Overview
Breathwork is one of the most powerful modalities for deep healing, and to facilitate breathwork is to help alleviate suffering and re-ignite the wisdom and radiance within each human being. To bear witness to the sacred terrain of another is a profound honor, and the role of a guide calls for utmost awareness, skillful and attuned relating, compassion, and sincere commitment to being of service.
Facilitating breathwork is far more than putting together a playlist and instructing a breathing technique; it is an intimate process of being fully present to another, and offering a safe, strong, and caring space in which the deepest layers of experience can be reached. Productive and life-affirming outcomes are supported by a facilitator’s connection to their own embodied wisdom and authentic response, as well as an understanding of the human nervous system and trauma, breathing physiology, psychological & psychospiritual development, and the more energetic and ‘transcendent’ aspects of experience.
To facilitate breathwork is to respond skillfully to what is arising – moment-to-moment – and that requires experiential training that is not prescriptive, dogmatic, or generalized. As a teacher and breathwork trainer, it is my intention to generously offer all that I can to resource you in responding to the dynamic terrain you WILL encounter as a facilitator, and to encourage your authentic expression and gifts as a healing guide.
For those called to deepen their journey with breath and to share this powerful modality with others, I offer three levels of progressive training:
The Foundations of Facilitation training offers a rich introduction to the practice of conscious connected breathwork, and the foundational skills and awareness to responsibly guide breathwork journeys. The curriculum will help clarify the landscape of breathwork practices, how breathwork influences the nervous system and arousal response, trauma awareness and holding safer spaces, the physiological terrain of breathwork practices, and foundational techniques for guiding rich journeys, focusing on verbal facilitation skills and cueing.
This training is appropriate for all levels of breathwork experience, including those individuals taking the first step in facilitator training, as well as those who have completed certifications and/or courses with other trainers.
Upcoming Trainings:
IN-PERSON IN SEATTLE: January 26-28th, 2024 | CLOSED
IN-PERSON IN SEATTLE: February 9-11th, 2024 | CLOSED
ONLINE: March 1st-3rd, 2024 | CLOSED
IN-PERSON IN SEATTLE: April 12-14th, 2024 | WAITLIST
IN-PERSON IN SEATTLE: June 7-9th, 2024 | WAITLIST
ONLINE: August 23rd-25th, 2024 | OPEN
Building from the foundation of Level One, the Level Two Facilitation Practicum is offered as both a residential retreat and non-residential in-person training where you will learn and practice hands-on facilitation for both 1:1 sessions and groups.
You will learn to observe and assess your client’s breathing pattern and nervous system arousal, and how to respond with hands-on touch, energetic techniques, use of props, and other tools to invite adjustments to the breath and to help your client feel safe and supported, for the highest outcome possible. You will learn tools for supporting energy hygiene and boundaries – for yourself, your clients, and your groups – and ways to tend to your own nervous system regulation and resource as a facilitator.
You will practice facilitating 1:1 sessions where you guide someone through a complete 60-minute journey, along with group sessions where you will move from person to person throughout one journey. With completion of this training, you will be prepared to begin facilitating in-person and online breathwork experiences.
This training is aligned for individuals mature in their own paths of healing and personal development, as that is the essential foundation for facilitating others. Completion of Level One is required, as well as a brief application and informational interview if you have not previously worked with Tai.
Upcoming Trainings:
June 10th - 16th, 2023 | Cabo San Lucas, Mexico (residential retreat) | Registration Closed
March 21st - 24th, 2024 | Seattle, WA (non-residential) | Registration Closed
September 19th - 24th, 2024 | Whidbey Island, WA (residential retreat) | Registration Open
The Level Three Facilitation Mentorship is an opportunity to receive support as you begin facilitating client and group sessions. With a cohort of other Level Two graduates, we will meet one Saturday per month (9:30am-12:30pm Pacific) for four months to discuss client sessions and case studies, and how to respond to the more nuanced and complex situations that you are encountering. During the course of the training, you will be asked to facilitate twelve (12) client sessions along with written self-reflections, and three of these sessions will be reviewed for feedback (recorded Zoom sessions) during mentorship calls. You will receive three individual mentorship sessions (60-min x 3) over the course of the training, where questions will be addressed from your client sessions, and individualized coaching and support offered to help you develop your breathwork practice.
This training is open to those who have completed Level One and Level Two. Completion of Level Three is the minimum requirement to receive certification as a Breathwork Facilitator, and certification is discretionary based on evaluation and assessment of competencies.
Upcoming Trainings:
April - July, 2024 | Cohort Meetings: April 20th, May 18th, June 15th, & July 27th
Registration Open
Curriculum Highlights:
Why Breathwork? and The Landscape of Conscious Breathing
Breathwork is a widely used term to describe many approaches to conscious breathing practices. You will learn the difference between yogic pranayama, generalized stress-reduction approaches, breath training techniques such as Buteyko, and the origins of contemporary schools of breathwork, including Holotropic & Rebirthing, and the roots of somatic psychotherapy, including Reich’s theories of character and body armoring. We will discuss the limitations of a “one size fits all” approach and develop a fundamental understanding of guiding others in a breathwork process that is responsive and non-harming.
