About Rosalyn
Society often equates suffering with love…
…but I believe pain can be a springboard to purpose.
Grief isn’t just “love with nowhere to go”—it’s an opportunity to channel that love into living bigger and honoring those we’ve lost. It feels vital to share a different understanding of death and grief.
The misconception of grief as “stages” rather than a spectrum of emotions has perpetuated the myth that suffering is a necessary prison of love. One of my greatest honors is to help others see new possibilities and move beyond this myth.
Becoming a Courage Catalyst: Finding Possibility, Passion and Purpose when I least expected it.
When my daughter Melissa passed away unexpectedly at just 39, my world shattered. Some years later, I’ve come to see that her death brought a profound shift—one I never saw coming. As an introvert, my initial reaction was to retreat further into myself. But life had other plans, which I share in my bestselling memoir, When Wisdom Arrives: From Imagined Unworthiness to Freedom.
At the time, I wouldn’t have believed it if someone told me that pain, when we allow it, can transform into passion and purpose—but only if we let it.
A Lifelong Passion for Growth & Connection
I earned my Master’s in Social Work in 1973 from Smith College and began my journey as a psychotherapist. From the start, I loved helping people shift their perspective on suffering, guiding them to see how their struggles could transform their lives. In the 1980s, I became one of the early pioneers teaching the psychology of shame, a term that was still new at the time. Helping people distinguish between making mistakes and believing they are a mistake was groundbreaking work that continues to resonate deeply with me
In 1995, I discovered the Enneagram, an ancient personality system that reveals our preferred strategies for dealing with life. It became a transformative tool for my clients and me, offering profound insights into how we can expand beyond our usual patterns. Today, I’m a master teacher of the Enneagram and specialize in helping people uncover their true type, unlocking immediate pathways to freedom and growth.
More recently, I’ve incorporated Tapping, or Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), into my work. This efficient method bridges the gap between emotional and physical shifts, helping people process and integrate change on a deeper level.
At Home:
I live with my dear husband, Philip, splitting our time between Marco Island, Florida, and Seattle, Washington.
When I’m not writing, teaching, or facilitating, you might find me hiking with our daughter Ally, visiting our grandson Ryan, or tossing a ball for Oaklee, (Ally’s black therapy dog,) who’s never far away. I would enjoy returning to abstract painting—if I find more of that “Einsteinian time.”
Ally and Oaklee
Philip and I
Melissa & her two pups
Join Me in Finding More Courage in Our Lives!
I’ve coined a new term for myself: “Courage Catalyst.” I love helping people recognize that in everyday ways we show courage, often without realizing it. Society teaches us to smile and pretend, but every time we choose to be real, visible, and vulnerable, we’re practicing courage. It takes bravery to resist the pressure to “smile and be nice” when it feels inauthentic. (I think we can all relate, right?)
The more we lean into courage—like telling the truth, even to ourselves—the more we crave it. Facing our fears and shining a light on them is one of the most powerful acts of courage. Fear, surprisingly, offers the best opportunity for bravery. By naming fear, we remind ourselves that it’s not a fact but a lens—a perspective we can shift.
I invite you to join me and a group of incredible women at The Courage Connection, a free bi-monthly gathering where we share, reflect, and build courage together—without judgment. If you’re looking for deeper connections than you’ve found with friends or family, this is your space.
Rosalyn is a gift and inspiration to me. As much as I have studied the Enneagram, Rosalyn’s way of sharing has brought the Enneagram home into my heart and body, not just into my mind. I sooo look forward to the way she teaches and brings the group together through love seat coaching. The classes are always different: fantastic and deeply moving.
I have learned very practical things I can do to relate better to family members. Rosalyn offers specific ways to speak to each type, so we can be better heard. I know my daughter feels more heard and loved by me.
And I continue to grow into a more loving relationship with myself.
Jeanne B
If you have had feelings of lack and imposter syndrome, you’ve come to the right place. I love the journey of uncovering our worth, even in seemingly impossible situations. When we imagine we are not good enough, we tend to hide from others. I feel strongly that we all desire to be known, but our fears keep us covered up while we try to fix ourselves. Our culture teaches us to believe we need to be more, do more in order to have more.
The truth is, we are already enough and contentment is available now.
The bright Light I know as Rosalyn Rourke is an inspired teacher, counselor and leader. Rosalyn has been teaching and sharing her wisdom of the Enneagram in the Power of Love Ministry classes for years and has counseled numerous participants to see the more loving choices in how they approach their life and relationships. Rosalyn is a beautiful advocate for following inspiration and knowing how to be in tune with the Infinite Field of Love. I have learned so much from her! I consider that any time I can spend with Rosalyn is well spent! Her insights are invaluable and her compassionate approach is deeply healing and nourishing. If you can, find a way to work with her and you’ll see the benefits right away.
Jennifer Hadley | Intuitive Spiritual Teacher & Counselor | www.jenniferhadley.com
Professional Bio
Rosalyn Rourke, MSW
Best-selling author Rosalyn Rourke, MSW, has worked deeply in the field of mental health and trauma therapy as a psychotherapist. With a Master’s degree from Smith College School for Social Work in 1973, she embarked on a distinguished career that included supervisory roles at Yale Facilities, specializing in psychiatry. Her expertise further expanded as she immersed herself in trauma work, particularly Eye Movement Desensitization Reprogramming (EMDR), a highly effective PTSD treatment. In 1995, she pursued advanced training in eating disorders, focusing on binge eating and body dysmorphia.
An avid learner, Rosalyn’s professional and personal journey into transformation led her to the Enneagram, where she studied under renowned mentors such as Tom Condon, Don Riso and Russ Hudson, among others. Her influential work extends to the literary realm with her best-selling book, “When Wisdom Arrives: From Imagined Unworthiness to Freedom.“ Rosalyn continues to inspire and empower individuals on their path to self-discovery and freedom, as a Oneness Coach.
