Breathwork
〰️
Breathwork 〰️
Each of us holds an innate wisdom to heal ourselves,
our Breath is the Gateway.
The parasympathetic system does the opposite. It helps your body calm down and recover. It slows your heart rate and breathing, helps with digestion, and makes you feel more relaxed, like pressing the brake.
The sympathetic system gets your body ready to deal with stress or danger. It speeds up your heart rate and breathing, and raises your blood pressure, kind of like hitting the gas pedal when you need to act fast.
Our Breath has been equated with our soul and spirit in many traditions..
It is also the gateway to our nervous Nervous System and our unconscious.
Our autonomic nervous system (ANS) has two parts:.
Breathing is closely connected to these systems. When you inhale, it slightly activates the sympathetic system, making your heart beat a bit faster and opening up your airways so you can take in more oxygen. When you exhale, it activates the parasympathetic system, slowing your heart rate and helping you relax.
This is why slow, deep breathing can make you feel calmer. or increased faster breathing through the right nostril, can make you feel more alert.
Breathwork
as a Gateway to Altered States of Consciousness
But in addition to using the breath as a method to access different emotional states,
our Breath has a unique ability to give us access to altered states of consiouness, similar to those achieved with psychedelic agents.
This is achieved through guided circular breathing, which lowers carbon dioxide levels in the blood and shifts brain activity,
creating an altered state of consciousness somewhat similar to what happens in a psilocybin or ketamine treatment.
A growing body of research suggests that breathwork can enhance therapeutic work by gently lowering psychological defenses, creating greater access to deeper emotions, insights, and parts of ourselves that may otherwise remain out of reach.
This altered state has a unique advantage that allows our psyche to hold the tension and resistance we often feel in therapy in the face of change
without becoming fully overwhelmed and needing to unconsciously employ our defense mechanisms.
Thus we are able to access vulnerable aspects of ourselves in a less defended way, making room for deeper healing.
And this body of research is growing with more studies stating that Breathwork can unlock psychedelic-like states that deepen emotional breakthrough, insight, and transformation.
Breathwork journeys are longer 90 minute sessions where we work together on either a specific challenge or allow the breath to take us to those areas that may be stuck.
Important things to know about
Safety & Contraindications
Breathwork can feel challenging and, like psychedelic experiences, may bring about intense emotional and altered states of consciousness. While breathwork does not involve the use of a psychoactive substance, intensive high-ventilation practices can produce significant physiological and psychological effects. For this reason, certain medical and psychological conditions may require avoiding the practice or obtaining medical clearance beforehand.
We recommend speaking with your physician before participating if you have:
Cardiovascular disease or significant heart conditions, including arrhythmias, ischemic heart disease, heart failure, or a history of serious cardiovascular events.
Uncontrolled or severe high blood pressure.
Epilepsy or a history of seizures, as hyperventilation can increase seizure susceptibility in some individuals.
Pregnancy, particularly for high-ventilation or breath-hold practices.
Psychosis or acute/severe psychiatric conditions, where altered states or intense emotional experiences may be destabilizing.
Panic disorder or significant vulnerability to panic, as hyperventilation can intensify panic-like sensations.
Recent surgery, significant injury, or other conditions that could be aggravated by intense physical or emotional activation.
Significant respiratory or pulmonary conditions, including serious or poorly controlled asthma or COPD.
Cerebrovascular conditions, such as cerebral aneurysms or a history of significant stroke.
Other serious medical conditions or conditions requiring regular medication, where medical clearance may be appropriate. PPubMed Central (PMC)+1
If you have any concerns about whether this practice is appropriate for you, please consult your physician or qualified healthcare provider before participating.
Breathwork journeys can be cathartic in helping us release subtle emotions like grief and sadness or intense ones like rage, anger or horror.
The word “emotion” comes from the Latin emovere, meaning “to move out.” Emotions are meant to move through us, not get stuck, but when we avoid feeling them, we interrupt this natural flow.
In our work together I help you allow your breath to move those emotions through you.
Breathwork sessions are booked in 3 parts. with
Preparation telehealth 50 minutes session, followed by an in person 90 minutes Breathwork session.
And an Integration session one week later that can be held via telehealth or in person.
If you have heard of Claw hands, there is nothing to fear…Tetany is a common, temporary response that can occur during breathwork, often felt as tingling, cramping, or “claw hands.”
It can also affect the feet, calves, or mouth, sometimes forming an “O” shape with the lips.
This sensation is harmless and usually fades within minutes after returning to normal breath.
There’s nothing to fear, tetany is normal and always resolves on its own.