"Alyssum" ; away from madness

Our peaceful sanctuary is centered in the nurturing and beautiful Green Mountain community of Rochester, Vermont.

We are located at 927 Route 100 North, just 1 mile north of the Rochester town green. Directly on Scenic Route 100, we are easily accessed from all directions. The town of Rochester itself offers the quintessential New England experience for guests wishing to take advantage of a small town atmosphere and offerings. Guests frequently take breaks from the house to visit town and be "out and about". Rochester offers several good restaurants, a bakery, library, book shop, art gallery and frequent musical events.


Our peaceful property is surrounded by farm fields and bordered by the White River. We manage an organic garden and greenhouse, which provide food and the grounding activity of gardening and harvesting.
  
For guests who love the outdoors, there is opportunity to enjoy all the beauty Vermont has to offer, regardless of the season. Quiet walks through the fields and exploration of the White River which flows nearby help to quiet the mind and distract from inner strife. In the summer our guests will have the chance to swim as well as simply visiting the relaxing sounds of the river.

More involved activities guests can participate in may include helping in the garden and caring for our small flock of chickens.

In winter, there are opportunities for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and sledding for those brave enough to tackle the snow. In house, we provide home cooking from whole foods. Guests are encouraged to forage and cook if they would enjoy this.

We have various art supplies and craft projects available for guests who want to keep their hands busy, as well as an interesting library and movie selection. Alyssum staff also works to provide alternative healing opportunities such as meditation, yoga and energy healing.

Whether engaging in activities or simply sitting and talking, Alyssum staff spends most of their time everyday listening and sharing. A guest may expect to focus on their desired goals, whether it is building mindfulness or perhaps looking at their home life and support system. We work together with our guests to focus on the issues which need attention and encourage our guests to set the pace and direction. We acknowledge that we are a short term respite and frequently spend time trying to improve a guests support system for when they return home.

Peer Perspective "I found Alyssum house to be a very cool healing environment in the country in Rochester, VT.  It is peer run and incorporates alternative healing modalities such as yoga, meditation, reiki, massage, and nature walks.  The staff at Alyssum are open minded and spiritual.  After spending two weeks in a crisis bed, then 2 weeks in a hospital, the real healing began when I came to Alyssum."  ~ Dana