BREATHING THERAPY
What is breathing therapy?
It is a body-oriented therapy in which the breath plays a central role. Deficits and problems on a psychological, emotional, cognitive or body level express themselves in how we breathe. In the same way, how we breathe provides access for dealing with these issues. This occurs through body-oriented exercises, movements and mindfulness-based exercises.
Breathing therapy may reduce or resolve issues on a bodily and psychological level. It enhances the capacity to experience and observe oneself, as well as to differentiate various inner states. You may find further information on the website of the AFS (Link).
When may breathing therapy be helpful to me?
Breathing therapy can be used, for example, to address to following topics:
-Dealing with feelings and emotions
-Setting boundaries or opening up
-Attachment, self-attachment, relationships
-Exhaustion, stress, burnout
-Perceiving one’s own needs and discover resources
-Self-esteem, fears, depressive moods
-Pain, such as back or joint pain
-Sleeplesness
-Changing situations and transitional phases
-Mourning
How does breathing therapy ‘work’?
Breathing therapy enhances self-observation, because of which we become more aware of our needs and desires, whilst at the same time better understanding our own emotional and behavioral patterns. Only when we are conscious of our own patterns, we can change them, which has a positive effect on self-regulation.
Conscious body-awareness through mindfulness exercises and movements, treatment through touch and movement exercises allow access to our felt inner worlds and allow exploring appropriate responses to our feelings, emotions and bodily sensations. Thanks to enhanced self-perception and -reflection we can reveal and change unhelpful behavioral patterns. In addition, bodywork provides a possibility to experience and anchor helpful experiences not just at a cognitive level, but also physically.
Breathing therapy enables a balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. This can reduce tensions, pain, stress and psychosomatic issues, whilst enhancing relaxation and feelings of well-being.
Breathing therapy is very suitable to complement therapeutic or psychotherapeutic treatment. In case you are already in such a treatment and if you wish so, I can align with your doctor or therapist.
What does a breathing therapy session look like?
Each session starts with an initiating conversation discussing the current topic. Breathing therapy has two approaches: either we work with touch whilst you lie with your clothing on the table, or we work through mindfulness-based exercises combined with movements in the room. Often, these two approaches are also combined within the same session. To finish, we exchange on how your experiences and feelings can be transferred and integrated into every day life.
How often do sessions take place?
It depends; sessions can take place on a weekly basis or also every 2 to 3 weeks.
How many sessions do I need?
This depends on the person and the situation. Sometimes 2 session are sufficient to regain clarity in a situation, sometimes more sessions may be helpful. We discuss this together, eventually the decision lies with you.
How do I know, whether sessions may support me?
We evaluate the process after 2 to 3 sessions. Also thereafter we reflect on the process on a regular basis.