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Gould Farm Blog


Food, Mental Health, and the Systems That Shape Our Wellbeing
How do public policy, daily nutrition, and metabolic health impact brain function? On September 12, Gould Farm gathered with researchers from Harvard, Yale, and McLean Hospital to explore emerging the questions around metabolic treatments for mental health disorders.
Lisanne Finston
Sep 283 min read


Testimonial: Recovery is Real
Arriving at Gould Farm after a destabilizing psychotic episode, Rob lacked self-agency and purpose. But the Farm’s loving atmosphere and therapeutic work program instilled a work ethic and the belief that he could contribute. Today, after his transition through the Fellside program, he works as a peer specialist at the Boston Resource Center. He hasn't had a psychotic episode in seven years. After years of being consumed by his suffering, he says it is a profound joy to have

Guest Writer
Sep 254 min read


Before & After: A Space Worthy of the Mission
This summer, Gould Farm’s Agnes cheese won a Gold Medal at the 2026 Big E, placing us among New England’s top artisan cheesemakers. But our creamery is more than a production facility; it is a therapeutic work team where adults recovering from mental health challenges build confidence and purpose. We recently completed a major renovation to create a bright, modern space that matches the quality of our guests' work. Every wheel of Agnes tells a powerful story of craftsmanship
Lisanne Finston
Sep 253 min read


Beyond our fenceline
What is happening beyond the fenceline of the Farm, out in the wider mental health field? As the fall conference season gets underway, Gould Farm staff are packing their bags to take our work nationwide, sharing insights, presenting research, and engaging with colleagues, allies, and those with lived experience.
Stephanie Otter-Britt
Aug 273 min read


Summer on the Farm
This summer was as busy and beautiful as any on the Farm! With many new staff joining the community and the usual number of projects and special activities (such as hosting an Artist in Residence and substantial improvements to Diane's Trail) taking place, there was also no shortage of peaceful beauty and quiet sunrises to soak in. With this post, staff share some of those moments, enjoying the land we get to call home.
Stephanie Otter-Britt
Aug 271 min read


2026 Retreat Recap: Psychosis Care & Connection
From June 25–27, 2026, Gould Farm hosted the third annual Psychosis Care & Connection retreat, partnering with Ellenhorn and the Austen Riggs Center. Sponsored by various clinical organizations, the retreat aimed at improving care for adults with severe mental illness, especially those dealing with psychosis.
Stephanie Otter-Britt
Aug 164 min read


Celebrating summer with our garden and Roadside teams
From seed to sandwich, the offerings at our Roadside Store and Cafe showcase the hard work of our teams behind the counter as well as the many hands that plant, tend,, weed, and harvest back on the Farm. Menu items like the spring breakfast sandwich, which includes our farm-grown spinach, as well as a weekly summer vegetable stand, are a few of the ways our garden team and Roadside overlap and enhance one another's work.

Gould Farm
Jul 53 min read


What Makes Community Therapeutic? Themes from our 5K & Reunion Weekend
Gould Farm’s 12th annual 5k and staff reunion highlighted the power of place, connection, and mutuality in cultivating a truly therapeutic community.
Lisanne Finston
Jul 13 min read


Join us at the intersection of nutrition, the brain, and food access.
On September 12th, from 8am to noon, the Food Politics and Metabolic Treatment for Mental Health Disorders: A Panel Discussion will be taking place in the community room of our Rev. Hampton E. Price Community Center at Gould Farm in Monterey, Massachusetts. The event is being organized and presented by Inspiring Nutritional Choices and will not have a remote option for participation.This panel discussion, organized by Carrie Sacco, RN, executive director of Inspiring Nutritio

Gould Farm
Jul 12 min read


The kitchen celebrated AAPI Month in May. Here is what we ate!
Gathering for meals in the Main House dining room is central to our social fabric - it is when we slow down, talk about the day, and make important announcements. And this past May, it was also a time to learn about and celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month – through food!

Gould Farm
Jun 93 min read


The bitter and the sweet: honoring our recent Fellside interns
The bitter and the sweet of our transitional community is that we’re always saying goodbye at the same time that we’re also always welcoming new folks into the fold. This past May, we said goodbye to Dinari, Rachel, and Charlotte as they graduated and moved on to new opportunities.

Gould Farm
Jun 72 min read


To bird is a verb! A new mindfulness group at the Farm
One of our newest REACH wellness offerings is a mindful birding group, co-led by local naturalist Dave Edson and staff member and birding enthusiast, Pauline Banducci.
Stephanie Otter-Britt
May 195 min read


Integrating Lived Experience: New Panel Discussion at June Roundtable
An exciting new addition to our conference this year is a Lived Experience Panel, which will be moderated by Stacey Henson, LCSW, ACSW, our director of clinical outreach.

Gould Farm
May 32 min read


Coming back, giving back
If you’ve been to our annual 5K Walk/Run at Gould Farm, you’ve probably seen Katie. She doesn’t make a big deal about what she does, but for the past several years, she’s been our top individual fundraiser. She shows up, she reaches out to people, and she asks them to give. And then she comes back and does it again the next year!
Stephanie Otter-Britt
Mar 292 min read


On the road with clinical outreach
When Stacey Henson stepped into the role of director of clinical outreach a year ago, the position was evolving to work more closely with the admissions team and spend more time on the road, talking about the Farm with diverse audiences. Stacey reflects, “When I stepped into the role, I felt I could help get the word out about what we do, and as a clinician, also bring my clinical experience into multiple areas of the job.
Stephanie Otter-Britt
Mar 163 min read


Threads of Care - Continuity and Change on the Clinical Team at Gould Farm
After nearly 25 years at Gould Farm in various clinical roles, we are happy to announce that Nancy Masino Martin has accepted the position of clinical director, following a year serving as acting clinical director. Her tenure overlaps deeply with that of Jane Linsley, who led the clinical team for two decades and recently retired.
Stephanie Otter-Britt
Mar 165 min read


The 3rd Annual Psychosis Care and Connection Retreat Returns to Gould Farm
For over a century, Gould Farm has championed the idea that recovery happens through community and shared humanity. This summer, we are continuing that mission by hosting the third annual Psychosis Care and Connection: A Retreat on Humanistic Approaches from June 25-27, 2026.
Stephanie Otter-Britt
Mar 83 min read


A hidden weight: understanding shame
Almost all of us have felt it or seen it in others: a moment when we lower our gaze and cannot look someone in the eye; it is as if a spotlight is shining on just us and we wish we could disappear. The feeling I am describing is shame – a heavy and challenging emotion to understand and navigate. Shame can also be a powerful, often overlooked, barrier to recovery.
Stephanie Otter-Britt
Mar 55 min read


Registration Open for Gould Farm 5K! Join us Sunday, May 31st
On Sunday, May 31, 2026, we return to the loop! Our goal is to raise $60,000 for the Gould Farm Community Fund. This fund is the practical backbone of our mission; it provides the financial assistance that ensures our recovery programs remain accessible to guests regardless of their financial situation.

Gould Farm
Mar 43 min read


A New Healing Community Takes Root: Eli’s Place Nears Opening in Canada
We spotlight a group in Ontario, Canada, is preparing to open Eli’s Place, a farm-based residential treatment program for young adults struggling with mental illness. It will be the first program of its kind in Canada. Co-founders David and Deborah Cooper were inspired to create Eli’s Place in memory of their son, Eli, whom they lost to suicide.
Stephanie Otter-Britt
Feb 62 min read
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