Breathwork Techniques to Transcend Trauma

What is breathwork and why does it matter for trauma healing?

Breath is life. It defines our first moment and our last moment and every moment in between during our time on Earth. The first thing we do when we are born as we leave the womb is INHALE and the last thing we do on earth before we transition is EXHALE. Just sit with that for a moment, it's deeply powerful to understand breath is literally life!

And for thousands of years traditional healers across the globe have known the breath is an incredibly powerful tool for healing and spiritual growth.

Breathwork is the practice of intentionally using the breath to heal the body or reach spiritual enlightenment. It combines mind, body, and spirit in an intentional effort to release that which does not serve us, and bring in that which we need more of. If you have ever done a guided meditation exercise for stress or anxiety, you might even have heard the guide say something like “On your out-breath, breathe out stress. As you inhale, breathe in ease.”

Breathwork calms the parasympathetic nervous system which is part of the body's autonomic nervous system; its partner is the sympathetic nervous system which controls the body's fight/flight/freeze response that is triggered by anxiety and stress. The parasympathetic nervous system controls the body's ability to relax.

Breathwork and breath-holds are so powerful you can literally rewire your brain and nervous system. But when it comes to trauma, simpler techniques practiced alone are unlikely to bring about the healing we’re looking for, which is why many people with deep trauma or PTSD, seek out breathwork specific for trauma and an experienced practitioner to guide them.

Types of Breathwork for Trauma 

There are so many beautiful types of breathwork and breathing techniques that help us become more centered and find peace. When it comes to healing trauma, however, a few types set the gold standard. 

Holotropic Breathwork 

Holotropic breathwork was developed by Stanislav and Christina Grof in the 1970s to help practitioners achieve a higher consciousness for therapeutic healing. While the practice is simple, it is lengthy. According to the creators, it is not holotropic breathwork if it is practiced for a short period of time; those who choose to practice should expect a session to last between 2.5 and 3 hours. 

Because of the nature of the work - you can expect a lot to come up during a session - it is also key that this work be done with an experienced partner or certified facilitator. All healing work should be done in a safe environment and breathwork is no different. 

Somatic Breathwork 

Somatic Breath Therapy is considered a highly sophisticated form of breathwork. It is used as a therapeutic method and with a skilled practitioner. One of its most beautiful tenants is that the body doesn’t lie and is a record of your past. And it believes the body knows how to heal itself. Somatic breathwork accelerates your body’s natural ability to heal: it’s amazing how our very being knows how to help us when we release the conscious mind’s need for control! 

Biodynamic Breathwork 

Trauma is an extreme form of stress and the response is typically stored in our muscles and nervous system, which can cause an extreme state of arousal, among many other negative side effects. Biodynamic Breathwork is a system that combines therapeutic breathing with movement, sound, touch, emotions, and meditation to release trauma and clear blockages throughout the body. It seeks to empower its practitioners and to once again make the body and mind feel like safe spaces for trauma survivors. 

I have seen beautiful healing come from breathwork on my retreats and with my 1:1 and group clients. If you’re ready to release your trauma and come back to your true essence, I would be honored to be your guide. 

I love to use breathwork to awaken my spirit and reach a higher vibration. High vibes only over here! :)

Healing our trauma is a crucial first step to living in alignment and reaching the higher vibrations we seek. Remember that vibration levels rise and fall. They are part of our spiritual journey which is never stagnant. But we vibrate at higher frequencies more often when we do the work to live in alignment, to go deep within and “do the work” as they say. This is where breathwork can help. 

Breathwork is considered an integral part of any yoga practice. Asana - or the physical practice of holding poses - may be what we associate with yoga, but yogic breathing is what will most impact our vibration. It helps us go deeper and become attuned to the inner movements of our spirit. To heal negative energies and center us on our journey.  To expand, embody, and empower us.

I wanted to create something that would help friends, clients, and followers feel guided on their journey to harmony with self and the divine. Because, while many breathwork practices are best done with an experienced practitioner (like me. hi. ), I want you to have access to steps you can take NOW to relax anxious thoughts, sharpen your intuition, and rewire your nervous system.

So, I’ve created the Divine Daily Practices to help you feel more centered and get back in touch with your true essence even when we can’t be together.

The Divine Daily Practices and Transformational Breathwork To Empower You:

✅ Release Anxious Thoughts + Self-Sabotaging Behavior

✅ Rewire your nervous system to dissolve stress and invite peaceful harmony into your daily life

✅ Clear energetic blocks so you can heal the root of your anxiety

✅ Open your field to creativity to feel alive in your skin and self-expression

✅ Manifest abundance by connecting to your inner superpower embodying the feeling of wealth nurturing the belief that you can do anything

✅ Sharpen Your Intuition so you can hold fierce boundaries  and release self-doubt

✅ Shine and Expand in the Full Expression of Who You Truly Are

Click here for the FREE Video Series!

Wishing you love and healing!

Tara