Queer Forest Bathing Retreat with Toadstool Walks
October 7-10, 2022
Join Tam Willey of Toadstool Walks for our 4th Queer Forest Bathing Retreat collaboration. We'll spend 3 nights and 3 days on 40-acres of private retreat space at Basecamp at Beaver Falls where Tam will guide participants on daily forest bathing walks and facilitate evening fireside story sharing.
What is forest bathing, you might ask? Forest bathing is a guided relational exploration that centers on slowing down, unplugging and awakening our senses while resting outside under the canopy of the forest.
Spend afternoons decompressing in the giant outdoor hot tub or sauna, taking a dip in the river or pond, lifting weights in the fitness yurt, or perhaps a ping pong tournament will emerge. Our time will be a mix of structured guided time together as a group, prompted solo explorations on the land, and time for yourself to do whatever feels good for you. Basecamp at Beaver Falls has lots of places to relax both inside and out so bring a book, a journal, maybe a game and anything that will support you during your personal retreat time.
All the prompts, invitations, sharing and ways of participating in the guided sessions are optional and open to interpretation. There is no fitness requirement or special gear needed. Forest bathing is part of a global effort to tend to the stressful conditions of living in modern industrialized civilization. This program is designed for those looking for space to recharge, rest and reconnect with fellow Queer folx.
All meals are included. Lodging options include camping and indoor lodging.
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Tam Willey (they/them) has been collaborating with The Venture Out Project since 2017 as an instructor and community liaison, launching the forest bathing retreat collaboration in 2018 in Lyle, Washington. Tam is a certified forest therapy guide, trainer, mentor and teacher with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy and founder of Toadstool Walks, a guiding practice based in Boston, Massachusetts. Tam has guided forest therapy in collaboration with The Arnold Arboretum, Harvard University, The Emerald Necklace Conservancy, Mass Audubon, Boston Harbor Now, Peabody Essex Museum, Lesley University, Boston University School Of Theology, and more. Through an evolving love for outdoor adventure such as hiking, backpacking, camping, snowboarding, cross country skiing, and surfing Tam enjoys recreating outside and is passionate about supporting our re-membering of our own nature by facilitating immersive experiences that might build collective empathy and compassion, broaden and heal our relationships with as humans as well as our other-than-human kin and beyond. Tam’s guiding practice is informed by their background as a local handy person, children’s woodworking instructor, custodian, skateboarder, musician, artist, mentor, their own Queer experience as an active community member serving and uplifting LGBTQ Folks through BAGLY, The Theater Offensive’s True Colors, Black and Pink, and The Venture Out Project. Tam holds CPR, First Aid, Wilderness First Aid, and Mental Health First Aid certifications.
For more information about Tam, check out ToadstoolWalks.com
Activity Level 1: Beginner friendly; opportunities for hiking, swimming, and guided forest bathing. No prior experience required.
What are TVOP Frontcountry events?
Frontcountry events - a new project from The Venture Out Project - take place solely at BCBF and are a great option for folks who prefer warm beds, stocked kitchens, and relative closeness to flushable toilets. Our frontcountry events focus on community and skill-building outside of backcountry settings.
GENERAL INFO
Location*: Basecamp at Beaver Falls, Halifax, VT (Wabanaki and Elnu Abenaki Ancestral Lands)
Start Date: October 7, 2022
End Date: October 10, 2022
Cost: $425
Multiple Scholarships Available - simply fill out the scholarship request form during your registration.
Includes: Lodging, food & guided forest bathing.
Doesn't Include: Carpool to trip location, personal clothing, boots, toiletries, flights
*Location subject to change based on Federal & State safety guidelines
COVID SAFETY
Proof of vaccination and/or booster within the last 8 months
Negative COVID Test within 72 hours of trip