Top 3 Benefits of Trauma-Informed Breathwork

How do you feel after taking those 5-6 deep breathes? What did you notice in your body? Maybe you feel more relaxed, or maybe you feel a little light headed. Perhaps you felt a little boost of energy. Whatever you noticed is good information, nothing to be judged.

Now, lets get into it. As promised here are the top three benefits of a breathwork practice with a certified trauma-informed breathwork practitioner:

1. Regulation of the nervous system: Breath work can help regulate the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system, which can be disrupted in individuals with a history of trauma. This can lead to improved ability to manage stress and emotions, and a greater sense of overall well-being.

Our breathe is an essential process that allows us to metabolize (break down and move) energy in the system. How we breathe impacts the entire body. Your breathe can literally be your own drug for ailments such as anxiety, moving through old traumas and creating a flexible nervous system that is well-adapted to the constant changes of life.

2. Increased self-awareness: Breath work can help individuals become more aware of their own body, thoughts, and emotions. This increased self-awareness can lead to improved self-regulation and a greater sense of self-control.

Without awareness we can’t make changes that benefit us. So many of us move throughout our day from one distraction to another, completely unaware of our emotional state, our thoughts or our bodies and what they are communicating. 

3. Reduction of symptoms of trauma: Breath work has been shown to be effective in reducing symptoms of trauma, including flashbacks, anxiety, and depression. It can also help individuals develop healthier coping mechanisms and improve their overall sense of well-being.

This is where having a trauma-informed guide is key.

As humans, we all experience trauma in one form or another throughout our lives, and often the unprocessed emotional response to a traumatic event gets trapped in the body, waiting to be released/felt and reintegrated when we have the capacity to do so with support.

When we practice breathwork we can loosen and invite that stuck emotional energy to resurface and be experienced in our body in real time. When breathing without considering trauma, one can be unintentionally re-traumatized.

This is why having a facilitator who is trauma-informed is imperative to ensure the experience is healing, not a re-experiencing of the initial event.

One of the aspects we consider with a trauma-informed approach is titration, going safely and slowly at a pace that challenges the nervous system but doesn’t overwhelm or over-activate it.

Other potential benefits of a breath work practice with a certified trauma-informed practitioner include:

• Increased relaxation and decreased stress
• Improved sleep
• Increased energy and vitality
• Improved immune function
• Improved cardiovascular health
• Enhanced focus and concentration
• Improved relationships with others
• Increased creativity and problem-solving abilities
• Improved overall physical and emotional well-being

For more info on the trauma-informed approach that I am certified in, check out Pause Breathwork. To experience this form of breathwork with me simply check out my Breathwork page on this website, I’d be honored to breathe with you.