a Dean O'Rourke - ATUNE Health Centres -  Elite Performance Breathing Coach and Orofacial Therapist

B. Ed. Health & Phys Ed. (Hons), MBIBH.

Dean is a pioneer of functional breathing in the Hunter and on the Central Coast, with his expertise in the field recognised throughout Australia and overseas. Dean was awarded the 2016 Practitioner of the Year at ATUNE Health Centres. He also works at Innervate Pain Management (Hunter Pain Clinic) and Blue Water Dental Tuggerah.

He has been in clinical practice for almost a decade following 15 years as an award-winning HSC Health Educator. He is a member of ISARP (International Society for the advancement of Respiratory and Psychophysiology) and the BIBH (Buteyko Institute of Breathing and Health). He specializes in Advanced Bio-feedback Breathing Pattern Analysis and has also trained in Orofacial Myology through the Coulson Institute (USA).

Dean has guest lectured at the University of Newcastle, Avondale College, and the Hunter Pain Clinic. Dean has been interviewed multiple times on local radio regarding a range of health issues. He is the co-author of an internationally published paper on ‘The physiological effects of slow breathing in the healthy human’. He regularly presents seminars for professional and community groups.

He receives referrals from Medical Specialists, GP’s. Dentists/Orthodontists, Psychologists, and a wide range of Allied Health professionals.

Dean has special interest in bio-feedback breathing analysis and clinical training technologies for the optimisation of breathing and orofacial function. He routinely works with sufferers of a broad range of chronic conditions such as asthma, respiratory allergies, recurrent respiratory infections, pre ortho, and orthodontic conditions, sleep disorders, chronic pain management, and anxiety disorders. He also has a special interest in advanced sports-specific breathing training for elite sports performance.

He is committed to empowering people of all ages to achieve optimal health and fitness outcomes for the long term. His consistent clinical success over many years reinforces his belief that functional habits are the key to minimising or even eliminating the symptoms of many common diseases, minimising the risk factors leading to chronic disease, and slowing down the aging process to maximise the quality of life.

Dean has a growing list of athletes as clients and is now working with the Hunter Academy of Sport.

Outside of practice, Dean enjoys spending time with family and friends, as well as keeping fit by training regularly focusing on functional training. He and his family enjoy the beach, especially Killcare Beach, on the Central Coast.