Somatic Breathwork
Somatic breathwork is a guided breathing practice that helps you reconnect with your body and release stored tension, emotions, and nervous-system arousal. “Somatic” means “of the body.” By using intentional breathing patterns and presence in the body, we support the release of what words alone cannot reach.
The Science Behind Breathwork
Our breath links directly to the nervous system. When we’re under stress, our body often shifts into fight-flight-freeze mode (sympathetic state). Somatic breathwork activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which can help with promoting safety, rest, repair, and emotional regulation.
Research and clinical practice show that breathwork can:
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Lower heart rate and blood pressure
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Decrease cortisol (the stress hormone)
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Increase vagal tone (improving regulation of emotion)
How Breathwork Compliments Therapy
As a therapist, I integrate somatic breathwork as a powerful adjunct to traditional talk therapy. While talk therapy helps you understand your story, including your thoughts, patterns, and choices, breathwork invites you to connect with what lives beneath it: your body, nervous system, and emotional landscape. Together they help to create a holistic path to healing, strengthening resilience, deepening self-awareness, and supporting lasting regulation.
What to Expect In A Session
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Gentle guided breathable patterns (e.g., connected inhales/exhales, pauses)
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Attention to bodily sensation: noticing what arises in the body, allowing release or transformation
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Safety & stabilization: grounding practices, integration conversation, tools for everyday regulation
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A bridge back into your life: more ease, more presence, stronger nervous system resilience
