Susan Hamadock, Founder, Emeritus Director
Marianne Walch, Co-Director
Janet Defeo, Co-Director
Susan is the Founder and former Program Director at Silver Lotus Training Institute. Formerly a professional classical ballet dancer, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the Philadelphia Dance Academy (forerunner of the University of the Arts). She later earned a Master of Arts in Human Sexuality and a Master of Social Work degree.
She began her lifelong passionate interest in all aspects of human movement in the late 1960's. After her performing career she began teaching classical ballet and modern dance to professional dancers and university level dance students. In the early 1970's her curiosity about human energy anatomy and healing lead her to what would become a lifelong in-depth study of Hatha Yoga. After 20 years of study, in 1993 she earned a certification as a yoga teacher by White Lotus Foundation. She holds several advanced certifications in yoga. She also was certified by Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy Program and became a Mentor and Program Assistant in that program.
During the 1980's, Susan co-founded the Women's Mental Health and Wellness Center in Silver Spring Maryland. Based on the fundamental belief that physical, emotional and spiritual health are inextricably linked, the WMH&WC offered a full range of psychotherapy services including individual adult, family, group and couples therapy along with a range of yoga classes, yoga therapy, Tai Chi, and massage therapy. As a psychotherapist, she held many certifications ranging from EMDR to hypnotherapy. Susan created a training program with National Association for Social Workers in both Yoga and Tai Chi for Mental Health professionals.
During the 1990's based upon in-depth embodied spiritual practices intrinsic to the Yoga tradition, Susan developed an approach to teaching yoga she referred to as "Svadhyaya Yoga". She created a yoga teacher training program; and Silver Lotus Training Institute was one of the first schools to be registered with the Yoga Alliance at the 200- and 500- hour levels. Since that time she has trained over 100 yoga teachers. Several years ago Susan turned her Svadhyaya Yoga Teacher Training Curriculum over to two of her advanced students and she no longer trains yoga teachers.
In 2000 Susan began to study Tai Chi on a trip to China. This furthered her fascination with yet another embodied spiritual practice that embraced a physical discipline. In 2002, she began studying with Dr. Paul Lam who she considers her long time and primary teacher. She has also studied with Dr. Aihan Kuhn, Master Wing Cheung, Roger Janhke, Master Ken Cohen, Master William Ting, Al Huang and Grandmaster Chunyi Lin. She is certified in several of the Tai Chi for Health programs developed by Dr. Paul Lam including Tai Chi for Arthritis and Falls Prevention, and is a Senior Trainer with the Tai Chi for Health Institute. She has been certified in Shibashi I, II and III, as well as Therapeutic Qigong. Susan teaches Yang style 24, 26 and 40 forms, Yang style 32 Sword form, Single Fan form, Double Fan Form, Sun Style 73 forms.
Inspired by a life time of comprehensive and in-depth study of human movement, ancient holistic sciences, contemporary body/mind psychology as well as current evidence based scientific research in the health benefits of Tai Chi and Qigong, Susan is dedicated to individualizing these techniques to meet unique needs of people with whom she works. Susan most recently has developed a teacher training curriculum in Tai Chi and Qigong.
Thanks for reading about some of Susan's journey.
Marianne works closely with Susan Hamadock in creating and directing the programs of Silver Lotus Training Institute. She began studying yoga with Susan in the early 1990's, while living in the Washington, D.C. area. She became certified as a Svadhyaya Yoga™ teacher in 2001, moved to the Delaware shore shortly afterward, and has been teaching with Silver Lotus ever since. She was co-owner of a yoga studio in Bethany Beach for several years after moving to Delaware, and then began working more closely with Susan in developing and leading Silver Lotus programs and instructor trainings.
In 2005, Marianne became certified as an instructor through the international Tai Chi Health Institute, directed by Dr. Paul Lam. Since then, she has trained intensively in Tai Chi for Health programs and now serves as a Master Trainer (MT) for the Institute. In this role, she assists the Institute with training of Tai Chi for Health instructors throughout the United States. She also provides workshops and trainings through Silver Lotus and helps lead the Silver Lotus instructor programs. Marianne has also served as a Director and Past President of the U.S. Tai Chi Community, a professional organization of U.S.-based Tai Chi instructors.
Marianne's special interests include using Tai Chi, Qigong, and Yoga practices for stress reduction and in recovery from emotional and physical illnesses and injury. She is available to teach classes and private trainings in Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention, Seated Tai Chi, Tai Chi for Heart Conditions, Tai Chi for Diabetes, Tai Chi for Rehabilitation, Five-Element Qigong, and Tai Chi for Energy programs. In addition, she has studied and teaches a variety of other Tai Chi and Qigong styles, including Sun 73 Forms, Yang 24 Forms, Yang 40 Forms, Yang 32 Sword Forms, 42 Combined Sword Forms, Shibashi Qigong, Eight Brocades, and several fan forms.
Marianne is a passionate environmentalist and outdoors person, with a 40-year career as an environmental scientist. She holds Masters and Doctorate degrees in microbiology and applied mathematics. In 2021, she retired as Director of Estuary Science and Restoration at the Delaware Center for the Inland Bays. She now focuses on teaching Tai Chi and environmental consulting. In her free time, Marianne enjoys her cat, reading, photography and art, birding, native plant gardening, hiking and kayaking.
Janet coordinates the Institute's local programs. Janet's interest in health and fitness can be traced back to her career in the medical field as a radiology and ultrasound technician. As a young woman and later as a military spouse, Janet has traveled and lived throughout the U.S. and abroad. Her love of horses prompted her to learn to ride which served as a means to cope with the demands of military family life. Upon retiring to Delaware, Janet was introduced to Tai Chi and was immediately hooked. Since then, she has earned teaching certifications in Tai Chi for Arthritis & Fall Prevention, Tai Chi for Heart Conditions, and Qigong for Health from the Tai Chi for Health Institute. Janet also achieved teaching certification in Level Two training in Qigong and Tai Chi Forms from the Silver Lotus Training Institute where she continues to do in-depth study with Susan Hamadock. She has certification from Wing Cheung and has studied with Dr. Aihan Kuhn. She continues her studies of Traditional Chinese Medicine with Efrain Brady and studies Qigong with Mimi Kuo-Deemer. Janet’s other interests include reading and cooking, Janet teaches various Tai Chi and Qigong Forms as well as Yang Fan Forms.