Destinations for enhancing wellness
Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. 
Yoga uses physical postures, breathing exercises and meditation to improve overall health. 
Noelle Dwyer opened Stay Well Collective to offer the combination of movement, breathwork, meditation and nature in small group settings. courtesy Stay Well Collective 
Stay Well Collective in Rumson lets practitioners and instructors rent space to share their offerings with the community and boost their followings. courtesy Stay Well Collective
By Regina Molaro
Staying well, both physically and mentally, is important for living a healthy, active life at any age. Wellness can include many elements and practices – exercising, eating a balanced diet of grains, fruits and vegetables, and even learning new hobbies.
For some, being well can include a combination of movement, breathwork, meditation and embracing nature in small group settings.
With a mission to maintain wellness while enjoying her new role as a multitasking mom, Noelle Dwyer laid the roots for Stay Well Collective in 2018. That’s when she began offering private barre and meditation classes at clients’ homes, the beach and in her own backyard.
Last March, she opened the doors to a 700-square-foot shared wellness space in Rumson. Beyond finding and maintaining her own Zen, the new venture enables Dwyer to spend more time with her children.
“Sharing this practice was born out of my need to ground and find balance while raising my family and healing through the grief of the loss of my father. I found so much clarity and peace in this practice that I had to share it,” she said.
Beyond Movement
Dwyer taps into her many certifications to offer breathwork therapy, sound therapy, Reiki energy work and meditation at Stay Well Collective. She is also a holistic health coach.
What differentiates the collective from other studios is its “Reserve Your Share” program, which lets practitioners and instructors rent space to share their offerings with the community and boost their followings. Another perk: it creates an ever-changing lineup of practices and modalities.
“We believe that people don’t just come to class for the studio, but more importantly for the instructor,” she said. “We don’t believe in competition within the wellness community but in the importance of shining light on the community as a whole. We’re all here for the same reason – to share our passion for what has helped us heal.”
But the studio at Stay Well Collective is definitely a draw. Dwyer certainly has plenty of expertise in creating ambiance. Prior to opening Stay Well Collective, she enjoyed a merchandising role at Bergdorf Goodman where she also pitched in enhancing the store interior. “So much of my career was based on the aesthetic of a space and how you feel in that space. A lot of that training pours over into our shared wellness space. When you walk in, I want you to immediately ‘feel’ the space,” Dwyer said. “The nature-inspired colors, herbal scent, calming sounds, and soft lighting all play a part. I want this space to feel like you’re stepping into an oasis of healing.”
Class Offerings
Although the classes shift depending on which wellness practitioners are on board, the schedule always includes signature classes like a barre class followed by a meditation and sound + salt, a popular offering that incorporates one half-hour of alchemy sound bath followed by 30 minutes of salt therapy.
Salt therapy occurs in The Salt Well, an intimate space where pharmaceutical-grade Himalayan salt is released into the air – like a dry vapor. When inhaled, it provides anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal results. Guests utilize the space to recharge, rest, recover and alleviate seasonal allergy symptoms.
Dwyer also recognizes the importance of sharing wellness with kids. For the wee ones, she offers MINI, meditative movement for 4- to 8-year-olds. Other offerings include an intuitive workshop series, yoga and sound therapy, acupuncture sessions and more.
“Every offering provides support in effectively regulating the nervous system, allowing a shift from the sympathetic to the parasympathetic nervous system, bringing your body and mind to a more elevated healing state,” said Dwyer.
The practitioners and instructors who participate in Reserve Your Share can manage their own prices and bookings as they build their businesses.
Preventive Health Care
Tobi Sacco Hacker, LMT, AWC, RYT200, MSTOM, owner of i am Bliss, a health and wellness studio in Asbury Park, said there has been a big shift toward wellness and preventive health care. “So many more people are open to alternative, holistic and Eastern medicines, including yoga, Ayurveda, acupuncture and herbal medicine,” she said. “Beyond bubble baths and massages, practicing self-care is about taking your power back, especially for women who are nurturers and givers.”
The space, which opened in May 2025, offers massage, bodywork, Ayurveda, yoga, Reiki and qigong. Its services will soon expand to include acupuncture and herbal medicine.
Floatopia is a sensory deprivation healing space for your body and mind. Each of Float’s rooms contains a float space filled with 1,000 pounds of Epsom salt and 300 gallons of water heated to the temperature of your skin.
“Our world is filled with distractions and constant sensory overload,” said Melinda McEvoy of Floatopia in Red Bank. “When you get in and float, we try to remove all those things that are constantly coming at us.”
McEvoy notes that people come to float for different reasons. “Some come to relieve stress and anxiety. Some for relaxation, some for a deeper exploration of their mind and consciousness.”
Other clients are seeking pain relief, athletic recovery or relief from chronic pain conditions.
“Our bodies are designed to heal themselves, but we do not always give them the room to do so. When we quiet our minds, relax our central nervous system and rest our bodies, we create space for healing.”
The article originally appeared in the August 7 – 13, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
