How Breathwork Heals Trauma
Techniques and Insights
Part 1: The Impact of Breath on Trauma
Breathing isn’t just a reflex—it’s a powerful tool that connects us to our nervous system, emotions, and memories, but can breathwork release trauma?. When we face traumatic experiences, the body often holds onto unresolved energy, creating patterns that disrupt our physical and emotional well-being. Breathwork offers a direct path to release these patterns, promoting deep healing and balance.
What Is Trauma?
As Dr. Peter Levine explains, trauma isn’t the event itself but the residual energy and response left in the body. When we can’t escape or confront a threat, our nervous system gets stuck in a survival mode, holding onto that unprocessed stress. Over time, this unresolved tension can manifest as physical pain, emotional distress, or chronic conditions.
Common Signs of Trauma Response:
• Shallow, restricted breathing
• Chronic tension in the diaphragm or pelvis
• Unconscious breath-holding
• Feelings of dissociation or lack of connection to the body
• Heightened anxiety or inability to relax
The nervous system stores these unresolved responses, replaying them whenever triggered. But through intentional breathwork, we can interrupt this cycle and give the body the chance to complete its natural healing process.
Part 2: Breathwork for Trauma as a Path to Healing
Breathwork helps address trauma by working directly with the limbic system—the part of the brain responsible for emotions, memories, and instinctive responses. Unlike traditional talk therapy, which relies on the rational prefrontal cortex, breathwork bypasses mental blocks and goes straight to the root of stored tension.
How Breathwork Resets the Nervous System:
• Activation: Fast breathing activates the sympathetic nervous system, surfacing unresolved energy for processing.
• Integration: Slow, controlled breathing engages the parasympathetic system, calming the body and helping it process stored memories and emotions.
This dual approach allows the body to alternate between states of activation and relaxation, promoting a deep sense of release and balance.
Breaking the Cycle of Stress
Trauma disrupts the natural rhythm of the body, keeping it locked in a state of hypervigilance or shutdown. Breathwork gently coaxes the nervous system to release stored energy, resetting the fight/flight/freeze response. This creates space for clarity, calm, and renewed vitality.
As Alexander Lowen once said, “Inhibiting our breath isolates us from the medium in which we exist.” Reclaiming control over our breath reconnects us to ourselves and the world around us.
Part 3: Breathwork for Trauma Release
Here are three breathwork approaches you can explore to release trauma and reset your nervous system:
1. Fast-Paced Breathing (Activation):
Engage in rapid inhales and exhales for 2–3 minutes. This may surface unresolved emotions or physical sensations tied to traumatic memories. Allow yourself to feel whatever comes up without judgment.
2. Coherence Breathing (Integration):
Breathe in for 5 seconds and exhale for 5 seconds, maintaining a steady rhythm. This balances your nervous system, promoting relaxation and emotional stability.
3. Diaphragmatic Breathing:
Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. Focus on deep, slow breaths that expand your abdomen, allowing tension in the diaphragm to release.
Practice with Care
Trauma release through breathwork can be intense. Always approach it gradually and, if possible, under the guidance of a trained facilitator to avoid retraumatization.
Part 4: The Role of a Guide in Breathwork
A skilled breathwork facilitator can create a safe space for deeper exploration. They guide you through the intensity of the process, helping you navigate sensations, emotions, and memories that arise.
In a supportive environment, the trauma can find completion, allowing your nervous system to recalibrate. Over time, this practice builds resilience and fosters a greater sense of safety and self-awareness.
Part 5: Breathwork and Everyday Healing
Breathwork isn’t just for resolving trauma—it’s a tool for daily life. When practiced regularly, it reduces stress, enhances focus, and deepens emotional connection. Whether it’s calming breathwork to wind down after a hectic day or activating techniques to build mental resilience, incorporating intentional breathing into your routine can transform how you approach life’s challenges.
Read some more on this topic here:
Can breathwork release trauma?