7 Tips to Tell if a Conscious Connected Breathwork session is SAFE 🫁 ⚡🌀(Based on experience, opinion and mistakes I've definitely made along the way❤️)

Conscious connected breathwork has been a modality that's changed my life, and I've witnessed the incrediblty transformative power of it in so many others too, as I've had the privilege of facilitating this practice.

Honestly....what I've seen, felt and observed in spaces is INCREDIBLE, and I've seen the amazing potential of breath-work firsthand in hundreds, if not thousands of people now.

However.....the breathwork industry is booming, and expanding very rapidly, and is quite an unregulated industry.

The breath technique itself is very simple (I could teach you it in 5 minutes!), so there's a ton of trainings out there, claiming you can become a 'trauma informed breathwork facilitator' in a weekend, or online.

And as much as I'd LOVE that to be possible, I just don't think it is, and because of what can happen in these spaces, it can lead to a really unsafe practice, even if the facilitator is coming in with really good intentions.

I did 3 trainings in total, in Ikaria (a greek island), in the UK and Online with an American Group. Now I've been in the industry for a few years, I look back and personally feel all those trainings were missing key components. I've learnt alot along the way, and can now on reflection see key parts that were missing.

But if you've not been in the industry for years...HOW the heck do you know?!?

Here's a few tips, based on my experience, past mistakes and personal opinion on how to find safety in a conscious connected breathwork practice*

(*note, conscious connected breath is very different from a general breathwork class for those who are new, so this is specifically talking about CCB/Extended controlled hyperventilation breathwork practices, as opposed to yoga, general breathwork/pranayama practices)

1. Has the practice and more importantly, what could happen been thoroughly explained to me?

Yes, if you've done CCB before it's probably boring to listen to the 'breath talk'. BUT what can come up and shift in both body and mind can be huge & very powerful. To just jump in without the details is like giving a to someone and telling them it's a regular Tesco's Portobello (not recommended and canny irresponsible )

2. Have I been told who shouldn't be doing this?

CCB is an amazing practice but just isn't safe for everyone. If you have a medical condition, and haven't discussed it with the facilitator, you could be really at risk. If the facilitator hasn't asked via waiver, email or in person about health conditions I would be concerned. If in doubt, always ask .

3. Has consent for touch/hands on assists been checked?

Touch can be hugely beneficial. It can also be really triggering/traumatic based on someone's history or even how they feel that day. I've had strong accupressure given to me in CCB by a male facilitator when someone forgot to check consent, on a day I didn't want touched and it was a really horrible experience. So easy to forget, but so important

4. Are there enough facilitators in the space for the number of people?

I hold my hands up to this one, I used to run sessions for 20 people with no assistance. I was very very lucky something didn't happen . In my opinion, sometimes big groups can be beautiful! BUT there needs to be assistance, additional facilitators and support for these bigger groups.

5. Is Catharsis/trauma release the focus of the session?

There can be big, beautiful emotional shift in these sessions...BUT catharsis as a onesize fits all 'goal' you're pushed to is for me, a no.

Videos of screaming/release are very marketable....'wow something big is happening there it must be GOOD'. But we are missing out on SO many benefits and layers if we make catharsis the goal, and its a for me.

6. Where has the facilitator trained/how long was their training?

A weekend training/online course is very very unlikely to be enough to teach this powerful a modality safely . Ahhhh how great would It be if it was! But it's just not.

The technique itself is dead simple..what can come up in these sessions is not. Thorough training/experience holding space = a safer space

7. Someone who tells you their way is the only correct way to do something and all other ways are 'wrong'.

I would avoid these people in life, not just in a breathwork session .

What are your thoughts?

Any I've missed?

Any you disagree with?

Comment below

And super important

We are all humans - most of us with really good intentions. We all get things 'wrong'. Knowledge/info changes. We change. I've made most of these mistakes at some point, and im sure will make other mistakes. Let's not get overly critical or get elitist or intimidating to those coming into the industry. Let's spark conversation and curiosity and keep growing together. As a community with love . We learn together, grow together and thrive together

Big love

Jenny xxx