Breathe Well ~ Feel Better
Access The Hidden Healing Power of the Breath
with Steve Ross, MA, LMFT (CA)*
In a world full of uncertainty, where common everyday problems frequently combine to stretch us to the limit, we desperately need a way to maintain balance and peace of mind. Diaphragmatic (or abdominal) breathing is the simplest, most effective solution to the pervasive problem of stress management.
The combination of deep relaxation and diaphragmatic breathing promotes overall health and well-being. It triggers the "relaxation response," immediately calming the nerves, lowering stress and anxiety levels, normalizing blood pressure, improving circulation, metabolism, and immune function, facilitating weight control, relieving chronic pain, and promoting sound sleep.
Shallow breathing is more common than you think...
Hello, I'm Steve Ross, stress management specialist and *California-licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT).
May you find the wellness information you've been seeking here.
In my stress reduction and oxygenation sessions I hear people say:
- "I don't breathe right. I know it."
- "I breathe up here (upper chest) and feel a lot of stress."
- "People say I hold my breath. They tell me, 'Breathe! Breathe!"
A few stories illustrate the problem...
I'd like to tell you a few stories. Some years ago I was working at a resort where people came to relax and renew themselves. These folks came to see me because, despite the healing environment, they often found themselves holding their breath, breathing shallowly, and feeling ill at ease. They intuitively knew that the way they were breathing had something to do with the way they were feeling, and wanted to make a change.
One woman said that she used to be active, but lately felt short of breath and had to take frequent rest stops even on short walks. On two separate occasions, doctors signed up for breathing sessions to get a handle on anxious feelings that arose from time to time while seeing patients. And a young, successful business woman, who experienced rare, but frightening, panic attacks, wondered if breath work might help her.
In each case I spent about two hours with each person. After they shared their experiences with me to get a sense of how I could help them, I assessed their breathing patterns and trained them in the diaphragmatic breath (re-trained them, actually, since we all come into the world breathing diaphragmatically). Then we practiced until they could breathe that way sitting, standing, and moving around (most everyone breathes properly when lying down). We then did something everyone knows is a good idea but very few people find time for it: thorough and deep relaxation. Finally, I showed them ~ and we practiced ~ how to oxygenate the blood, which is the main source of healing.
After her session, the woman with shortness of breath and I took a walk. Starting with level ground, we tested her stamina...she was startled to find no problem. Then we gradually built up to a loop with several mild grades. which she negotiated without needing a break for about 10 minutes. She also mentioned, to her surprised delight, that her eyesight also had improved, a problem she had not shared with me.
The two physicians wrote me later than the "emergency breath" I showed them to avert anxiety whenever it surfaced worked like a charm. And the young woman with panic attacks told me later she had been on a plane when the panic began, but the "emergency breath" cut if off within seconds.
You can read their comments here.
One woman said that she used to be active, but lately felt short of breath and had to take frequent rest stops even on short walks. On two separate occasions, doctors signed up for breathing sessions to get a handle on anxious feelings that arose from time to time while seeing patients. And a young, successful business woman, who experienced rare, but frightening, panic attacks, wondered if breath work might help her.
In each case I spent about two hours with each person. After they shared their experiences with me to get a sense of how I could help them, I assessed their breathing patterns and trained them in the diaphragmatic breath (re-trained them, actually, since we all come into the world breathing diaphragmatically). Then we practiced until they could breathe that way sitting, standing, and moving around (most everyone breathes properly when lying down). We then did something everyone knows is a good idea but very few people find time for it: thorough and deep relaxation. Finally, I showed them ~ and we practiced ~ how to oxygenate the blood, which is the main source of healing.
After her session, the woman with shortness of breath and I took a walk. Starting with level ground, we tested her stamina...she was startled to find no problem. Then we gradually built up to a loop with several mild grades. which she negotiated without needing a break for about 10 minutes. She also mentioned, to her surprised delight, that her eyesight also had improved, a problem she had not shared with me.
The two physicians wrote me later than the "emergency breath" I showed them to avert anxiety whenever it surfaced worked like a charm. And the young woman with panic attacks told me later she had been on a plane when the panic began, but the "emergency breath" cut if off within seconds.
You can read their comments here.
The two keys to wellness: mindfulness and the abdominal (or "belly") breath
My main goal is to help you clear out your backlog of accumulated stress and make you stress-resistant going forward. There are two keys to this: awareness (or "mindfulness") and knowing how to use the abdominal or "belly" breath. Using simple techniques that let you to breathe properly, I'll show you how to make every breath count. With a little training, you can easily learn to sense discomfort before it gets you, and find relief from stress, hypertension, chronic pain, anxiety, and many other common problems and conditions, all by learning and practicing how to apply a little extra attention and abdominal breathing.
Add to that the gentle deep healing visualizations, relaxation exercises, and oxygenation techniques, which send oxygen-rich blood to the brain, organs, tissues ~ in fact throughout the body ~ and you have a wonderfully effective way to nourish and calm yourself and heal from the inside out.
I invite you to read further and learn how and why Breathe Well ~ Feel Better works and how you can experience it for yourself. To begin, click here. If you've already read through my site and would like to schedule a consultation or session, give me a call.
Add to that the gentle deep healing visualizations, relaxation exercises, and oxygenation techniques, which send oxygen-rich blood to the brain, organs, tissues ~ in fact throughout the body ~ and you have a wonderfully effective way to nourish and calm yourself and heal from the inside out.
I invite you to read further and learn how and why Breathe Well ~ Feel Better works and how you can experience it for yourself. To begin, click here. If you've already read through my site and would like to schedule a consultation or session, give me a call.
Steve Ross, MA, LMFT (CA)*
Mindful Counseling & Consulting
(520) 825-2009
[email protected]
http://www.breathingcoachtucson.com or
http://www.relaxandbreathe.net
* licensed in California
Mindful Counseling & Consulting
(520) 825-2009
[email protected]
http://www.breathingcoachtucson.com or
http://www.relaxandbreathe.net
* licensed in California
