There are many, many breathing practices in existence, however, Integrative Breathwork is very different in that it allows us to recover our repressed ability to breathe naturally, and connectedly, and release old unhelpful breathing patterns.  It is "the art of conscious connected breathing". It operates at a gentle yet very deep level which is why this kind of breathing is a therapy in its own right.  The Breathwork I practice, also goes by other names such as Conscious Connected Breathing, Breath Therapy and Integrative Rebirthing. It is the ultimate practice of mindfulness. 

Breathwork can support us to mindfully breathe into deeply held tension and old held material stuck in our bodies and allow what has been stuck or rejected in the body to integrate, that is become a part of the whole. It increases oxygen levels, and improves the efficiency of our cells to eliminate waste, as well as generating energy. This can bring a new level of aliveness. It is a highly flexible practice that we can also utilise daily in moments of need or during other practices such as T.R.E. 

Breath therapy can help us to reclaim previously unmet parts of ourselves and in bypassing the control of the conscious mind, is a highly efficient way to integrate old held material and beliefs, one of the fastest ways I have come across to achieve deep and meaningful change and personal growth. 

Leonard Orr, the creator of this breathing method, describes Breathwork as "an end to drama", meaning that it allows us to meet ourselves at a deep level, take responsibility, and cease to project our issues onto the external world; so empowering and incredibly healing for our relationship with ourselves, those we live with and love, and everyone with whom we come into contact.  It allows us to create a new relationship with life itself, as we increasingly let go of duality, and breathe in the "oneness" and connection that is always here in the present moment. 

Breathwork can be very powerful, it brings energy into the body, and can take us into areas of greater aliveness and creativity. That energy may also touch issues from childhood, so sometimes old feelings and issues are going to come up, perhaps even in the couple of days after a breathwork session. We use the breath to gently and safely integrate such material. In our school of Breath (the AIR School of Breathwork), we take clients into that process gently, and will show you how to go at your own pace. Equally during a "Breathe" we may simply meet our energy in a deeply nourishing way, it’s a journey that changes from breathe to breathe and clients meet only what they are ready to meet. 

When we take responsibility for what arises, it’s amazing to become the creator and not the victim in our lives, knowing that we can keep the life flowing rather than becoming stuck in an old story about how bad life is for example; In life it can feel easier to stay comfortable  with our pain and old stories , but life can be so much better than that, it can be inspiring and it really can become a choice as to how we wish to live. Breathwork is all about self-responsibility and self-mastery in this way, and is truly empowering.   

I generally recommend that clients start with a one to one taster session or experience a group breathwork session at a workshop; those who wish to create safe holding space for deep and lasting change can then consider committing to 10 one to one sessions, the series of 10 sessions can be weekly, fortnightly, or even every 3 weeks, to grow at a pace that feels right for the individual.

 1:1 breath therapy sessions can be profoundly healing and support integration of old emotional material held in the body/mind. The main focus of each 2 hour session is an hour of conscious connected breathing, but sessions also include a talking element and during 1:1 sessions I can employ a variety of different psycho therapeutic techniques to support the movement of life, and the dissolution of limiting beliefs; these will be used as and when appropriate to the individual client's needs.  They include talking to the "parts", mini constellations, and inner child work.

Here's the simple breathing homework I share with all my clients to support emotional and nervous system regulation alongside TRE and Breathwork Sessions.  It's called Coherent or Resonance breathing, and with over a hundred scientific studies showing its power (as well as clients regularly testifying to it's efficacy), I feel it is a breathing technique that everyone should have in their kit bag of well being.  If you would like an hour long one to one, to learn it, and learn how to deepen the practice and see how it needs to be adapted to your body and life please get in touch or you can attend one of my regular online group sessions.