Breathwork for healing & transformation

We Are Breath

For most of human history there has been an understanding that we are whole beings (or meant to be.) But in the last few hundred years Western thought divided the body, from the mind/soul/spirit or self. This is why we have health care, and mental health care as separate fields. But we are slowly relearning just how integrated we are. Our self is not divisible and we don't exist in isolation. 

Science is beginning to show us what our ancestors knew, that our gut has more to do with our mind than we could have imagined. Our vagus nerve connects nearly all our bodily systems, and we cannot address the health of one part of us without addressing the whole of us. Breathwork acknowledges that we cannot address our emotions or our spirit separate from our body. They exist as one, and we can only heal as one.

Breathwork is a nearly infinitely broad term that encompasses everything from grounding breath techniques (4-7-8, box breathing, mindfulness meditation) to more active and activating breathwork patterns such as Holotropic breathowrk, rebirthing breathwork, and more. Breathwork is a tool for self-discovery and healing that engages the whole person: body, mind and spirit; and it belongs to you. I am trained in a specific breathwork technique that originated in Kudalini yogic practice but has been adapted for a Western context and application.

While it has traditionally simply been called breathwork I refer to it as Cauldron Breath, due to its emphasis on both deep belly breathing and heart opeing breathing. Cauldron breathing is a three part active breathing meditation that helps us reconnect with our bodies, explore trapped emotion, process trauma, and integrate our whole selves to come in a way we head-centered modern people rarely experience.

My first breathwork teacher was a horse. He taught me the power of breath; how breathing can heal what nothing else can, can put right mind and body, knit them back together into a whole, can see through the panic to truth. From my horse I learned to breathe through my pounding heart and racing thoughts; to open my throat and my mind and become still, calm, and powerful.

Breathwork is many things. It can be meditation, prayer, and a tool for self-discovery and healing that engages the whole person: body, mind and spirit. As a healing tool breathwork goes hand in hand with talk therapy (and EMDR), spiritual direction, and other ways of healing and growing. Breathwork can help us let go of unhealthy narratives, get unstuck, gain clarity, process emotions and memories we carry in our bodies, connect with ourselves, work through difficult decisions and life changes, and find a deeper relationship with the Self/Divine/God/Other.

Breathwork is your tool, and like all tools it is most powerful when used regularly as part of your regular spiritual and self-care practices. For this reason I offer regular group breathwork options and occasional focused 6 week groups for healers, clergy, and other groups.

Upcoming Groups

Groups are currently being updated as my schedule and practice changes. Please check back for updates.

What to expect

If you've never tried breathwork before you should expect to encounter a safe and sacred space in the practice. When practicing in person with a healer know that you are in charge, they should ask you for permission for any touch (for example anointing with oils) and should respect your boundaries and choices.

The breathwork practice is done laying down, you can lay on your floor (I suggest laying out a yoga mat or some blankets for a softer surface) or even on your bed or a couch. You will want your spine as flat as is comfortable for you, and for your throat to be open, it is best to not prop yourself up on pillows under the head. If you are pregnant lay in whatever way makes you comfortable, use pillows, blankets or other props to support your body and belly comfortably!

I suggest an eye pillow or eye mask and to lower the lights in your room to create a restful space. You might like to have stones, crystals or something else to hold during the practice. A blanket to cover yourself if you get cold (I am often cold while breathing) is a good idea. 

Know that the practice is your own. So make yourself comfortable and trust your body and your instincts. Get comfortable, settle in, and enjoy the journey!

Each group will involve an opening drop in practice to set an intention for your breathing practice that week and a check-in as we support each other in the group. We will then spend 30 minutes in the active breathwork portion of the work, and 10 minutes of rest and integration before coming together for the last portion of the group where we will process our experience as a community.

While these groups may feel therapeutic it is not a substitute for psychotherapy.

Breathwork is a very safe practice if you have any concerns you should (as in all things) check with your doctor before starting a practice.

With Psychotherapy

While calming breathwork is often used in therapy as a tool for nervous system regulation cauldron breathing or other forms of activating breathwork are also helpful additions to talk therapy sessions. Are you curious about how breathwork might integrate into your therapy? We can talk about it! Clients seeking to integrate trauma work, to build more energy in their system (such as in cases of ongoing depression), or to learn that they have the power to both activate and calm on their own (helpful for chronic anxiety) can all benefit from individual breathwork sessions as part of their therapeutic work. 

Breathwork is integrated when appropriate and only with your full education and consent. Full breathwork sessions can take the place of a talk therapy session at key points in the process, or a shorter breathwork session (7 - 14 minutes) can be used in a regular therapy session. The practice is quite flexible and adaptable. If you are interested in learning more sign up for a free call.

For Caring Professionals

I specialize in offering breathwork support groups (either single events or a series of 6 - 8 weeks) for caring professionals such as therapists, social workers, clergy, and healthcare professionals. If you are looking for a way to support your group of care professionals contact me about how I can help support your team. Breathwork is an excellent way to integrate trauma, relieve stress, and work through complex emotions. Caring professionals are exposed to a wide variety of stressors in the course of their work and compassion fatigue and secondary traumatization are real. 

Breathwork groups are intentional ways of bringing together those who share similar experiences and understand the struggles of their fellow caring professionals. These groups help build team trust, expand your ability to support one another, and provide vital ways to process difficult experiences and the complexities of life individually and as a community.