What is Breathwork?
Understanding the Practice and Science of Conscious Breathing
At its core, breathwork is the practice of consciously using your breath to change your physical, mental, and emotional state. While breathing is our most automatic function, it's also a powerful tool we can consciously control. This gives us a direct pathway into our own nervous system, allowing us to release stress, heal emotional patterns, and connect more deeply with ourselves.
It's a practice that is both ancient and modern, revered by spiritual traditions for millennia and now increasingly validated by modern science for its profound effects on our wellbeing.
My Approach: A Blend of Science and Soul
While "breathwork" is a broad term, my practice is built on a specific set of powerful and proven methods. I specialize in Rebirthing Breathwork—a profound technique for deep emotional release and healing—but I also draw from a variety of other science-backed breathing & somatic modalities.
My approach is rooted in the understanding that true wellbeing comes from integrating all parts of ourselves. We use the breath not only as a science-based tool to regulate the nervous system but also as a sacred key to unlock the body's innate wisdom and connect with your deeper, intuitive self.
The Science: How Breathing Changes Your Brain & Body
When you feel stressed or anxious, your sympathetic nervous system ("fight-or-flight") is activated. By intentionally slowing down and deepening your breath, you activate your parasympathetic nervous system ("rest-and-digest"). This is not just a feeling; it's a measurable physiological shift.
Scientific studies have demonstrated that conscious breathing can:
Regulate Your Nervous System: A 2023 Stanford study published in Cell Reports Medicine found that just five minutes of daily "cyclic sighing"—a practice emphasizing prolonged exhales—was more effective at improving mood and reducing stress than mindfulness meditation. Techniques like this work by directly influencing the vagus nerve and helping to offload excess carbon dioxide.
Reduce Anxiety and Depression: Research has shown that specific breathwork techniques can lead to a significant reduction in symptoms. A 2017 study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that a coherent breathing practice was effective in significantly reducing symptoms of major depressive disorder in participants.
Improve Cardiovascular Health: Studies have demonstrated that slow, deep breathing practices can positively impact heart rate variability (HRV)—a key indicator of your body's resilience to stress—and can contribute to lower blood pressure over time.
What Can Breathwork Help With?
The beauty of breathwork is its versatility. Because it works at such a foundational level of the nervous system, its benefits are wide-ranging. People come to breathwork seeking support for many of life's challenges. It can help you to:
Release Stored Emotions & Tension: Create a safe space to process and let go of stress, trauma, and emotions that have been stored in the body.
Quiet an Anxious Mind: Learn practical tools to manage the feeling of being "always on edge" and to stop the cycle of overthinking.
Build Self-Worth: Connect with a deeper, more authentic part of yourself, moving beyond the limiting belief of "not being enough".
Reconnect with Your Body: For those who live mostly in their heads, breathwork is a powerful way to feel truly at home in your own body again.
Gain Clarity & Intuition: By quieting the mental noise, you can more easily access your own inner wisdom and learn to trust yourself.
Different Techniques for Different Needs
We use different breathing patterns to achieve different outcomes. While every journey is unique, here is a general guide to how we can approach your goals:
For Daily Well-being & Anxiety Management: To manage daily stress, quiet an anxious mind, or improve focus, we often use conscious, rhythmic breathing techniques. These practices (like Coherent Breathing or Box Breathing) are designed to balance the nervous system in real-time, providing you with practical tools for daily calm and resilience.
For Deep Transformation & Emotional Release: To release stuck emotions, heal old patterns, and connect with your authentic self, we utilize powerful, continuous breathing patterns, most notably Rebirthing Breathwork. This immersive technique allows you to access deeper layers of the subconscious in a safe and guided way, leading to profound insights and a lasting sense of inner freedom.
What Does a Session Feel Like?
Every breathwork session is a unique experience. While sitting or lying down comfortably, you will be guided through a specific breathing pattern, often set to music. As you breathe, you may experience physical sensations like tingling or temperature changes, emotional releases like tears or laughter, or deep feelings of peace and clarity.
It's a safe and guided journey where all of your experiences are welcome. The goal is not to achieve a specific outcome, but to create the space for your body's innate intelligence to do the healing it needs to do.
Ready to Experience It for Yourself?
Reading about breathwork is one thing, experiencing it is another. If you feel a curiosity or a calling to explore the power of your own breath, I invite you to learn more about my private sessions & breathing circles.
It is a profound first step on a journey back to yourself.