Breathwork for PTSD
Performing Breathwork for PTSD
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, also known as PTSD, is a condition where someone experiences extreme trauma due to an injury or incident they themselves experienced or an extreme incident they witnessed. Anyone can experience PTSD, according to The National Center for PTSD, “6 out of every 100 people will have PTSD at some point in their lives, 12 million adults have PTSD in a given year, and 8 of every 100 women vs 4 of every 100 men develop PTSD at some point in their lives.”
Adults and children can develop PTSD, and it can last months or even years, and throughout that time you can experience flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, and dreams that can bring back many memories and body sensations leading to emotional, mental, and even physical distress. Most people who have PTSD experience symptoms of anxiety and depression and they may experience feelings of despair and hopelessness.
PTSD can interfere with your everyday life if you do not (or cannot due to lack of resources) seek assistance from a therapist, counselor, or other trauma professional. You should never have to experience such trauma in life, and it is absolute bullshit to have to relive it over and over due to systemic issues like racism, sexism, and inequality. It is already difficult trying to maintain life and relationships, but when you’re impacted by traumatic experience(s), it becomes hard to even try and live a normal life due to nervous system dysregulation.
Before we get to how to help with trauma, it’s important to recognize we live in a society that is hellbent on pathologizing our experiences so that they can capitalize on them. This is an extension of colonization and not every reaction you have is a “trauma response.”
There are many different ways to help you cope with PTSD, such as bottom-up therapies like Somatic Experiencing, Psychodrama, Brainspotting, EMDR, and other modalities like neurofeedback and BrainPaint. Breathwork has been practiced by many people who struggle with PTSD with great success in providing somatic regulation. Some of the main questions people ask are:
What is Breathwork for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
How can Breathwork heal trauma?
How can I keep safety in mind?
What makes an effective Trauma Practitioner?
What is Breathwork for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
Before we get to that, I am going to be honest with you. Breathwork techniques for PTSD are usually a catch phrase for search engine optimization (SEO) to get the algorithm to show your blog or website first in order to gain more visibility and therefore more money from clients. That’s in part, why you see us releasing a blog every week, because in order for Google to believe we’re authorities on the subject, we need to be putting out content every week. The problem with this is Google can’t distinguish bullshit from reality, so anyone who can afford SEO can then start writing drivel (or paying someone an insignificant amount) to put on their blog so that Google rankings go up. We want to be transparent in this process because we are certainly using SEO to gain traction. The key differences here are that we are experts on this content and will write factual and verifiable information as well as focus on topics in order to combat the metric fuckton of bullshit out there.
Breathwork as a trauma integration technique has been shown to be quite successful for treatment resistant PTSD and other anxiety and depressive disorders as done by Dr. Patricia Gerbarg and Dr. Richard Brown. That said, one must be a trained and qualified individual in order to successfully help you navigate your trauma healing, and unfortunately most practitioners don’t even understand the pillars of a trauma-informed practice let alone a trauma-specific service.
Breathwork has been shown to be helpful for individuals seeking healing from PTSD and other anxiety and depressive disorders. There are many breathwork techniques that are practiced for PTSD, but remember, that a practitioner must be trained in how to work with trauma, not just be trained to facilitate breathwork. Check out this blog for help navigating finding the right practitioner for you!
Some of the top breathwork techniques that claim to help with PTSD are:
Biodynamic Breathwork
Holotropic Breathwork
Diaphragmatic Breathwork
Wim Hof Method
Sama Vritti Pranayama
Biodynamic Breathwork
Biodynamic Breathwork claims to be a trauma-informed breathwork technique. This breathwork technique states it treats trauma by uplifting your mind and your body as it releases all of its tension that has been built up over time. There are 6 elements of the Biodynamic Breathwork & Trauma Release System, those elements are the following:
Movement- To release held energy
Sound- Powerful and supportive during sessions
Touch- To increase awareness
Emotions- Emotional release
Meditation- Resting state
Breath- Used to charge up the body
According to biodynamic breath, “The Biodynamic Breathwork & Trauma Release System 6 Element approach empowers your body’s natural process for healing from start to finish, releasing chronic tension and restructuring your systems on a cellular level.” This breathwork technique allows you to reach a state of relaxation and feel alive again, to feel normal again. It gives you the opportunity for clarity and to reconnect with yourself and your loved ones.
