Since I was a teenager I was very interested in everything about human anatomy, physiology and psychology. During my study physiotherapy (Arnhem/Nijmegen) I learned the importance of keeping the balance between fit and not fit and about our impact and influence on that balance. After graduating in 1994 I worked in England and later on in Amsterdam, treating mainly outpatients.

While getting more and more work experience I noticed that keeping the balance is not only a physical but more a holistic thing. That motivated me to start studying Traditional Chinese Medicine in 2003 to learn more about keeping or gaining that balance. And in 2014 I finished the Toyohari Training (Japanese Acupuncture). Knowing more gives again more questions, so I keep on learning, also by studying literature and following courses, seminars etc.(see: Study Curriculum). In my living area we have a study group with some colleagues to share knowledge and experiences. With some of these colleagues we have a subgroup regarding pregnancy and fertility and we look after each others patients during holidays, and so we will be able to guarantee the continuation of the treatment. See: www.acupunctuurzwangerschap.nl.

Between 2006 and 2009 I was part of the editorial department and also member of the board of the Dutch Association for Acupuncture (NVA). I wrote several articles for our acupuncture magazine Huang Ti.

Since graduation I keep on learning because there are so many interesting things to learn:

2023: literaturestudy:Reflexology of the feet by Hanne Marquardt

2022: course week Breath to heal by Max Strom

2022: jubilee congress NVA , theme: In balance after turbulence

2022: summerschool: Int. school voor Wijsbegeerte (Philosophy school): Stoicism according to Marcus Aurelius

2022: lecture Willem Pinksterboer: acupuncture, Qi and therapeutic intervention

2021: webinars regarding acupuncture and taoitische filosofie, low backpain, migraine, profiling acupuncture, obstetrics en cardiac symptoms women

2021: 3-day course Yoga Nidra (at Nieuwe Yogaschool)

2021: lecture: the divergent meridians

2021: literaturestudy: The psychology of acupuncture by Arno Roelofs

2020: literaturestudy: Chinese filosophy by Karel van der Leeuw

2020: literaturestudy: Walking with master Li, regarding the Tao of landscapes by Eric Brinckmann

2020: literaturestudy: The Tao of health by Conny Coppen

2020: experiment: critical allignement yoga, training week

2019: congress The journey of the Needle 2

2019: course: trauma intervention via acupuncture

2019: workshop Qi Gong

2019: course: the acupuncturist as counselor

2019: western medical: cardiac failure and en circulatory problems

2018: congress Toyohari: fertility problems

2018: collegial intervision: Shen acupuncture and Toyohari

2018: lecture Paul Loomans: timesurfing

2018: studyweek about meditation (at the Nieuwe Yogaschool)

2018: workshop Simone Holstege: traveling the chakra's

2018: course: endometriose

2017: wester medisch: the  microbiom

2017: course Bu Ming: filosophical thoughts about system en structure

2017: studyweek Int. school voor Wijsbegeerte (Philosophy): Knowing and measuring

2017: course CLI: Energiy and intuition: enteties

2017: course CLI: Energy and intuition: Chakra's 4-7

2016: congres Krakau (PL): Traditional Chinese Medicine

2016: literaturestudy: The pH base and disbalance van Christopher Vasey

2016: course Toyohari: Ko, Ken en Jintechniques

2016: lecture en literaturestudy Primary Reflexes van Margaret Mulder

2016: lecture: Vitamin D3 en B12

2015: course by Yair Maimon: Shen acupuncture 

2015: congress Rothenburg: Traditional Chinese Medicine and scalpacupuncture

2015: course CLI: Energy and intuition: Chakra's

2015: workshop by Marc Bosch: Toe reading

2014: workshop by Yair Maimon: One-minute acupuncture diagnosis

2014: training Toyohari: Use of the Teishin

2014: course CLI: Energy and intuition (basic course)

2014: webinar: Low grade inflamations

2014: literature study: Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman

2014: seminar UMC Radboud: Gender specific medicine 

2014: seminar Lisbon: Training by Japanese Masters

2013-2014: study: Toyohari, Japanese Acupuncture Post Graduate

2014: workshop: Babymassage

2014: lecture by Judith Kooij: Fertility problems and mourning

2014: literaturestudy: De Voedselzandloper by Kris Verburgh en Eetsprookjes by Huib Stam

