Today we’d like to introduce you to Eva Stabenow.
Hi Eva, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up between the US and Germany, and could never quite decide whether I wanted to be a physical therapist or follow my passion for languages and writing.
Initially, words and language won out, and I immersed myself in a career as a translator and medical writer. But movement wouldn’t let me go. After I relocated to Nashville in 2003, I started teaching yoga and dove into exercise. In the early 2010s, around age 40, all the long hours at my desk and lifting caught up with me in the form of chronic shoulder pain that radiated into my arm and hand.
I saw every health professional I could think of, to no avail, until a physical therapist told me I had thoracic outlet syndrome and that the solution was “corrective Pilates”. I wasn’t too enthusiastic until my issues went away after just a few sessions. Wow!
When that same PT offered a teacher training through Polestar Pilates (a method reinvented by physical therapists), I was all in. I knew that if this method could help me, it could help others – and I didn’t want others going through what I had experienced.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
When I first started teaching, I worked for a commercial studio to gain experience. Since I had a full-time freelance career, it was challenging to fit it all in – and being a beginner at something in my late 40s required a fair bit of humility. I found it takes courage to start something new!
Soon, I realized that the group fitness and commercial studio environment weren’t the best fit for me, so I decided to start teaching 1-1 sessions from my home studio. Alas, I opened my doors a few short months before the Covid-19 pandemic. Since I work with a lot of vulnerable clients, the most responsible thing to do was shut down my physical location completely for a while.
Luckily, I had the computer skills to pivot to online teaching – and teach my older clients how to set up their devices! Every cloud comes with a silver lining, though, and I loved getting to experience people in their home environment. I also learned that if there’s a pet in the house and you put an mat on the floor, the attraction is instantaneous!
During that time, I also went back to school for a second master’s degree (in public health). I loved it all, but for a while, I was juggling a lot of things!
Today, I’ve found my ideal setup: I split my time between teaching Pilates and medical writing, and also teach undergraduate epidemiology during the fall semester.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Sunroom Pilates, LLC?
At my Pilates studio in a serene natural setting just south of Mt Juliet, my motto is “move better, feel better, live better”. I specialize in empowering women ages 40-95 with the power of deliberate movement, but welcome people of all ages and genders.
In a supportive, welcoming atmosphere, I tailor every single session to the person and body in front of me to ensure a positive movement experience.
My favorite thing to do is to help people overcome physical as well as mental limitations and fears by showing the way to movement that is a joy (and not a chore)!
I especially love working with people who have:
– back pain
– joint pain
– arthritis (RA, OA etc.)
– osteopenia/osteoporosis
– stenosis/spondylolisthesis
– hypermobility
– just come out of physical therapy
– are rehabbing from surgery or injury (everything from breast cancer to joint replacement)
At my studio, I teach 1-1 sessions, my signature “Happy Back” class (online and in person), and am gearing up to host small group classes. I also love getting people moving at conferences, events and organizations, and love presenting on the power of happy, healthy movement (with a focus on Pilates).
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
There is no such thing as a self-made person – it truly takes a village. I would not be where I am without the unwavering support of my husband and my family – my parents in particular. Many friends and co-workers helped me stay the course. And I would not have discovered Pilates (or made it through teacher training and the exams that followed!) if Heather Cole at P3 Physical Therapy had not believed in me: I also have to thank the fabulous team at Marathon Pilates for giving me the chance to cut my teeth as a Pilates teacher. Most of all, I I never take for granted the trust clients place in me – it can take a lot to come through that door and place your trust in a stranger, and I am honored by that.
Pricing:
- Single Session USD 90
- Intro 3-pack USD 199
- 5-15 packs USD 425-1100
- Corporate Training (on request)
- Conference Sessions (on request)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sunroompilates.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/sunroompilates
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/sunroompilates
- Other: https://feeds.captivate.fm/people-in-pilates/
