Balanced Body, a global leader in mindful movement education and equipment, shines a spotlight on Pilates instructor and community leader Charlene Abdul, whose journey from personal tragedy to purposeful action has inspired many. Through her studio, Pilateso, and her charity, The Tyler Abdul Foundation, Charlene is transforming grief into hope, using movement to support mental health and suicide prevention among young people.

What began as one woman’s healing journey has become a powerful movement for change. After losing her 15-year-old son, Tyler, to suicide in November 2024, Charlene turned to Pilates for solace, strength and connection, ultimately founding a space where others could heal through movement too.

“Movement saved me,” says Charlene. “When you’re in grief, your mind can feel trapped, but when you move, you start to breathe again. Pilates gives you focus and balance, it helped me rebuild, one small piece at a time.”

Charlene first discovered Pilates a decade ago when she joined her mother for a class to help with sciatica. What began as an act of support soon became a calling.

“Neither of us had a clue what Pilates was,” she laughs, “but with every movement, I began to feel a newfound strength and awareness I hadn’t experienced before. By the end of that first class, I was captivated, not just by the movement, but by the philosophy behind it.”

After training to teach while working full-time in finance, Charlene began hosting classes in a garden studio equipped with Balanced Body Reformers.

That community became her lifeline when a year ago, Charlene’s life was suddenly thrown into turmoil when her 15-year old son, Tyler, took his own life. In the wake of that unimaginable loss, she turned to Pilates, not only as a source of strength and solace but as a way to honour his memory and help others.

“My Pilates community wrapped their arms around me and carried me,” she shares. “The outpouring of meals, messages, and love was overwhelming. They kept showing up for me, consistently and without fail.”

Unable to return to her corporate job, Charlene decided to focus on what truly mattered. “The worst thing that could ever happen to me already had,” she says. “In a strange way, that gave me the courage to start something meaningful.”

From that courage, Pilateso Studio was born, a thriving community space now home to ten Balanced Body Allegro 2 Reformers, offering classes for adults, teens, and parents & teens. Charlene also hosts monthly sessions for local instructors to move, pause and recharge.

In memory of her son, Charlene founded The Tyler Abdul Foundation (TYFO), dedicated to inspiring hope and emotional resilience in young people. TYFO offers free Pilates-based classes for teens, Parent & Teen sessions, and workshops for teachers and parents.

“It’s all about giving young people tools for resilience through movement, laughter, and community,” she explains. “Watching them leave class standing taller and smiling wider - that’s everything.”

Since its launch, TYFO has raised more than £17,500 for mental health and suicide prevention initiatives, including a 24-hour Pilates marathon that alone brought in £11,000. TYFO also empowers young mental health ambassadors, many of them Tyler’s friends, to support others through peer-led initiatives.

Looking ahead, Charlene hopes to expand both the studio and TYFO’s reach, seeking funding to help offer more free classes and outreach programmes for teenagers and families.
“At the heart of it all,” she says, “Pilates and TYFO share the same belief: that movement, community, and compassion can change lives.”

To learn more, visit pilateso.com, tyfo.org.uk, or pilates.com, and follow Charlene on Instagram @pilateso_dorking and @thetylerabdulfoundation.






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