Orientations to Healing & The Role of a Facilitator
We will explore principles of breathwork facilitation and the primary role(s) of a facilitator, as well as ethical considerations for facilitating somatic release and expanded state healing processes.
Anatomy: Respiratory, Nervous System, & Subtle Body
You will learn the basics of respiratory physiology and what happens in hyperventilation and overbreathing (tetany respiratory alkalosis, hypocalcemia, etc.), gas exchange and the role of carbon dioxide, and why some physical and/or psychological conditions may be contraindicated for more active styles of breathwork. We will discuss the Autonomic Nervous System and how altering the breath influences sympathetic and parasympathetic response, stimulates the vagus nerve and influences Heart Rate Variability (HRV), and supports greater physical and psychological resilience to stress. Subtle body anatomy (primarily from yogic, shamanic, Taoist, and Traditional Chinese Medicine systems) will be highlighted in relation to breathwork.
Facilitation Techniques
You will learn and practice facilitating techniques including verbal cues (with trauma-informed language), energetic techniques, and hands-on and touch-based support. You will learn how to address common breathing patterns with the additional resources of props, postural shifts, vocalization, body movement, trauma release protocols, and some techniques from other modalities that I’ve found effective in the breathwork space.
Trauma Awareness & Holding Safer Space
Breathwork is a somatic healing modality, and thus critical for practitioners to have a comprehensive understanding of trauma. We will discuss the nature of trauma and types of trauma (acute, chronic, complex, cultural, racialized, etc.) and how these experiences are held and expressed in the body, and how someone can be skillfully supported to navigate these energies should they surface in breathwork. Group dynamics and energetics will also be discussed, as well as assessment in discerning when someone’s experience is beyond your skill and training, so you can make referrals accordingly.
We will discuss what creates safety for clients and how to hold safer containers for deep work, including your own embodied presence, establishing group agreements, and your ability to introduce breathwork and address questions that may arise. We will discuss considerations for group size, space and environment, music, ceremony structure and format, and how to handle challenging situations that might arise.
Expanded State Healing Ceremonies
As a form of ‘experiential therapy’ in which expanded states of awareness can be accessed, we will discuss the three stages of ceremony: preparation, journey, and integration, as well as context for the terrain one might encounter in breathwork.
Formats: In-Person & Online; Individual & Groups
We will explore the unique requirements and considerations for facilitating individuals, groups, and breathwork journeys in-person and online.
Liability Awareness & Considerations
While breathwork is not currently overseen by a governing body or recognized by most State boards, it is important to understand the implications of facilitating this type of work, and considerations in receiving informed consent before taking people through what can be physically and psychologically demanding – and potentially destabilizing – process. Guidance on liability waivers and assessing personal liability and risk will be offered.
What you can expect:
Substantive & Deep Curriculum
All three levels of training offer robust and distilled content and curriculum. Expect to receive a wealth of information that is deeply studied and thoughtfully curated over many years.
Balanced Approach of Science, Psychology, & Spirit
As a facilitator, I am equally as excited talking about transient hypofrontality and heart-rate variability as I am to explore the unseen realms of experience and expanded consciousness. In this training, we will discuss the science of breathwork that is based in an understanding of nervous system anatomy and trauma, somatic and psychological development, and the more spiritual and energetic aspects of experience. This balanced approach will serve you in being present to the full spectrum of the human experience.
Trauma-Informed & Therapeutic Orientation
The most significant influence in liberating the breath and unwinding non-productive patterns is safety. This program is heavily focused on what creates safety in breathwork, and what you can do as a facilitator to support life-affirming and productive outcomes for your clients.
Intimate Trainings & Teacher Accessibility
Registration is capped (at progressively smaller numbers for each level of training) to support an intimate and high-engagement training environment where we have the opportunity to engage directly and develop a relationship that will support your continued path as a breathwork facilitator.
Community
One of the greatest gifts of trainings groups and “sangha” is the embodied wisdom present in the relational group field, from which we can all benefit exponentially. As a program that is limited in capacity and by application, you can expect to train with individuals mature in their own paths of personal development.
All levels of training will be invited to join an online community on the Circle platform, where you can connect, share information, and access training resources.
Pre-Requisites & ALIGNMENT:
This program is well-aligned for healing arts practitioners (therapists, yoga teachers, life coaches, acupuncturists, coaches, shamanic practitioners, etc.) seeking to integrate breathwork into their practice, and for those ready to begin holding space for the healing, wellbeing, and empowerment of others.
Please note that while this program will inherently support individual healing and personal work, it is not appropriate for those currently in crisis or needing more individual therapeutic and healing support. Please contact Tai to explore 1:1 support.
