Therapeutic Breathwork involves conscious breathing practices i.e. breathing techniques aimed at physical, emotional, and/or mental healing. Sessions are typically guided by a trained Breathwork therapist or facilitator.
The practice is often combined with a range of other physical or mental health therapy techniques, and may be used as an (additional) therapeutic tool (or sometimes as the only tool) by psychologists, physicians, nurses, or any other healthcare professional.
Therapeutic Breathwork may be used for anxiety, depression, coping, respiratory problems, physical tensions and pains, sleep disorders, increased self-awareness, personal development, emotional release, and/or general relaxation, among other goals.
Breathwork that’s applied in a therapeutic setting may involve simple instructions such as to breathe slowly and deeply, breath counting, or using unassuming breath retention techniques, or it may involve more elaborate practices such as those found in Holotropic Breathwork, Reichian Breathwork, Tummo Breathing, or in certain Pranayamas, to give some examples.