Brandywine Valley Retreat
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Brandywine Valley Retreat Details
This page serves as a home base for the Brandywine Valley Retreat and will be updated with everything you need to know between now and the first day of the training retreat. If you have questions at any time between now and the retreat, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
Virtual Meet & Greet
Wednesday, April 8, 2026 from 6:00 pm - 6:30 pm ET
You are invited to join Regan and Lara for a 30-minute gathering on Zoom to say hello and get your questions answered.
Join the Call: Zoom link TBA
Action Required!
Book your hotel room at the Brandywine River Hotel early for the best rate. We have reserved a block of double deluxe rooms at a discounted rate at the Brandywine River Hotel in Chadds Ford, PA. Please visit www.brandywineriverhotelpa.com, then click Book Now. Enter in the dates and enter in FTS as the promo code. The website will allow you to book a room in our block at a discounted rate of 10%.
If you are staying at another location during the training, please let us know.
Please complete the emergency contact and waiver form: https://form.jotform.com/252245134439152
Your Instructors:
Regan Stacey | regan@theforesttherapyschool.com |(860) 227-9627
Lara Laskowski | lara@rhodeislandforesttherapy.com | (401) 559-8056
When:
Arrive: Wednesday, April 22, 2026 between 4:00 pm and 4:30 pm ET
Depart: Sunday, April 26, 2026 by 10:30 am ET
Where:
Brandywine River Hotel
1609 Baltimore Pike
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
(610) 388-1200
Getting Here:
The Brandywine Valley is:
14 miles from Wilmington, DE
40 miles from Philadelphia, PA
112 miles from Washington DC
135 miles from New York, NY
By air:
The nearest airports are:
Wilmington Airport, DE (30 minutes)
Philadelphia Int’l Airport, PA (40 minutes)
Baltimore-Washington Int’l Airport, MD (2 hours)
Carpool:
If you are interested in arranging a carpool, please email us at hello@theforesttherapyschool.com and we will connect you to others who are interested as well.
Weather
Spring weather in Pennsylvania typically varies. Nights can be quite cool with temperatures in the 40s. Days can get as high as mid-60s. You may wish to dress in layers to adjust your comfort level. And don’t forget your rain gear!
What to Bring:
The most important thing you can bring is a flexible attitude, ready to accept and adjust cheerfully to the surprises that weather and circumstances may present. It helps a lot, too, if your clothing and equipment are suitable. We recommend packing layers for shifts in temperature. If you are unsure what to take with you, ask us.
Please bring:
Water bottle
Unscented sunscreen
Natural insect repellent
Close toe shoes for forest walks
Long pants for forest walks
Rain gear (jacket, pants, umbrella)
Notebook and pen
Lunch money for Longwood Gardens and Winterthur (Saturday’s lunch and dinner will be provided.)
Optional Items:
Hat (wide brim, for the sun)
Sunglasses
Schedule:
You will receive a more detailed schedule upon arrival on the first evening.
Wednesday, April 22nd
Time: 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location: Brandywine River Hotel (1609 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, PA)
Please arrive at Brandywine River Hotel between 4:00 pm and 4:30 pm. Program will begin promptly at 4:30 pm and conclude for the evening at 7:00 pm.
Thursday, April 23rd
Time: 9:50 am - 5:30 pm
Location: Longwood Gardens (1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, PA)
Please meet us at the entrance to Longwood Gardens at 9:50 am.
Friday, April 24th
Time: 9:50am - 4:45 pm
Location: Winterthur (5105 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, DE)
Please meet us at the entrance to Winterthur at 9:50 am.
Saturday, April 25th
Time: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Location: Brandywine Creek State Park (41 Adams Dam Rd., Wilmington, DE)
Please meet us in the Nature Center parking lot at 9:00 am.
6:30 pm Celebration Dinner at The Naked Olive (759 W Cypress St, Kennett Square, PA)
Sunday, April 28th (optional)
Time: 9:00 am - 10:00 am
Location: Brandywine River Hotel (1609 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, PA)
Gather for coffee/breakfast at OsoSweet Bakery, next door to the hotel, as a final farewell.
Practicum:
Following the retreat, you will enter into a 6-week practicum period. During this time, we will have weekly meetup calls over Zoom on Thursday evenings at 7:00 pm–8:15 pm ET, beginning April 30th through June 4th. Graduation will be held on Thursday, June 4th from 7:00 pm—7:45 pm ET. Please mark your calendars. The calls will be recorded. If you need to miss a call, you will be able to watch the recording.