When Words Aren’t Enough
Sometimes, clients struggle to vocalise what they are feeling. Whether you’re feeling too tired to explain or too stressed to think straight, the pressure to “have the right words” can become a barrier in Talk-Only classic coaching. Hence, Breathwork can be a helpful tool, helping you sense into your body and find clarity on your current challenge without forcing the conversation.
How does this look in Practice?
At the beginning of the session, I start with a few gentle breathing exercises to help regulate the nervous system. While this only lasts a few minutes, it is a highly effective way to ground yourself.
Please note: This is not a Breathwork class, but a therapeutic session. Hence, I do not practice the rapid or rigorous hyperventilation techniques found in some styles of Breathwork. My approach is gentle, therapeutic, and focused on relaxation.
How tuning in transforms the session:
- A Gentle Homecoming: It’s a way to “tune in” and reconnect with yourself when the world feels loud or overwhelming.
- Safety in the Body: Deep, intentional breathing signals to your nervous system that it is safe to let go of defences and open up.
- Beyond Intellectualising: We stop just analysing our challenges and start feeling our way through them, leading to insights that feel more “true.”
- Creating Presence: Breathwork acts as an anchor, helping us stay grounded and fully present with whatever comes to the surface.
There is a beautiful clarity that often emerges when we stop trying to “figure it all out” and simply allow ourselves to be.
A powerful way to pause and recharge
When experiencing a challenging time during the lockdown I traveled to Mexico where I met Breathwork teacher Steffy Téllez Schnaas who introduced me to the practise.
Impressed by the results I later completed a Breathwork course with Lucas Rockwood at Yogabody* in Barcelona to become a certified teacher.
Breathwork is an ancient practice that has been used for many centuries but lately has been growing in popularity.
Deep breathing has an almost immediate effect on the autonomic nervous system by activating the parasympathetic, ‘Rest and Digest’ branch of our nervous system , which counters the sympathetic nervous system’s ‘fight or flight’ response.
The release of acetylcholine and endorphins lowers the stress hormone cortisol. This response activates the body’s relaxation response, slowing down the heart rate and blood pressure, promoting a state of calm.
