About Us

This February the retreat will be led by Beth Burke, and Edward Strozier. Beth and Edward are licensed acupuncturists, Beth is a registered yoga instructor, and Edward is an experienced surfer.

Beth is a native of Silver Spring, Maryland. Her affinity for the ocean began with annual family vacations to East coast beaches. By the age of eight she was competing for her neighborhood swim team, a passion that eventually brought her to Indiana University. Many years of swimming and her love of the ocean came together in Costa Rica for her first experience with surfing in 2004. Her favorite conditions for learning to surf are the uncrowded, gentle waves and sandy beaches of Morro Negrito, Panama, home of the Balance Retreat.

Beth's interest in Chinese medicine began while studying Tai Chi and Kung Fu at the Hung Tao Choy Mei Academy in Washington, DC. She received a Master of Acupuncture from the Tai Sophia Institute for the Healing Arts, the oldest accredited acupuncture program in the United States. She is currently enriching her practice with the study of Chinese herbs and medicinals.

Beth is also pursuing her yoga teacher training in the Sivananda tradition. She especially appreciates the common threads that occur between the ancient philosophies of yoga and Chinese Medicine. She brings this appreciation to both her classroom and her treatment room. Beth's acupuncture practice is at the Spectrum Center for Natural Medicine in downtown Silver Spring. She can be contacted at beth@balanceretreat.com.

Edward is a second generation acupuncturist currently practicing in Maryland, where he is completing a certification in Chinese herbal medicine. His interest in surfing began in his teens when he moved to Florida. While in Florida he was the chairman of the St. Augustine Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation.

After visiting Panama in the fall of 2005, he did Katrina relief work through FEMA. Since then he has returned to Central America frequently, and is very much looking forward to this Retreat. You can contact him with questions at edward@balanceretreat.com.