This Place Was Built Out of Loss, and Hope.
Jo's House is named after Jo Maley — Bryan's mother. She lost her battle to mental illness and took her own life in 2025. The grief that followed was the kind that doesn't have easy answers. Bryan's father and aunt both passed later that same year. In the span of twelve months, Bryan lost three of the people closest to him.
He didn't know how to carry all of it. So he went to his bees.
The Discovery
Bryan has kept bees for years on his family's homestead in northeast Indiana. During the hardest season of his life, he found himself returning to the hives again and again — not because he had to, but because something happened when he got close to them. The hum. The warmth. The smell of the hive. Something in him would quiet down. The anxiety would loosen its grip. The grief, still there, became something he could breathe through.
He started looking into why. What he found was that this wasn't just his experience. The bee bed experience — the practice of lying near or above active beehives to absorb their sound, warmth, vibration, and aroma — has been practiced and studied around the world for decades. The science backed up what Bryan had felt firsthand: regular exposure to a hive has measurable effects on stress, anxiety, blood pressure, and overall wellbeing.
The nearest place to experience it was four hours away. And it was always booked. That's when Bryan knew what he needed to build.
Who Bryan Is
Bryan Maley has served as a pastor for two decades, dedicating his life to walking alongside people in crisis and providing care to those who had nowhere else to turn. He also served as a missionary in Vermont, with his faith always being the foundation of how he leads, serves, and heals.
In addition to his pastoral work, Bryan has spent decades in law enforcement in northeast Indiana and serves as a Sheriff's Department Chaplain, putting him at the center of some of the hardest moments in people's lives.
Bryan has seen, up close and over many years, what stress, trauma, grief, and loss do to people. He's lived it himself. And he's learned that healing rarely comes from a prescription pad or a one-size-fits-all solution. Sometimes it comes from something quieter. Something more unexpected. For Bryan, it came from the bees.
What Jo's House Is
Jo's House is part of the Maley family's working homestead. It's a place built on the belief that healing is possible, that God's creation has more to offer us than we often give it credit for, and that everyone — regardless of what they're carrying — deserves access to real rest.
The bee bed experience rooms sit at the heart of the property, with active beehives beneath specially designed beds. Guests lie back for 45 minutes and let the hum, warmth, gentle vibration, and deep earthy aroma of the hive do what Bryan discovered it could do for him: create a calm that is hard to find anywhere else.
Beyond the bee beds, Jo's House is surrounded by a working farm that teaches homesteading and natural living. The Maleys also keep bees for honey production — raw, local honey that tends to sell out quickly. We also invite guests to extend their peace by staying with us overnight through our Hipcamp site, where they can wake up to farm-fresh breakfasts and the quiet beauty of the Indiana countryside.
Mission Statement
The mission of Jo's House is to provide a place of hope, healing, purpose, and connection through the restorative environment of God's creation, honeybees, education, and community.
We serve individuals and families facing grief, trauma, chronic stress, anxiety, depression, and other difficult seasons of life, with a special commitment to first responders, veterans, public safety professionals, and others who carry the weight of serving their communities.
Through our Bee Bed Experience, hands-on beekeeping and homesteading education, the Healing Hive Initiative, mentorship, and community partnerships, Jo's House creates accessible opportunities for people to slow down, reconnect, learn meaningful skills, build supportive relationships, and rediscover purpose.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Jo's House is committed to removing financial and practical barriers so that those who need a place of rest, connection, and renewed purpose have the opportunity to find it.
Our Donors & Supporters
Jo's House exists and serves our community through the generous heart and support of our partners and donors.
Dan & Megan Rawles
Ritter & Conni Cox
Adam, Jessica, Elyn, Avery & Annie Ross
Dan & Megan Rawles
Ritter & Conni Cox
Adam, Jessica, Elyn, Avery & Annie Ross
Dan & Megan Rawles
Ritter & Conni Cox
Adam, Jessica, Elyn, Avery & Annie Ross
A Note From Bryan
"I didn't build Jo's House because I had a business plan. I built it because I needed it — and because I kept meeting people who needed it too."
"God met me in the midst of unimaginable grief. Losing my mother Jo, then my father, and then my aunt all within the same year was more than I knew how to carry. In His kindness, He drew me to one of the simplest parts of His creation—the honeybees. When the anxiety rose and the weight of grief felt overwhelming, I would sit by the hives. Through the gentle hum, the rhythm, and the wonder of His creation, God would remind me of His presence, His peace, and His faithfulness."
"I've spent two decades as a pastor, as well as my career in law enforcement, walking with people through their worst days. I know what it looks like when someone is out of options. I also know that healing is real — and that sometimes it shows up in forms you wouldn't expect."
"If you're tired, or grieving, or just desperate for something that actually works, I'd love to have you out to the farm. Come meet the bees. Give yourself 45 minutes. And see what happens."
— Bryan Maley, Founder, Jo's House
Ready to visit the farm?
Jo's House is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.