A Day At the Chrysalis Clubhouse


“Chrysalis Clubhouse provides mental health support by offering help in the form of social, educational, and career focused services for its members. It supports wellbeing through community to all its members who are known as colleagues. We hope to serve as a beacon of hope to the greater Madison community.”


My name is Erik and I am a Chrysalis Clubhouse member of 3 ½ years. I participate in the daily and weekly function of the clubhouse and support its members and staff in the work-ordered-day which includes social, educational and career-focussed activities.

Typically, I start out the day with leading full-body stretches and focusing onthe agenda including birthdays and anniversaries and what’s for lunch during the morning meeting at 9:00 am. From there, I participate in the preparation of lunch by helping cook and get everything ready for the noonday meal. Frequently, we take a walk through the community after lunch and then get down to meetings in the afternoon. I tend to finish the day by engaging in opportunities for social interaction and closing tasks.


I’ve come to expect Chrysalis’s expertise in dealing with people’s hardships regarding employment. We excel at backing up our members with good quality support throughout the work-ordered day. What Chrysalis means to me is providing a safe, stigma-free environment for members to come and be upheld in their mental health journey. Colleagues and members should anticipate aid for their recovery process and should rest assured that their issue(s) are addressed and being taken care of. Members and colleagues are encouraged to advocate for their own wellbeing and to ask for help if they need it.


As we progress through the work-ordered day we come to realize that the Clubhouse is a positive, reinforcing entity that provides a solid foundation for its members to thrive and flourish. Built on a model that includes everyone, the Chrysalis Clubhouse is an outlet for people to gain the reassurance and support they need in their daily lives. To conclude, I hope you’ve gotten an idea of what it’s like to be a part of the clubhouse workordered day and how we operate. I look forward to many happy days to come and hope you have a better understanding of how the clubhouse works as it continues to grow.

Erik Pettersen, Clubhouse Member