How yoga brings sobriety to Suffolk County Jail
The program, now in its third year, pairs high-energy CrossFit with the calming practice of yoga, offering diverse tools for recovery.
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In the heart of Yaphank’s Suffolk County Correctional Facility, a transformative yoga program offers incarcerated women a rare moment of peace and a path toward recovery.
Spearheaded by the James Pinka Foundation, this initiative—born from a mother’s grief over losing her son James to an overdose nine years ago—brings fitness as a cornerstone of rehabilitation.
Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr. emphasizes its value.
“It’s extremely important for those with addiction to focus on themselves, gain clarity, and think about their journey," he says.
For these women, often grappling with addiction and the weight of confinement, yoga provides a quiet space to reconnect mind and body, fostering hope for life beyond the cell.
Lori Pinka, who founded the program, sees fitness as a pillar of sustained sobriety.
“Yoga’s stillness can quiet the mind, unlike the intense adrenaline of CrossFit. There’s room for both,” she says.
The program, now in its third year, pairs high-energy CrossFit with the calming practice of yoga, offering diverse tools for recovery.
Linda Balsano, a yoga instructor who also lost her son James to addiction, brings her own healing to the women she teaches. “As a mom of a child who struggled, I feel yoga’s mind-over-matter approach can’t hurt. If they get one day of calmness, why not?” she shares.
Her beginner-friendly classes meet the women where they are, creating a safe space to breathe, process and grow.
For inmates like Janine, serving a four-month sentence, the program is a lifeline.
“It’s really helpful. It keeps us going, not stagnant,” she says, noting how they take yoga mats back to their dorms to practice poses learned in class.
The program’s impact extends beyond the mat, equipping women with tools to manage urges and rebuild their lives.
By blending faith, family, and fitness—the James Pinka Foundation’s core values—the initiative fosters a sense of community and purpose.
As these women move through poses in a place defined by restriction, they find moments of freedom, one breath at a time, preparing them for a stronger reentry into the world outside.
