How Breath Energy Supports Mental Health and Emotional Healing
Our breath is more than just air moving in and out of our bodies for the sake of keeping us alive. It is energy, nourishment, and source for grounding. It is a pathway of connection between our body and mind, it is how we calm our nervous system, and a way to nurture ourselves when we are overwhelmed.
In therapy, breath can be a simple yet powerful way to come back to ourselves, practice mindfulness, and bring awareness and balance back to the body and mind.
Breath Energy and Mental Health
You can think of breath energy as the life force that moves through you with each inhale and exhale. In yoga practice, this is called prana, or the substance of our pranamaya kosha. The breath remains with us even when our minds wander, yet we often take it for granted. The practice of intentionally focusing on the breath takes strength, and in turn strengthens the mind.
When our breath is shallow and felt more in the chest, we may feel anxious, panicked, or disconnected. When our breath flows freely and slowly, we feel more open, calm, and centered.
When we connect our mind to our breath, we practice mindfulness, leaving no room for judgement or worry. When we intentionally deepen our breath, in from our nose, down into our belly, we are activating our parasympathetic nervous system, inviting relaxation and optimization of our thinking abilities.
This practice:
Lowers stress
Supports emotional regulation
Aids healing through gentle body awareness
Enhances focus
Creates a sense of inner safety and steadiness.
The wonderful thing is that we have access to this tool anytime, anywhere.
Ways Breath Energy Can be Used in Therapy and to Improve Mental Health
In therapy, breath practice is gentle and paced to meet you where you are at. Here are a few ways breath may be used in sessions.
Simply Noticing
We might just pause to simply notice the breath. Where do you feel it? Is it shallow, deep, fast, or slow? This simple awareness brings you back to your body and into the present moment.
Calming Rhythms
Practicing slow steady breathing, a count of 6 on each inhale and exhale for instance, can help regulate your nervous system. We can practice this together in session to find what feels comfortable for you.
Breath and Somatic Emotion Awareness
Emotions show up physically, in bodily sensations, and in our breath quality. Sometimes we’ll pair the breath with body awareness, breathing into the sensation, while shifting the quality of the breath. For example, sadness can bring a heavy quality into the breath while also creating a sensation in the heart space. With our breath, we can nurture this sensation by taking a lighter inhale while imagining our breath comforting the pain while releasing the discomfort on the exhale.
Breath Energy for the Therapist
As a therapist, I also pay attention to my own breath during sessions. By maintaining a calm, grounded breath, I am more able to stay present. I am also creating a calm that can be felt. Breath creates connection not only within ourselves, but with each other.
Breathing for Balanced Living
Working with breath energy isn’t about fixing how you breathe, it is about listening. Each inhale and exhale can remind us that healing can happen in small, steady moments. The breath can hold us, guide us, and bring us home to ourselves. When we breath with awareness, we move beyond survival and into intentional living.
Quick Practice: Try placing one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Breathe in through your nose for a count of 4, feel your belly rise while your chest remains fairly still. Exhale slowly through your nose or mouth for a count of 6. Repeat 3 times, noticing any shifts.
