Breathwork as a Therapeutic Modality: An Overview for Counselors
J. Scott Young, Craig S. Cashwell, Amanda L. Giordano
Counseling and Values October 1, 2010 DOI: 10.1002/j.2161-007x.2010.tb00025.x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | circular breathing conscious connected breathing fast and full breathing |
| Topics | Breathwork |
| Citations | 15 |
| Key points | Argues that conscious breathing techniques can be integrated into counseling to access psychological material and promote personal transformation. |
Abstract
Using the breath as a vehicle for accessing psychological material is a topic rarely discussed in the counseling literature, despite the use of conscious engagement with the breath by many spiritual traditions for the purpose of personal transformation. This article describes 3 types of conscious breathing (circular breathing, conscious connected breathing, and fast and full breathing) and the use of therapeutic breathwork within the counseling process. The authors describe the many facets of the breathwork experience, provide a case study, and address clinical considerations when engaging in breathwork with clients.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on breathwork, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breathwork in body psychotherapy: Clinical applications | 2013 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Enhancement of inter-hemispheric brain waves synchronisation after Pranayama practice | 2011 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Relationship and Mechanism Underlying the Effect of Conscious Breathing on the Autonomic Nervous System and Brain Waves | 2017 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Holotropic Breathwork, Second Edition | 2023 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Pranayama: a divine power in sports | 2010 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 8
- Effects of conscious connected breathing on cortical brain activity, mood and state of consciousness in healthy adults Current Psychology September 8, 2023
- A Practitioner’s Guide to Breathwork in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Journal of Mental Health Counseling 2020
- The role of non-ordinary states of consciousness occasioned by mind-body practices in mental health illness. Journal of Affective Disorders August 15, 2023
- The Altered States of Consciousness in Transpersonal Approach Psychotherapy: Systematic Review and Guidelines for Research and Clinical Practice. Journal of Religion and Health December 1, 2019
- Training the Mind and Transforming Your World: Moral Phenomenology in the Tibetan Buddhist Lojong Tradition Comparative and Continental Philosophy September 2, 2018
and 3 more in the library