Our StoryÂ
Welcome. I'm Jeanette Sealy.
Founder of Sanctuary by the Sea. Yoga Therapist. Ayurvedic Practitioner. U.S. Air Force Veteran. And someone who knows firsthand what it means to need a place to land.
My mother was dying when the seed of this place was planted. I was forty-something, managing grief, managing children, managing a life that felt like it was moving too fast to feel anything deeply. I found my refuge in yoga, in Ayurveda, in the ancient practices that had been quietly reshaping me for decades. And I knew - the way you know something in your bones before your mind catches up - that I wanted to build that refuge for others.
The dream took shape slowly, then all at once. I drove a U-Haul myself across New Jersey, scraped together a down payment, wrote a 40-page business plan in the middle of the night, filled out grant applications, pitched to funders, all while holding close a prayer to stay true to what my heart was asking me to build.
In November 2024, Sanctuary by the Sea opened its doors at 2612 Route 88 in Point Pleasant - a 2,400 square foot refuge in the heart of the Jersey Shore, where ancient wisdom meets modern healing, and where every person who walks through the door is received exactly as they are.
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"I wanted to create a place like this for others - a place where the liminal, sacred thresholds where life begins, deepens, and transforms could be held with care."
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What We Believe
We believe that healing is not a luxury. We believe that the body holds wisdom that the mind hasn't found words for yet. We believe that ancient traditions - Yoga Therapy, Ayurveda, Thai Massage, sacred ceremony are not relics of another time but living medicines for this one.
We believe that community is itself a healing force. That being witnessed, held, and accompanied through life's thresholds - birth, illness, grief, transition, awakening - changes what's possible for a person. And we believe that Point Pleasant, New Jersey deserves a place where that kind of care is available, accessible, and real.
Sanctuary by the Sea serves the general public alongside yoga teachers, massage therapists, and healthcare providers who come here to deepen their own practice and expand what they offer the people in their care. We offer bodywork, Ayurvedic therapies, Yoga Therapy, sacred ceremonies, community classes, and accredited professional training all rooted in over 25 years of clinical experience and a lifelong devotion to this work.
The sea has always been my compass. I've lived more than 40 minutes from the ocean my whole life and never felt quite at home. This place, this community, this moment it feels like dharma. And I am so glad you found your way here.
Jessica King
I can’t say enough wonderful things about Sanctuary by the Sea. I’ve done yoga therapy, Thai massage, and sessions on the Amped machine, and every single service has been incredible. Each session feels intentional, restorative, and tailored to what I need.
Jeannette is truly warm, welcoming, and deeply knowledgeable. She creates such a safe and calming environment from the moment you walk in. The space itself is beautiful, peaceful, and genuinely feels like a sanctuary.
If you’re looking for holistic care in a nurturing, professional setting, I highly recommend Sanctuary by the Sea. It’s been such a positive and healing experience for me.
Barbara Fritz
I recently had the most wonderful yin yoga experience at Sanctuary by the Sea. The space itself feels peaceful the moment you walk in, but what truly made the class special was Jeanette, the instructor and owner. Her deep knowledge and gentle guidance created a safe, welcoming environment where I could completely relax and let go of tension. The class flowed at a perfect pace, with thoughtful poses that left me feeling grounded, stretched, and deeply restored. If you’re looking for a place to unwind, recharge, and be guided by a truly skilled teacher, Sanctuary by the Sea is a must-visit!
Regina Rosenthal
Taking a yoga therapy class with Jeanette brings me home to my body, and beyond this to my heart and soul. Her presence and timely wisdom, gently shared, take me from my head to my heart, creating openings through which I reconnect with my soul's guidance and wisdom. Sanctuary By The Sea is truly a blessing to receive for all who enter and join our community.
Built on Resilience
Less then one year after opening, a hot water heater and then a burst pipe flooded Sanctuary by the Sea. The damage was significant. The disruption was real. And the choice - to rebuild, to stay, to deepen our commitment to this community - was never actually a question.
Resilience isn't a concept here. It's lived experience. As a veteran, as a solo woman-owned business founder, as someone who has sat with people in their hardest hours - in hospice rooms, in oncology wards, in the aftermath of trauma - I know that the most profound healing rarely happens in easy conditions. It happens when we choose to stay present anyway. When we choose to rebuild. When we trust that the work matters enough to keep going.
Sanctuary by the Sea is being rebuilt with that same devotion it was built with the first time - room by room, practice by practice, community by community. And it is becoming something even more beautiful for having been tested.
I created the Sanctuary to support others, and it has ended up supporting me. i am so grateful for our community and so honored to welcome you here.
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With warmth and deep gratitude,
Jeanette Sealy
C-IAYT, LMT · Founder, Sanctuary by the Sea
U.S. Air Force Veteran · Woman-Owned Business