The issue here is the way that trauma is even talked about. Releasing trauma is not possible. It’s not how trauma works, and it frames it in a way that you are responsible because you are holding onto tension. I’m sure there are many practitioners who are doing good work with this technique, but language is powerful, and it communicates to the broader trauma integration community that there is a deep misunderstanding about how trauma impacts our lives. There is an enormous difference between trauma integration and trauma management. Breathing techniques are great for both, fortunately, but that all depends on how the facilitator was trained!
Holotropic Breathwork
Holotropic Breathwork also known as, ‘moving toward wholeness’ was developed in the 1970s by Dr. Stanislov Grof and his partner Christina Grof. This breathwork technique is practiced while lying on the ground, eyes closed, as you breathe quickly through your mouth, while listening to evocative music. Everyone is known to have different experiences from one another. Some say it is a more extreme form of meditation and others refer to it as the feeling of a deep dream or a non-ordinary state of consciousness.
In a Grof Transpersonal Training it was said that, “Holotropic Breathwork is a powerful approach to self-exploration and personal empowerment that relies on our innate inner wisdom and its capacity to move us toward positive transformation and wholeness.” Positive transformation leads to wholeness, feeling better, and feeling like yourself again after practicing these breathwork techniques brings you to a powerful state of completeness. That is the power of healing.
One of the main benefits of Holotropic Breathwork is its claim that it can treat PTSD and other mental struggles such as anxiety and depression. In Mind it suggests that “Trauma could make you more vulnerable to physical health problems, including long term chronic illnesses.” Anxiety and depression are highly common in those who struggle with PTSD, breathwork techniques and many breathing exercises that are practiced give you the opportunity to try and treat the root of your struggles which is often nervous system dysregulation.
Again, we don’t doubt the power of breathwork to do so, but the individual must also be trained in broader trauma treatment techniques. You’ll find a pattern here with our commentary about the breathwork techniques, which is that the practitioner must additionally be trained to treat trauma, not just be a breathwork facilitator.
Diaphragmatic breathing
Diaphragmatic Breathwork also known as belly breathing, is a breathwork technique that has you fully engage your diaphragm with each and every deep breath you inhale. This technique is practiced to help build vagal tone (an important metric in nervous system regulation) and has been shown to reduce the symptoms of PTSD.
According to Very Well Mind, “Diaphragmatic breathing is so helpful that healthcare providers often prescribe it to PTSD patients to help reduce stress and regulate emotions.”
Practicing Diaphragmatic Breathwork techniques can help teach you how to breathe properly, as well as stimulating the vagus nerve and creating parasympathetic vagal tone. This pulls you out of the fight/flight response and allows for relaxation. This is a great practice for grounding and for becoming present, both of which are difficult tasks for those struggling with PTSD.
Wim Hof Method
Wim Hof Method claims to be discovered by Wim Hof so you can, ‘Discover Your Potential.’ The Wim Hof Method is an adapted Tummo method that claims to bring out your mind and your body's highest potential. As stated elsewhere, Wim Hof took this technique from Tibetan monks. We call that appropriation. He created the following 3 pillars in this method:
breathing- Reduce stress and improve immune function.
cold exposure- Improves immune function in your body and activates psychological responses.
commitment- Makes you challenge yourself and remain calm.
The Wim Hof Method believes that there is so much more out there than we know. That anything is possible if you search for the answers. His method is believing that there is happiness and strength within ourselves and all that surrounds us, we just have to let go of all the negative, and give in to nature and healing. This breathwork method claims to allow you to tackle your trauma head on by unfreezing those parts within your mind and your body that tends to block all of your energy flow so it can release the physical tension that is also known as trauma. But if you’ve been paying attention to our blogs, we unpack how that languaging is dangerous and inaccurate. Again, we are sure there are great practitioners out there utilizing this method to help their clients, but training in trauma work is also an important component to any of this.
Sama Vritti Pranayama or Box breathing
Sama Vritti Pranayama or Box breathing also known as, 'square breathing' is a core component of pranayama. It is a type of breathwork technique that can help strengthen your focus and your performance (one breath at a time, yuk yuk yuk). Box breathing is used to help clear your mind and reduce stress. When stress levels decrease, and your concentration increases it allows your mind and body to focus on healing. It’s tough to heal when your nervous system is threatened. These breathing exercises provide the groundwork for your nervous system to regulate, thus decreasing the fight/flight or freeze responses.
