivity. “Yoga isn’t about turning your body into a pretzel,” she said. “It’s about coming into union with yourself. That’s the core of what I teach – finding home in your body and learning to listen to its signals with kindness.”
The last ten minutes of each class feature a sound bath – a meditative, sensory experience that uses sound to encourage deep rest. For some participants, the class has brought more than just relaxation.
“There was someone who was really skeptical before trying it. They told me they didn’t think it would help,” Desmarais said. “But by the end of the class, they were lying on their back, asleep. For someone on the autism spectrum, where the brain often doesn’t know how to rest easily, that’s huge.”
Tula Yoga studio manager Bryttni Nameth said the class is a natural fit for the studio’s inclusive mission.
“We hope that Ease and Embody offers participants a space to connect – to themselves and to each other,” Nameth said. “Feeling different can sometimes be isolating, so we hope this class can be a place where neurodivergent individuals and even their families can find a sense of community and support.”
She praised Desmarais’ ability to create a space that feels welcoming for all.
“Isabelle makes sure to voice that everyone is welcome, and that everything she offers in the class is just that – an offering. You’re always free to do what feels best for you.”
The idea for the class was sparked not by trend or training, but by Desmarais’ own unmet need in the wellness world.
“I’ve seen yoga classes for LGBTQ+ folks, for BIPOC communities, but never one for neurodivergent people,” she said. “Sometimes it takes recognizing a need in yourself to create something for others.”
Classes are $22 per session, and participants are encouraged to bring any items that help them feel more comfortable.
For Desmarais, who has been practicing yoga since she was 15 and began instructing a year and a half ago, the class is more than a professional milestone.
“It’s a dream come true,” she said. “I have to pinch myself sometimes – it’s really happening.”
Tula Yoga is located at #140 – 777 Royal Oak Drive.
