Breathwork in body psychotherapy: Towards a more unified theory and practice
Christine Caldwell, Himmat Kaur Victoria
Body Movement and Dance in Psychotherapy May 18, 2011 DOI: 10.1080/17432979.2011.574505 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Breathwork |
| Citations | 23 |
| Key findings | Argues that breathwork practices, despite their varied historical and cultural origins, share common themes that can inform a general theory and practice guidelines for integration into body psychotherapy. |
Abstract
The use of conscious breathing practices for the purpose of physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual healing has a long and extremely varied history, yet little work has been done to see if these practices can be brought into a coherent and unified form that contributes to the field of body psychotherapy. This article attempts to meta-analyse the literature and research on breathwork in psychotherapy, with an emphasis on body psychotherapy, and to find common themes so that a general theory of breathwork and guidelines for practice might be developed. This paper provides an overview of the physiology of breathing, a review of the literature on breathwork.
In the evidence
This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.
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Argues that conscious breathing practices from varied traditions share common themes that could inform a unified theory and practice guidelines for body psychotherapy.
Synthesized
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on breathwork, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coupling of respiration and attention via the locus coeruleus: Effects of meditation and pranayama | 2018 | Review with original findings | |
| High ventilation breathwork practices: An overview of their effects, mechanisms, and considerations for clinical applications. | 2023 | Review | |
| A Practitioner’s Guide to Breathwork in Clinical Mental Health Counseling | 2020 | Review | |
| Bhramari Pranayama as an aid to meditation: A review of classical yoga texts | 2020 | Review | |
| A literature review of Breathworks and mindfulness intervention People with long-term conditions and chronic pain | 2018 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Effects of conscious connected breathing on cortical brain activity, mood and state of consciousness in healthy adults Current Psychology September 8, 2023
- Demystifying hypnosis: Unravelling facts, exploring the historical roots of myths, and discerning what is hypnosis. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice August 1, 2023
- Breathwork in body psychotherapy: Clinical applications Body Movement and Dance in Psychotherapy November 1, 2013
- Breathing and relating: exploring a therapist’s heuristic experience October 1, 2020