Our Story

jeanette sealy yoga on the beach point pleasant nj

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 thirty-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 discovered the location August 2024. The dream felt impossible but it kept calling. I scraped together a down payment, wrote a 40-page business plan, pitched to funders, filled out grant applications, launched an Indiegogo. I furnished the entire 2,400-square-foot space for $1,600, driving a U-Haul by myself across New Jersey to pick up second-hand treasures from Princeton to Manahawkin, Rumson to Point Pleasant. When money was tight, I gave up my car and rode my bike all summer. Through it all, I kept believing - leaning on friends for their help and holding close a prayer to stay true to what my heart was guiding me toward.

In January 2025, 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.

"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."

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 27 years of clinical experience and a lifelong devotion to this work.

The sea has always been my balm. I’ve never lived more than 40 minutes from the ocean. My life is woven with memories - full moon ceremonies on the sand with friends and children, camping on the beach, mornings paddling out in the sunrise. Building a life by the sea felt inevitable; building a sanctuary by the sea felt like dharma when the time came.

Now, Sanctuary by the Sea is becoming what I dreamed: a refuge where ancient wisdom meets modern healing. We offer a full Ayurvedic spa, prenatal and postpartum massage, end-of-life caregiver support, support for dementia, oncology, heart disease, injury, and trauma/ injury recovery. We empower each person in their own healing process, walking beside them with the tools of yoga therapy, Thai massage, Ayurvedic bodywork, and life rituals. And we don’t do this work alone - we collaborate with an incredible community of in house practitioner members, local chiropractors, acupuncturists, and holistic providers, weaving together a circle of care.

Sanctuary is evolving every day, but its essence and gifts from this community's presence is clear: peace, strength, compassion, acceptance, and grace. It is a blessed space. Thank you for being part of it.

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.

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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.

With warmth and deep gratitude,
Jeanette Sealy
C-IAYT, LMT · Founder, Sanctuary by the Sea
U.S. Air Force Veteran · Woman-Owned Business