INVESTMENT:
Level One | Foundations of Facilitation (Online Training): $750 (online training); $875 (in-person training)
Level Two | Facilitation Practicum & Deepening Skills (In-Person Training): $1,775 (+ resort fees for residential retreat programs)
Level Three | Certification Mentorship (Online Training): $1,675
ADDITIONAL Q&A:
What type of breathwork will I be learning?
While we will briefly touch on pranayama and breath training practices (and optimized breathing patterns focusing on nasal breathing), the core focus of this immersion is conscious connected breathwork. Most conscious breathwork systems have evolved out of Holotropic and Rebirthing Breathwork, and I facilitate a process that is also derived from these modalities. I teach an active inhalation (one and two-part) and passive exhalation that is primarily done through the mouth for approximately 50-60 minutes. To get a feel for my approach and facilitation style, I highly recommend booking a private session or attending an online group session before registering for a training, and if you have questions about how this breathwork compares/differs to what you’ve previously experienced, please contact me.
Can I still attend if I don’t plan to facilitate breathwork?
Yes! This is an incredible opportunity to expand your embodied knowledge of breathwork and to deepen your capacity to hold space for another, which translates into any relational context - personal or professional.
Will I become certified?
There is no primary credentialing body for breathwork facilitator certification and thus you’ll find everything from weekend certification programs to 400-hr programs with extensive practicum experience. As such, it’s critical that you find a training program that will give you the skills and knowledge to facilitate safely, responsibly, and confidently.
Certificates of training will be given upon completion of each level of the Sword & Lotus Breathwork Facilitator program, which can be used to present your qualifications as a facilitator (you can say “Level One/Two/Three trained.” Formal Breathwork Facilitator Certification is discretionary upon completion of Level Three and assessed alignment to facilitate as a Certified Sword & Lotus practitioner.
When will I be able to start facilitating breathwork sessions?
Ultimately, it is your decision as to when and in what context you begin facilitating breathwork, and that will be influenced by the depth of your own journey of personal and professional (healing arts) development. I generally recommend completion of Level Two to begin facilitating sessions, as that will give you the hands-on experience that is critical for facilitating a deep somatic process like breathwork.
Can I register for the Level One and Level Two training at the same time?
Yes! However, please note that the Level Two training is by application and interview (if we have not previously worked together), so acceptance into the program is not guaranteed.
Any other questions?
Please contact me with any questions. I want to ensure this experience is well-aligned to support your intention and goals, and will offer candid feedback and reflection to ensure this is the best fit for you.
“The training went above and beyond a level 1 training. I love Tai’s approach, philosophy and teaching style. The materials are fantastic with spiritual, emotional and physical elements all Incorporated. I really appreciated Tai’s open, and accessible yet professional approach and incorporation of student questions and feedback. It made me feel included and that I have what it takes to continue down this path. I appreciated that she shared her own experiences as well. I would 100 percent recommend this training to my peers. Tai truly has done the work required to be a leader in this field.”
“Tai expertly guided our cohort through the level one training with incredible presence, mindfulness and kindness. No questions were too basic and all input was greatly welcomed. Do not hesitate to enroll if you are interested in taking your breathwork to the next level, you will not regret it!”
“I had my doubts about signing up for the training and going all the way to Costa Rica. It was probably the best decision I’ve ever made. Tai is so eloquent and gentle in her delivery with all of the information we learned during training. Every last detail was perfect. I would recommend again and again!”
“Tai’s Breathwork & Immersion Facilitator Training was an expertly crafted week of study and practice in a beautiful and nurturing setting. I went to Costa Rica hoping to build a basic foundation for what it takes to facilitate breathwork and that’s exactly what I got. The program not only gave me a deeper understanding of the body and the many ways in which we breathe but also provided hands-on practice alongside tools to create a safe and sacred space for others. The training also gave me an opportunity to practice breathwork several days in a row, which is always a profound and expansive experience in itself. I highly recommend this training for anyone curious about becoming a facilitator and for anyone seeking an opportunity for personal growth and healing with a wise and compassionate teacher at the helm.”
“The week spent in the immersion was truly soul reviving and inspiring. The devoted and concentrated time spent away from other distractions allowed for a clarity of focus that allowed a truly deep experience. Tai generously shared her knowledge and skill in ways that surpassed expectation. I feel prepared to facilitate and share this work with others, and feel like I have a network and resources to continue learning from. Studying with Tai was an amazing experience.”
“I did not know Tai before attending her retreat. I was so impressed with her wisdom and grace. It was like being with the gentleness of a sparrow and wisdom and groundedness of the great redwoods of Northern California. She brings an energy and a depth to her teaching that is impressive and humbling. She created an environment that allowed me to really go deep into my own self and look at aspects of my disposition I had never seen. I could not recommend her retreats or training with any higher enthusiasm or praise.”