Jacqueline Akeret
Jacqueline Akeret is a mental wellbeing practitioner, somatic trauma-informed coach, and founder of Inner Balance Coaching and Wellness, based in Absecon, New Jersey. After a decades-long career spanning accounting, technical writing, and more than 25 years in education, she has dedicated her work to supporting individuals navigating chronic stress, emotional overwhelm, and the lasting effects of trauma. Through one-on-one coaching and workshops for teens, parents, schools, and organizations, Jacqueline helps clients better understand their internal experiences and develop practical tools for healing and resilience.
Her approach is deeply rooted in nervous system education and embodied practices, emphasizing that trauma is not only a cognitive experience but one that lives within the body. Drawing from her own personal journey, Jacqueline integrates frameworks such as the “Traffic Lights of Tolerance” and parts work to help individuals build awareness, reduce shame, and cultivate a sense of safety and control. Her work is especially impactful for those recovering from narcissistic abuse and coercive control, offering a compassionate and empowering path forward grounded in real-life understanding.
Jacqueline’s transition into this field was inspired by her own lived experience and a desire to bridge the gap she once encountered in traditional approaches to healing. As a former educator, she successfully brought nervous system tools into the classroom, helping students improve emotional regulation and overall wellbeing. Today, she continues that mission on a broader scale—guiding others toward greater self-awareness, emotional balance, and personal empowerment, while fostering spaces where healing, growth, and transformation are truly possible.
• Somatic Trauma-Informed Coach
• Narcissism Expert
• Trauma-Informed Positive Psychology Practitioner
• Domestic Abuse and Coercive Control Practitioner
• Mental Well-Being Practitioner Certification
• Stockton University- B.S.
• Atlantic Cape Community College- A.S.
• Mental Wellbeing Company (Partner)
• Volunteered at local high school to deliver Relationship Red Flags for Teens workshop
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to realizing that I'm important and I matter. That, in itself, made me want to get everyone else to understand that they matter. I'm going to put it out there - God was behind a lot of this. There were days that I was on the floor, and I was just like, okay, I can't do this, this is yours, I surrender it to you, because I don't know what to do. And he came through and put me where I needed to be, or put somebody where I needed to be. That's what really made me feel like I matter. It's the reason I'm still standing. I've been through this for a reason, and I look back now and I know I will never, ever go back. The more you heal, the more you realize exactly what you've done, what you've accomplished, and I can say I'm really proud of myself.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My best advice is to fully understand your nervous system. I honestly feel like if we can fully understand our nervous system and how we function, why we function in a certain way, it's the biggest tool we can give ourselves. If I knew what I'm teaching in my Red Flags for Teens workshop at that age, my life and my choices may have been a lot different.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field is the limited budgets in schools, which make it difficult to implement trauma-informed programs, along with the need to build visibility and sustainable growth for a new practice. At the same time, there is a powerful opportunity to bring nervous-system education into schools and communities, helping to break generational cycles of abuse and support healthier, safer relationships early on.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
My work and personal life are guided by my faith in God, a deep belief in personal worth and dignity, a commitment to serving others—especially women and teens—and a strong dedication to my family.