I Don't Have Any Trauma, Is Breathwork Still For Me?
The simple answer to this question is - yes! There are still plenty of physical and emotional benefits to beginning a breathwork practice, beyond the specific practice application of the practice for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD).
Understanding Trauma
First, it's worth exploring some of the complexities of trauma, so that we may better understand the concept, in addition to how and why its effects may show up, whether or not you have a medical diagnosis.
Trauma is a term used to identify the challenging emotional, psychological, spiritual and/or physical effects of living through a difficult and distressing event - what defines this type of event contains multitudes and the reality is that what is considered "traumatic" for one person, may not be for another person.
Inherited Trauma
What can make defining trauma even more complex, is the relatively new scientific theory of "generational or inherited trauma", the concept that many of us carry the impact of our ancestors traumatic experiences in our bodies, which can have lasting effects on how future generations manage stress.
In 2015, a group of researchers at New York's Sinai hospital carried out a genetic study on Jewish Holocaust survivors and their children, and compared the data with families who did not live in Europe during the war. They concluded that, "genetic changes stemming from the trauma suffered by Holocaust survivors are capable of being passed on to their children..." with the studies lead, Rachel Yahuda stating that "The gene changes in the children could only be attributed to Holocaust exposure in the parents."
While this study is rather controversial and is only one of many examples of cultural groups of people who have suffered horrific human rights violations and atrocities, including the vast and on-going effects of residential boarding schools on Indigenous communities, it offers a scientific framework that may align with ancient wisdom towards ancestral healing.
We may never fully comprehend or have "conclusive" scientific proof of the impacts of traumatic on future generations, but the current studies, anecdotal data and observational evidence is provocative - and more importantly, it may help us to better understand why some people may struggle to cope with stress in ways that others may not, allowing for a more holistic and compassionate approach to healing and treatment access.
Witnessing Trauma
To further complicate the trauma narrative, we now live in a world where access and exposure to traumatic events is quite literally at our fingertips - so even if someone can avoid the terrible circumstances that lead to profound nervous system dysregulation, it is unlikely that they can avoid seeing it on the news, or being a by-stander or witness to it at some point in their lives.
Privilege, class, race and gender can also play in a role in whether a person experiences trauma, in addition to whether they will have access to the modalities needed to properly manage it. With this in mind, we all live within systems that can create a disproportionate amount of stress, and stress can lead to imbalances in our nervous system, including high blood pressure, heart disease, and panic attacks, affecting our ability to care for ourselves, and each other.
Breathwork practice is one tool to that can be beneficial in navigating and managing chronic stress, and its physical, emotional and spiritual consequences on our mental health and well being.
Deep Breathing or Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercise
Learning how to breathe deeply is a simple skill that can have profound effects on your ability to manage stress. It may seem too simple to be effective, but it is a very useful place to begin.
Abdominal breathing activates the vagus nerve, an important aspect of the parasympathetic nervous system that regulates our relaxation response.
This practice of deep breathing into the belly, allows the diaphragm to expand, toning the muscles surrounding the chest cavity, as well as increasing what is known as vagal tone.
Increased vagal tone through diaphragmatic breathing is connected to a more sustainable and consistent relaxation response, leading to increased immune function, better sleep and a reduction in anxiety disorder symptoms, including acute panic attacks.
How To Do It
Take a moment to sit quietly and observe your breath for a few moments.
Are you breathing into your chest, or into your belly? It is very common that we naturally breathe into our upper chests, which activates our sympathetic nervous system (fight, flight, freeze or fawn, or a combination of these). If this is the case, abdominal breathing will re-train your body and mind to breathe naturally into the belly, activating the parasympathetic nervous system and our relaxation response.
Begin by lying on your back in a comfortable position. You may wish to prop up your knees by placing a pillow or bolster underneath them for added comfort, and to reduce strain on your lower back. If your environment feels safe enough for you to gently close your eyes, you're welcome to do so here but it is not necessary.
Once you’re settled, place one hand gently on your abdomen. The abdomen is located just below the diaphragm and just above the groin region.
Take a deep breath, inhaling through the nose and observing where your breath is coming from. You may notice that your automatic inhalation comes from the upper chest. However, the point of this exercise is to become conscious of the breath by moving the inhalation into the abdomen, or the belly. In order for the relaxation reflex to kick in, instead of taking short shallow breaths as one might be used to, instead focus on taking long, deep breaths.
Inhale slow and deep, to a count of five, through the nose and into the belly, feeling the belly rise up, with little to no expansion into the upper chest.
Exhale through the nose, to a count of five, feeling the belly sink towards the floor.
Repeat 5 – 10 cycles. Once completed, gently observe the felt sensations in the body, with as little intellectual analysis as possible.
Supported Breathwork Practices
When considering to engage in a deeper breathwork practice, including the 2-part breath pattern that we facilitate at Breathwork For Recovery, it may be useful to opt in to a group session that is held by a competent and skilled breathwork practitioner.
Even if you're not necessarily interested in uprooting deep generational wounding, this practice can provide emotional catharsis and offer support for your nervous system that allows for relaxation and stress relief - something we can all use more of!
Below are a few recommended spaces and practitioners to consider working with:
BFR offers a low-cost monthly, online breathwork session, in addition to a by-donation/free weekly, online breathwork space for people in recovery.
Chauna offers virtual breathwork circles, and in-person sessions on a sliding scale, in addition to scholarship spots and reduced rates for BIPOC and Disabled folks.
The Breathing Space offers free, online sessions with different, trauma-informed teachers nearly each day of the week.
Jennifer Patterson - Corpus Ritual
Jennifer offers virtual, sliding scale breathwork sessions.
Be sure to check out our other blog posts on how breathwork can support you in a multitude of ways, from the benefits to physical health, endurance and stamina, to emotional healing, sleeping patterns and creative and self expression. (ps. it's all connected...!)