2013: course ITAN: Coaching

2013: study evening with colleagues about Tao

2013: webinar by Yair Maimon: about point ht 9 and kid 1

2013: literature study: NLP by Richard Bandler

2013: study evening with colleagues about pain

2013: literature study: Ayurvedic dietetics by Anil Kumar Mehta

2012: literature study: Acutaping by H.Hecken and K.Liebchen

2012: study evening with colleagues about pulsediagnose

2012: congress: Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture

2012: study evening with colleagues about shiatsumassage

2012: course: Reiki 2

2012: lecture by Hester Vis about kinesiology

2012: lecture by Fokke Jonkman (cardiologist) about cardio-acupuncture

2011: study evening with colleagues about metaphores

2011: literature study: Balance method by Dr. Tan

2011: study evening with colleagues about the phases of death

2011: seminar in London: Dr. Tans Balance Method

2011: practise: Qi Gong

2011: study evening with colleagues about Body and Mind/Soul

2010: literature study: Tuina/Massage manipulations by Li Jiangshan

2010: course: introduction Balance Method

2010: worldcongress of Chinese medicine, Den Haag

2010: literature study: the psyche in  Chinese Medicine by G. Maciocia

2010: course: face reading by  Lilian Pearl-Bridges

2010:4 study evenings with colleagues about eczema, consciousnes, dietetics according to the five elements and face diagnosis

2009: literature study: Treatment of infertility with Chinese Medicine by Jane Lyttleton

2009: course: The art of living by philosopher Dick Kleinlugtenbelt

2009: congress: Coherence in Health

2009: literature study: Acupuncture and depression by R.N.Schnyer and J.J.B. Allen

2009: congress: Integrative medicine in practice

2009: 4 study evenings with colleagues about cases, Chinese herbs, acupuncture and burn-out en scalp acupuncture

2009: training NEI: neuro-emotive integration

2009: lecture by: Basal Body Temperature and infertility

2008: symposium: Feminine diagnostics and therapy

2008: congress NAAV: Aging

2008: literature study: Cosmetic acupuncture by Radha Thambirajah

2008: lecture by dr Li Jie: The cause of breastcancer according to TCM

2008: literature study: Ear acupuncture by Terry Oleson

2008: 4 study evenings with colleagues about the eye, nutrition, Japanese acupuncture and acupuncture and psychology

2008: congress: Sportspsychology

2008: studyday: Hormones

2007: course by Yan Schroen: Strategies in diagnosing

2007: congress: Obesity, a multifocal challenge

2007: lecture: Energetic mechanisms

2007: course by Yan Schroen: Weight  and TCM

2007: literature study: Bio-energy: the potency of complementary medicine by Nico Westerman

2007: literature study: Five spirits by Lorie Dechar

2006: course by Yan Schroen: The skin and TCM

2006: symposium Orthica: Allergies

2006: seminar by master Giovanni Maciocia

2006: course: Reiki 1

2005: course: DTF (directe toegang fysiotherapie)

2004: literature study: Nutrition according to the five elements by Barbara Temelie

2003-2006 Traditional Chinese Medicine Academy (TCMA); training to become acupuncturist

1997: training: First grade teachers degree health department

1995 -1996 training: Mobilisation techniques according to Maitland, McKenzie, and Mulligan

1993: course: Feldenkrais method

1990-1994 HBO-physiotherapy

Ellen IJspeert has been editor for the acupuncture journal of the Dutch Association for Acupuncture (NVA), called Huang Ti. She wrote several articles (in Dutch):

• Metaforen in de TCM, maart 2012
• Samenwerking met verloskundigen, oktober 2011
• De psyche in de Chinese Geneeskunde, boekbespreking, juni 2010
• Jubileumcongres Supplement, oktober 2009
• Verslag lezing vruchtbaarheid, april 2009
• Verslag bezoek NatuurApotheek, februari 2009
• Verslag symposium over vrouw en gezondheid, september 2008
• Obesitas als multifocale uitdaging, november 2007
• Five spirits, boekbespreking, oktober 2007
• Bio-energie, de potentie van niet-reguliere geneeskunde,boekbespreking, maart 2007
• Verslag nascholing Gewichtsbeheersing, februari 2007
• Allergie werkt anders, verslag Symposium Orthica, september 2006