Retreat House

About Us

Retreat House Massage & Wellness Center occupies the space originally home to an order of nuns called the Cenacle Sisters. Their mission was to minister to the community and that healing energy is still apparent in our hallways.

Owners, Joan Powell and Gail Valente met while attending Onondaga School of Therapeutic Massage in 2001. With parallel dreams of creating the perfect healing space, Joan and Gail came together in 2004 when they found space in this historic building, the former Cenacle Retreat House. Renovation began and as therapists found their way to this space, Retreat House Massage & Wellness Center became reality, opening in early 2005.

Our Staff

Retreat House Massage & Wellness Center offers highly skilled and educated practitioners who are passionate about supporting wellness and bringing healing to their clients. We are proud of this diverse and talented group of practitioners and invite you read more about them.

Our waiting area...

Our soothing and comfortable reception area Our waiting area is soothing and comfortable and features the fabulous work of local artist, Dick Kane. Dick painted for us a tender scene of our beautiful Retreat House as seen from our historic gardens. Our hallway artwork feature is from the skillful hand of Abby MacRae, yoga teacher and accomplished artist. Dispersed throughout the center are photographs of Marcia Birken’s world travels. We are thrilled to have these accomplished artists’ work in our midst and hope you enjoy them as well.

Dabby Reid, Ltd. Jewelry

As a special treat, we are featuring Dabby Reid, Ltd. Jewelry. This colorful, elegant jewelry is handmade in NYC and only available at Nordstroms, Henri Bendel on Fifth Avenue and Retreat House Massage & Wellness Center.

Strong-Todd House

At the corner of East and Oxford stands the Strong-Todd House, built in 1902 for Colonel Henry A. Strong, then president of Eastman Kodak Company. After Strong’s death in 1919, his daughters and long time friend George Eastman built Strong Memorial Hospital in his remembrance.

In 1926, local businessman Libanus Todd purchased the estate. After Todd died in 1933, his widow left the property to the Catholic Diocese of Rochester and in 1948 the Order of the Cenacle was established in the mansion to offer sanctuary and spiritual healing.

Strong-Todd House History .