Breathwork
Transition is hard
Whatever you’re going through, it’s okay to be finding it hard. It’s okay to be uncomfortable with the unknowns, to be tired, to feel lonely, to feel lost, to struggle with grief, anger, resentment, fear. And it’s normal to be feeling it in your body.
Let your breath support you
Breathwork is one of the most supportive tools we can use during challenging times, bringing us into direct conversation with our body. We build strength, flexibility, compassion and resilience from the moment we start practicing.
In times of stress, we mammals tend to brace our bodies defensively. Every one of us knows the feeling: the breath might become rapid, held, or even lost. Perhaps a pounding heart, muscle tension, irritability, digestive upset. And where stress is ongoing, chronic issues may emerge, such as pain, IBS, migraine, insomnia, fatigue.
Under our dominant cultural conditions of capitalism, individualism, and the all-consuming attention economy, many of us find ourselves living in a near-constant state of fight-or-flight, fearing we might be ‘broken’, wondering how to get free.
Breath changes everything
The only vital function under conscious control, breath gives us a direct link into our physiology. By changing the way we breathe, we can calm and strengthen the entire body, altering heart rate, blood pressure and the hormones circulating in our system. Mindful breathwork can lower cortisol and send relaxing signals to every organ of the body. Through regular practice, we strengthen the diaphragm, the lungs, the heart, the immune system, the digestive system.
Beyond the physical, simple breath practices can interrupt the spiralling thoughts and overwhelm of fight-or-flight, and bring us back to an embodied sense of safety in the present moment. With practice, we can develop the ability to stay present, to be okay with discomfort and difficult sensations. We slowly widen our window of tolerance, reducing stress. And we find the wisdom and the strength within ourselves to ride life’s changes with a touch more grace.
It’s not difficult to re-learn your own natural breath, and use it to gently regulate your nervous system.
It just takes patience, practice, and a willingness to listen to your body.
That’s where coaching comes in.
As a breath coach, I provide a space where you can safely come home to your body, via the portal of your breath. Together, we will explore your breathing, it’s integral role in the body-mind connection, and the profound impact your breath has on your health and wellbeing, especially as you navigate change in your life. I will gently guide you through a process of re-learning your own natural, healthy breath and equip you with a supportive daily practice, along with extra tools for those inevitable moments of anxiety or sleeplessness.
Depending on your preferences and goals, we may work on: strengthening your diaphragm, improving vagal tone, enlivening and uplifting breathwork, moving with the breath, improving posture, deep relaxation, grounding, and/or mindful awareness of the breath and body just as it is. We will practice together so that healthy, relaxed breathing – your birthright – becomes your natural normal.
Your body is wise, and it knows the way home… the hard part is slowing down to listen. I use breathwork as a somatic meditation, a way of dropping into the body and placing our attention on what is happening inside. Throughout our work together we’ll use the emerging wisdom of your own body to gently guide the process, leading you back towards your natural, healthy breath and improved wellbeing.
My intention as a coach is to walk alongside you as you rediscover your own strength and wisdom, whether you’re navigating big changes, tired of chronic stress, seeking help with anxiety or low mood, or just want to improve your overall wellbeing.
My work and training is trauma-informed and rooted in polyvagal theory and the research of Bessel van der Kolk, Gabor Maté, Deb Dana, and other leaders in the trauma and addiction fields. Though we may sometimes work at the edges of comfort, we will never push past what you body experiences as safe.
Some of the practices offered here have been devised by modern breathwork scholars, others are from, or are adapted from, Yogic, Chinese and European traditions. Breathwork is found in every culture and corner of the world. With or without the compelling modern neuroscience, intentional breathing practices are part of our shared human heritage.