These breathwork techniques are meant to put you in a state of relaxation allowing your brain to calm down and focus on each breath, giving your body's stress levels a chance to lower.
How can Breathwork heal trauma?
Breathwork has been proven to help you integrate your trauma using a variety of different breathing exercises, but again, it all comes down to whether the practitioner was trained to do so or not. Breathwork for trauma can relax you while bringing awareness to any tension that has been stored in the body, and allows the mind to quiet enough for you to be able to work through traumatic experiences with a trained practitioner.
Many breathwork techniques that are helpful in treating Post-traumatic Stress Disorder are potentially triggering to those struggling with PTSD, much like any trauma treatment modality such as EMDR or Somatic Experiencing. In order for us to heal trauma, it needs to be energized in some way. These modalities do that, but without training you have the potential of retraumatization. These breathing exercises are practiced to help work through the symptoms that are caused by PTSD, and allow your body to restore itself back to a more regulated state. They can allow you to find self love again and become more active and engaged in your own life.
Breathwork increases our ability to experience compassion for ourselves, and to go back in those moments that caused us debilitating pain and support our younger selves through those moments. Breathwork restores the balance of the body's systems by regulating the nervous system and reducing the experience of anxiety and depression, thus restoring homeostasis in the body as a whole. Breathwork for trauma has been proven to be a very powerful healing process as long as the practitioner is training and qualified to do so.
How can I keep safety in mind
Creating safety is the most important step to take when it comes to practicing breathwork. Breathwork is safe for almost anyone to practice, but there are contraindications for certain issues, so be sure to speak to a medical professional if you are worried that breathwork may not be right for you.
Some medical conditions that contraindicate breathwork are the following:
seizure disorders
recent heart or lung surgery
pregnancy
Additionally, if you have been diagnosed with mental health disorders, it is best to consult with your doctor/therapist before you decide to practice any breathwork technique.
What makes an effective Trauma Practitioner?
An effective Trauma Practitioner has received training in trauma resolution techniques and understands core principles about providing trauma-specific services. They have ongoing training regarding evidenced-based care and DSM-5 specific PTSD diagnoses. They also may have cultural or lineage-based training.
Trauma practitioners understand nervous system dysregulation and trauma symptom manifestation. They also embody compassion, support, safety, and understanding.
They comprehend the origins of trauma-informed care and the difference between that and trauma-specific services, as well as have clear boundaries and a vast network of resources. They also understand that they do not diagnose if they are not a licensed therapist and understand the scope of their practice. Reading The Body Keeps the Score is not enough to qualify one to work with trauma. They must have been trained to do so. Period.
In Conclusion
Studies show that PTSD affects about 3.5% of U.S. adults every year including veterans, and about 4% of children under 18 years of age. PTSD is a serious disorder where the person experiences trauma from extreme events or witnesses them personally. This trauma can bring back bad memories of the incident causing anxiety and panic attacks that can affect your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Research has proven that breathwork techniques have been practiced to assist with many health and mental conditions including PTSD. Some of the main types of breathwork claiming to treat trauma are Biodynamic, Holotropic, Diaphragmatic, The Wim Hof Method, and Sama Vritti Pranayama. Some of these techniques have been shown to be helpful when treating PTSD, but again, a common discussion point that doesn’t get mentioned is that a practitioner of these techniques needs to be trained to do so, and breathwork training in and of itself is not enough.
Trauma can lead to many issues including self-harm, insomnia, grief, disassociation, and many other issues. Treatment is advised in order manage and work through these traumatic events. Life is not fun when you feel anxious, scared, and emotional all the time. Breathing becomes tough when your panic attacks kick in and your body goes into fight or flight mode trying to find a way out.
And remember, systemic issues are to blame for the majority of the traumatic events we may experience, and part of the work is dismantling these oppressive systems.
Breathwork for trauma has been the way out for many. Find out which technique works best for you and practice it safely, and properly with a trained professional until you have reached a point where you feel comfortable practicing it on your own, so you don’t become flooded, or have flashbacks with no way out.
Sources:
Mind,