BREATHWORK
FAQS
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BREATHWORK?
Physical:
Eliminates toxins
Improves digestion
Increases lung capacity
Boosts immune system function
Widens window of tolerance
Helps rewire brain to release patterns and create new patterns
Increases attention and focus
Activates the parasympathetic nervous system
Increases heart rate variability
Releases body tension
Emotional:
Reduces stress and anxiety
Shifts mood and energy
Helps integrate grief and loss
Increases clarity
Heals emotional pain & trauma
Helps identify and connect with emotions
Promotes connection with joy, happiness, ease, peace, and creativity
Increases self-awareness
Spiritual:
Deepens connection to intuition
Helps access your higher self and source
Connection to your body’s wisdom
Creates internal spaciousness
Access clearer messages
Release energetic ties
HOW DO I PREPARE FOR BREATHWORK?
It’s preferable to do breathwork on an empty stomach so plan to have your last meal 2-3 hours prior to your session.
Bring water and wear loose clothing especially around your stomach area.
Prepare your space in a way that feels safe and cozy. Options could include blankets, eye mask, headphones, candle, fur babies, aromatherapy, crystals, etc.
Make sure you have space to lay down flat and be comfortable. On a bed, couch, or yoga mat all work well and a pillow under the knees can be nice!
Come with an open mind and heart and with zero expectations based on what you’ve heard can happen during the breathwork session and instead go with the flow.
Reflect on an intention for the session (i.e. something you would like to release, how you want to feel, etc.)
Bring a journal/pen if you like to journal.
WHAT HAPPENS DURING A BREATHWORK SESSION?
During a breathwork session it is very common to experience different sensations and emotions. The intention with this type of breathwork is to help release stuck and stagnant energies, and sometimes it will release in different ways.
Physical side effects can include:
You may experience tingling, numbing, cramping, pressure, or changes in body temperature.
Feelings of light-headed or dizziness are common, especially at the beginning as the oxygen intake increases.
Tetany, which is an involuntary contraction of the muscles. This is very common and completely normal. This will usually occur in the hands, feet, around the mouth and across the waist. Sometime it may feel a little painful, but it is harmless. It usually passes within 15-20 minutes after the session. You can always let go of the breath pattern if if feels uncomfortable.
You may feel the need to shake, move, or make sounds to help release the energies.
Some people may experience ringing in the ears after the session.
You may fall asleep during the session. This is normal and you can trust that deep rest and relaxation was exactly what your body needed.
Emotional side effects can include:
Anything and everything is welcome within the session.
As the body releases stuck emotionality it can bring up the need to release tears or even the need to laugh.
You may feel anger, sadness, fear or maybe joy, bliss or happiness.
Whatever is meant to come up to help be released will show up.
Every session will be different and it is not always what you think it might be.
You may also not feel any emotions during the session and that's ok too.
Sometime you will need some more integration time, so just be aware of your emotions over the next day or two.
You are welcome to make any movements or sounds to facilitate the release of emotions. Please be kind and patient with yourself.
Some people (about 30%) will see visuals. This can include memories from this lifetime or past lifetimes. This is due to releasing energy and tapping into deeper emotions. Some people will begin to get visuals as they continue to do breathwork as well.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I DO BREATHWORK?
This question will be different for everyone. With integrative breathwork, most people will be able to do it everyday, even multiple times as you go through your day to day activities. With meditative breathwork, it can be a little overwhelming if you are just starting. Some people will feel safe and comfortable doing it everyday and some people may feel safe only doing it once a week.
This is an opportunity to really tune into your own body and start to become aware of how the breath feels for you. If you find yourself avoiding it because it feels overwhelming, try it once a week and build from there. Sometimes we think doing more more more is the best and quickest way to get to where we want to be, but this can actually cause more harm than good.
Make sure you are coming into the session from a place of acceptance with no agenda and creating a safe environment for your healing.
You can increase the duration of a session or the number of sessions. Both are safe to do so as long as you feel comfortable.
WHO SHOULD NOT BE DOING BREATHWORK?
Breathwork is not to be used in place of any type of therapy such as counseling, psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, mental health care or substance abuse treatment. Please make sure you are using breathwork to complement, not replace these modalities with the advice of your doctor.
Breathwork should not be used during pregnancy. It can increase emotionality in the body and create disturbances for the baby.
It is however highly recommended pre and postnatal to create a healthy environment for the baby.
If you have any medical conditions or take medication for any condition, please make sure you consult your doctor before starting breathwork. This can include but is not limited to:
high blood pressure
depression
kidney disease
heart disease
chronic panic attacks
asthma
glaucoma
history of seizures
IS BREATHWORK SAFE?
Breathwork is a very safe practice, but like all things there are a few situations to be aware of. I teach breathwork from a trauma informed perspective. What this means is that before we start doing any breathing, I will make sure you know exactly what to expect, what your concerns may be and if there's any specific health concerns or trauma that you feel I should be aware of. We start slowly and work up to longer sessions and more active breathing patterns. This helps to increase the window of tolerance to prevent re-traumatization. Feeling safe in your body is the foundation for healing to take place. It helps deepen the relationship to yourself and move into embodiment. My goal is to create a safe container where you can fully engage with the breath and let your experience unfold. Safety is different for everyone. Some people may not know what safety means for them and that's ok. We will talk about the concepts of safety and I will support you in any way that I can. It's important to be patient and understanding with yourself as you find what safety feels like for you.
It's important not to force yourself into any experience. Sometimes we feel like a big experience means a big transformation. This is not true. Sometimes the biggest transformations can happen in the slightest shifts. So really meet yourself where you are and move slowly.
Ask me
If you have additional questions, please send me a message!
Let's chat!
Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment. The only moment.