meet Jaclyn
Committed to relational wellness & mind-body healing
Hello! My name is Jaclyn Zeal and I am a licensed marriage & family therapist. I entered this field after nearly a decade in the corporate world — and through my process of substantial healing, life experience, and rigorous training, I have developed a deep reservoir to take my clients deep within themselves.
My core values
Maintain presence & curiosity
Integrity — anchored in what is honest & authentic, even when it’s uncomfortable
Courage to dig deeper & challenge with kindness
Radical consent — clients stay empowered in the relationship
Committed to my own growth & learning
A systems approach to relational therapy
The field of therapy is going through a reckoning as research on neuroscience and the nervous system enter the mainstream. Instead of focusing on an individual’s mental health — my approach is rooted in a systems lens, recognizing the way attachment, relationships through the lifespan, and the mind-body interplay have significant impacts on mental health and also offer a roadmap to healing.
My training & credentials
Career highlights
I have had the honor of serving clients for 2,000+ face-to-face hours
Co-led a workshop with Elizabeth Capps called Embodied Motherhood at Adaptive Healing (2024)
Co-led a workshop with Dan Appel on meditation and intuition at The Royal (2023)
Graduated from master’s program with honors & received an award for research project on applying EFT to couples struggling with a mismatch in libidos
Licensure & experience
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist | Private Practice
2024 - Present
Pennsylvania | License number: MF001627
I currently own a solo private practice and am licensed to see clients throughout the state of Pennsylvania
Marriage & Family Therapist | Sacred & Free Psychotherapy & Wellness
2022 - 2024
Practiced under the mentorship of Sarah McHale, LPC & Tracey Tannenbaum, LMFT to gain comprehensive experience serving individuals, couples and families
Accrued more than 1,500 face-to-face client hours
Marriage & Family Therapist Intern | Council for Relationships
2020 - 2022
While accumulating 500 face-to-face client hours, received weekly dyadic supervision as well as group supervision for a multi-faceted learning environment
Therapeutic Approaches
In the therapy field, there are countless theories that act as guideposts for working with clients.
I take an eclectic approach, and am guided by Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Narrative Therapy, Attachment Theory, Bowen Family Systems Theory, Gottman Couples Therapy, Structural Family Therapy, Parts Work (IFS), Person-Centered Therapy, Relational Life Therapy … and a sprinkling of some others.
Education
Master of Family Therapy | Thomas Jefferson University | Philadelphia, PA
While earning my degree, I received specialized training in sex therapy, aimed at helping couples navigate a variety of sexual challenges to create deeper intimacy.
Awarded Honors for Master’s Project on the application of Emotionally Focused Therapy for treating mismatched libidos
Received a 4.0 gpa in every semester of the program
English & Professional Writing | Kutztown University | Kutztown, PA
Minor in literature
Focus on the complexities of communication, language and storytelling
Spent a semester in Ireland with a focus on poetry and the history of language
about Jaclyn
I have always had a fascination with relationships, and I will never tire of a good love story. But in the real world, relationships are messy and complex. From a survival standpoint, we often “become” who we believe will be accepted before we are even conscious enough to realize this has happened.
I was drawn to study therapy from a systems lens, because of my own experience in navigating the systems that shaped me. I became aware in my late teens that I was brought up in a religious environment that had far-reaching implications on how I viewed other people, the meaning of life, and who I “should” be.
I spent more than a decade exploring philosophy, other religions and spiritual teachings on the hunt to reclaim meaning and purpose in my life.
What I uncovered along the way was that learning the art of being present in my body was one of the most profound catalysts to my own healing, self-awareness, relief from over-thinking and anxiety, and ultimately spiritual connection.
I have had to navigate family relationships in the wake of my leaving a shared belief system, I have been divorced and am on my second marriage, I have had to navigate deep grief and loss, and I’ve had to start over (a few times).
I am fully here for this life and humbled by its twists and turns. I have built an exquisite relationship to my own divine being — and am truly proud of the close relationships in my life (including that of my toddler son!).
It is from this place of growth, commitment to my own process, and continuing education that I am honored to serve others on this path.
On the blog
