I have always taught that Breathwork is about self-mastery with professional support, and the client learns more about how to use the breath for themselves; any resolution they gain is self-generated.
And because it is body-based, it is more likely to be permanent.
With a psychotherapist, any resolution is gained through the interaction itself. It may be less body-based.
It is a subtle point. And of course both professionals need good training.
I always say I am a support professional. The client does their own breathing and creates their own resolution.
For a client, there are therapeutic consequences, but the main growth from Breathwork is expanded self-awareness.
Hyperventilation-style breathwork is therapeutic when the therapist works on the client rather than when the client learns to use their own skills, breath, and awareness. I’m into self-mastery.
The sympathetic nervous system activation breathwork was my first Training in Breathwork. Soon after I graduated, I started with the parasympathetic activation Breathwork.
