It’s natural to have questions—Breathwork feels unusual at first, but transformative.
What Is Breathwork?
Breathwork is a practice that involves conscious control and manipulation of your breath patterns. It encompasses various techniques and exercises designed to enhance your breathing, allowing you to access a state of deep relaxation, mindfulness, and self-awareness. >> MORE
Why would I want to do it?
Breathwork offers numerous benefits for both your physical and mental well-being. By engaging in Breathwork, you can reduce stress, promote relaxation, improve focus and clarity, boost energy levels, enhance emotional balance, release tension and trauma, and cultivate a greater sense of self-awareness. It can be a powerful tool for personal growth, self-discovery, and overall holistic wellness. Whether you seek stress relief, emotional healing, or a deeper connection with yourself, Breathwork can be a valuable practice to incorporate into your life.
What is the importance of Breathwork?
Denise emphasizes the significance of breathwork, comparing it to high-grade fuel or electricity in a car. To unlock your full potential, it is essential to optimize the energy within your body. Deep breathwork helps eliminate old, obstructive elements similar to how rust intervention restores a car’s functionality.
The conscious connective breath, when sustained and deepened adequately, can activate various centers in your brain, benefiting you physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Breathwork allows access to unconscious memories, past decisions, thoughts, and emotions, giving you the power to decide whether to retain or release them.
What Breathwork is Not: Understanding the Truth Behind the Sensationalism
If you’ve been exploring breathwork, you may have come across videos on the internet showing people screaming, crying, or appearing as if they are in a trance-like state. These dramatic portrayals can be unsettling, leaving some to wonder: Is this what happens to everyone in breathwork? Is it something to be afraid of?
As a breathwork guide and psychologist, I want to reassure you that breathwork is a deeply personal experience, and what you see online is not necessarily a true representation of what you will experience. In many cases, these videos are sensationalized or show the most extreme responses to breathwork, rather than the more common, gentle, and transformative experiences that most people have.
Why Do Some People Have Intense Emotional Releases?
The human mind and body are wired for survival. When we experience difficult emotions—whether it’s grief, fear, anger, or trauma—our subconscious mind, along with our defense systems, may suppress these feelings to protect us. In many cases, these emotions remain unprocessed, lying dormant within us.
Breathwork is a powerful tool that can help bring these unexpressed emotions to the surface in a safe and supportive way. Sometimes, when these emotions finally emerge, they can come out in unexpected ways—tears, shaking, laughter, or even vocal releases. While this might seem dramatic, it is simply the body’s way of letting go of what it has been holding onto.
However, this does not mean that you will experience breathwork in this way, nor does it mean that you should. Every person’s journey is unique. Some people feel an overwhelming sense of peace, relaxation, or even euphoria. Others may have subtle emotional shifts or simply feel more present and grounded. There is no “right” way to experience breathwork—only what is right for you in the moment.
Breathwork is a Safe and Personal Practice
If you are considering breathwork but are feeling hesitant because of what you’ve seen online, know that you are in complete control of your experience. A private session with Denise offers a safe, non-judgmental space where you can explore your emotions with gentle guidance. You will never be forced or encouraged to express emotions in a way that feels unnatural to you.
If you are practicing breathwork alone with a guided meditation, you are equally in a safe space—your own. You can decide how deep you go, what you allow yourself to express, and what you choose to hold onto for another time. The beauty of breathwork is that it works with where you are, at your own pace.
Over Time, Emotional Releases Become More Gentle
For those who do have strong emotional responses in breathwork, the intensity often decreases over time. As the body and mind gradually release stored emotions, the need for dramatic expressions lessens. The more you engage in the practice, the more natural and balanced your emotional processing becomes. Many people find that breathwork eventually becomes a peaceful, deeply nourishing practice that brings clarity and inner stillness.
Final Thoughts
Breathwork is not about forcing emotions out or having extreme reactions. It is about meeting yourself exactly where you are, with compassion and openness. If emotions arise, they are simply asking to be seen and released in a way that feels safe for you.
So if you’ve been hesitant to try breathwork because of what you’ve seen online, I encourage you to approach it with curiosity rather than fear. Your experience will be your own, and it will unfold exactly as it needs to.
If you’re ready to explore breathwork in a supportive and guided way, consider joining a private session with Denise or trying a guided meditation in the comfort of your own space. You are always in control of your journey.
Where am I heading by doing this work? Sometimes it feels endless!
Engaging in breathwork can lead to self-discovery, personal growth, and holistic well-being. While it may feel endless at times, progress unfolds in its own time.
Consistently practicing breathwork opens doors to benefits like reduced stress, enhanced emotional resilience, improved focus, increased self-awareness, expanded consciousness, and a deeper connection with yourself and others. Each session contributes to your well-being, allowing for healing and transformation at your own pace.
Where are all my feelings coming from?
Our bodies store both emotions and thoughts, which can accumulate over time, creating blocks in our unconscious mind. By engaging in specific breathwork techniques, we invigorate the entire body, allowing unconscious and repressed emotions and thoughts to surface and be processed. Many of these emotions are stored within our muscles, and after a session, people often experience deep relaxation and a sense of release.
I get nervous before a breathing session…
It is natural to fear change because your current thoughts and feelings have helped you survive. However, for things to change, you must first change—not just your actions but also your thoughts, judgments, and feelings about those actions.
Resistance is simply a way of coping with the unknown. The best way to handle it is to acknowledge it and move forward anyway. Accept that resistance is just your fear of feeling, change, or the unknown—and do it anyway.
How long do I have to keep doing this work?
The duration of breathwork varies from person to person. Some practice it daily as part of a self-care routine, while others engage in it occasionally.
To experience its benefits, consistency is recommended. Starting with shorter sessions (10-15 minutes) a few times a week is a good approach. As you become more comfortable, you can adjust the frequency and duration based on what feels right for you. Listen to your body and intuition to determine what best supports your well-being.
