Activity
Conscious Connected Breath
Conscious Connected Breath — also called connected breathing — is at the heart of our work. At The Breathwork Shop in Utrecht we use the breath as a direct instrument to meet physical tension and blockages in the body. In my practice at Kanaalweg I guide you to reconnect with your body and regulate your nervous system through the breath. We don't work with a breathing exercise just to relax — we use techniques aimed at transforming deeply held patterns. It's that deep transformation that often unlocks a level of relaxation far beyond what the mind alone can reach.
The method: 'The Wounded Healer'
My approach is shaped by Lars Faber's year-long programme 'The Wounded Healer'. The method assumes that we only really make space for change when we're willing to fully experience the physical sensations in our body, without reasoning them away or softening them. Instead of spending a lot of time talking and analysing, in a session we go straight to the physical experience.
We look very precisely at your current breath pattern: Where do you feel the breath? Where does it stall? Where in your body do you feel the activation? By breathing into those places we bring movement to stuck emotions and physical pressure that have often built up over years.
Two equal doorways: belly and chest
In sessions we use two different ways to reach deep trauma and unprocessed blockages. Both techniques are equally powerful and use connected breathing (breathing without pause), but they address different parts of the body:
- 01
Connected breathing through the belly
this technique focuses on a deep, continuous flow from the belly and diaphragm. By removing the pauses we open the nervous system and address areas where deep emotional armour is often held.
- 02
Chaotic breathing through the chest
this targets the rib cage specifically. We still breathe without pause, but by bringing the breath high into the chest we create powerful physical activation in the upper body.
Depending on what your body shows us and which areas hold the most tension or activation, we choose the doorway that gives the most direct access to your process.
Working with the nervous system and trauma
Breath coaching at The Breathwork Shop is, in essence, working with the physiology of your nervous system. Many clients live in a constant state of readiness, or in a sense of freeze. By combining the principles of The Wounded Healer with these breathing techniques, we create a safe setting in which you learn to recognise where your body stores tension — whether that's in the jaw, the shoulders, the chest or the pelvis.
We focus on:
Body awareness
where do you feel it in your body? Which parts are activated? And how do you then breathe towards them to meet the blockage?
Safe transformation
holding a container in which intense emotion and physical energy can be fully expressed without judgement.
Self-regulation
developing the capacity to bring your own nervous system back into balance after a deep activation.
Who is this for?
This form of breathwork is, in principle, suitable for anyone who wants to listen to what their body has to say, rather than stay stuck in the stories we tell ourselves in our head. Because we work with deep physical activation, there are contraindications for certain medical conditions; please check the FAQ to see whether a session is appropriate for you right now.
Breath coaching offers support with:
Unprocessed trauma
making space for deep experiences stored in the body as physical blockages in chest or belly.
Stress and burn-out
restoring the capacity to let go of control and actually feel what's happening in your body.
Personal growth
exploring your inner world from the deep Wounded Healer perspective.
Physical restrictions
reducing chronic tension in the diaphragm or chest.