Diaphragmatic breathing

The main focus of my work is diaphragmatic breathwork, for everyday health and wellbeing..

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I have developed my own, highly effective approach to improving diaphragmatic breathing with a range of tools, tips, exercises and evidence-based support material.

 

For many people, breathing habits have been disrupted at some point – often as a result of incidental or prolonged stress. Disrupted breathing patterns can perpetuate feelings of anxiety and, over time, may contribute to physical health issues. The good news is that we can consciously retrain our breathing to support both mental and physical wellbeing.

 

At the heart of this retraining is the diaphragm – our main breathing muscle.

 

Like any form of physical training, breathing exercises engage muscles that you can develop into optimal form.

 

While certain techniques can be used as quick interventions in moments of stress, it’s regular practice – just a few minutes a day – that unlocks the full range of physical and physiological health benefits.

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Connected breathing

Connected breathing is a form of hyperventilation known by several other names, including dynamic, transformational, holotropic, and conscious breathing.

 

It typically involves breathing deeply through the mouth over an extended period – from anywhere between 5 and 45 minutes.

 

For a range of evidence-based physiological reasons I go into elsewhere[SG1] , this type of breathing can shift the breather into a different level of awareness, often compared to a meditative or even mildly psychedelic experience.

 

It can be emotionally intense, and is almost always very positive and meaningful. Often, it leads to peaceful recognition and acceptance of difficult emotions or unresolved experiences from the past.

 

Combining techniques

I generally take some form of diaphragmatic breathing as the starting point. It’s a powerful tool for correcting issues that have been affecting the client’s health – perhaps for years, perhaps all their life.

 

When it comes to connected breathing, simply put: you do not we want to be hyperventilating all day long. It’s a practice you do in relatively short bursts to achieve a specific mental state, but it would not be healthy to hyperventilate continually.

 

The two techniques are incredibly useful, but despite being having very different functions and effects, they are often confused.

 

My preferred approach is to teach diaphragmatic breathing before moving on to connected breathing if appropriate.

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Connected breathing sessions

I offer specifically connected breathing sessions on request, for individuals and groups.