Ellen O'Rourke

Ellen O'Rourke has practiced wholistic medicine for twenty-one years. As a graduate of the New England School of Acupuncture, she combines Traditional Chinese Medicine with Japanese techniques.

Ellen is the current Treasurer and Past President of the Massachusetts Association of Oriental Medicine. She is also a former board member and chairperson of the Education committee of the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

Ellen received the distinguished "Acupuncturist of the Year" award in 1996 from the AAOM and is currently a graduate student in Advanced Practice Nursing at Boston College.

Ellen is a member of Sigma Theta Tau, the international honor society of Nursing. She is a member of the Alpha Chi chapter of Boston College. STTI

Ellen has a Bachaelor's degree in Community Services and another in Nursing Science from the University of MA/Amherst. She holds a Masters Degree in Nursing from Boston College Connell School of Nursing. She practiced Massage Therapy for 8 years before becoming a practitioner of Chinese Medicine. Her work involves a deep sensitivity to hands on patient assessment and often involves bodywork when indicated or requested for blocked or painful areas. Her approach to healing is about working in collaboration with patients and their other providers to design the treatment approach that they need. As people recover or improve, the treatment is modified accordingly.

As an RN, she views the patient within the context of their complete health care reality; medications, health care conditions, changing symptomology, and family health. Ellen's focused area of study in Advanced Practice Nursing at Boston College was Psychiatric Mental Health. She is also educationally prepared to sit for the Nurse practitioner examination for state certification as well. She has a particular interest in the interplay between physical and emotional health.

"Stern, Herman, and Slavin (1998) suggest that 50% of visits to primary care providers are for psychiatric rather than medical problems; patients who present with multiple, unexplained physical complaints make up a significant portion of primary care practices, and almost half of new complaints contain some element of somatization."   (ref. 1)

Please note:The fact that many illness may have their root in emotional stress or traumatic events does not make the physical symptoms any less real or valid. And the additional strain that accompanies many serious illnesses can be managed and offset well with wholistic care. The goal is a restoration of balance and well being.   (ref. 1)