Breathwork and emotional release: when breath goes where words cannot

You've done the work. The therapy, the self-help books, the realizations. You know where you come from, you know your patterns, and you've put words to your wounds.

And yet, you feel that something is still resisting.

A tension in the throat. A weight in the chest. An emotion you can't seem to get through, even after years of working on yourself.

This is not a failure. It is an invitation to go elsewhere, into the body.

The body forgets nothing

There's a quote from Bessel van der Kolk that really struck me: trauma is not a memory that one chooses to forget. It's an imprint that the body retains, often without conscious awareness.

Some memories become dormant because they were too painful to process at the time. They don't disappear, however. They remain dormant in the body, in the muscles, in the breathing, in the chronic tensions you carry without realizing it.

That's why understanding isn't always enough. You can analyze a wound for years without it ever truly being released. Because it's not stored in words. It's stored in the flesh.

Breathwork, or conscious and connected breathing, opens a direct path to these bodily memories. Where words stop, the breath continues.

The drawer under close surveillance

I like this drawer metaphor, I find it quite apt.

Imagine a drawer. A drawer you locked one day because, at the time, it was too much. You needed to close it to move forward. And now you realize that this drawer is a heavy burden. You tried to get rid of it, but you couldn't.

Why? Because this drawer is under close surveillance. Under the watch of a guard. And that guard is the mind.

What we do in breathwork is breathe a little more deeply than usual. And this breathing is like the guardrail loosening. The drawer can open. What was stuck can finally pass through.

Not by force. Not by analysis. By breath.

What happens in the body during a conscious breathing session

Breathing is the only bodily system that is both automatic and conscious. We breathe without thinking about it, and we can also choose to breathe differently.

This dual nature makes it a unique tool for accessing the deeper layers of the nervous system. This is where Peter Levine, founder of Somatic Experiencing, locates what he calls suspended memories, those emotions that were never completed, that remained dormant in the body.

During a conscious and connected breathwork session, the breathing rhythm accelerates and connects. The nervous system shifts from its usual state of alertness. And what was previously inaccessible rises to the surface.

Not with the head. With the breath.

Experiences vary from person to person, and from session to session. But here's what often comes up:

Tears, yawns that come for no apparent reason. No identifiable sadness, no deep fatigue, just a release. Something waiting to come out.

Physical sensations: tingling, warmth, slight tremors. It's the body passing through, releasing, reorganizing itself.

A lightness afterwards. As if a weight had been lifted. Not resolved, lifted. It's not the same thing, and that's already a lot.

Breathwork and the nervous system: what science says

Understanding what is happening in the body helps to trust the process.

When we are in a state of chronic stress or carrying unprocessed emotions, the autonomic nervous system remains on high alert. It anticipates danger, even when none exists. This hypervigilance manifests in posture, shallow breathing, and muscle tension.

Conscious breathing acts directly on the vagus nerve, the major regulator of the parasympathetic nervous system. By voluntarily altering the rhythm and depth of the breath, a safety signal is sent to the entire nervous system. The window of tolerance widens. What was once too intense to endure gradually becomes accessible.

This is what we call bottom-up regulation: we no longer process an emotion through our heads. We process it through our bodies. Emotional release happens from within, without us needing to understand or name anything.

It's not therapy, it's a transition.

I often say: breathwork does not replace therapeutic follow-up. That is not its role.

Its role is to bring down into the body what the mind has already understood. To embody the realizations. To release what still resists after the mental work.

That's why it's particularly powerful for those who are already on a path of therapy, working on themselves, and who feel there's still something to get through.

Our minds have understood. And now, the body waits.

Online breathwork: is it as effective as in-person breathwork?

This is one of the questions I get asked most often.

The short answer is yes. What matters in a mindful breathing session is intention, a safe environment, and the quality of guidance. These three elements are just as effective behind a screen as in a room.

Participants who come to online breathwork sessions report the same experiences as those who come in person: deep emotional releases, a lasting feeling of lightness, a return to oneself that words struggle to describe.

The advantage of the online format: you're at home. In your own space. This often makes integration easier after the session; you don't have to drive back, you can stay in that state of calm for as long as you need.

Frequently Asked Questions about Breathwork

How many sessions are needed to feel the effects?

Many people feel something from the very first session. A sensation of lightness, a newfound sense of letting go, sometimes emotions resurfacing. That said, as with any self-improvement work, it is through regular practice that the effects become more consolidated and profound.

Is breathwork dangerous? Conscious and connected breathwork practiced in a group and guided by a trained facilitator is a safe practice. There are some medical contraindications (pregnancy, cardiovascular problems, epilepsy). If you have any doubts, talk to your doctor before coming. During the sessions, the pace is always adapted to each individual; nothing is forced.

Do you need prior experience with meditation or personal development? No. The only prerequisite is a desire to take care of yourself. People who have never done any self-work come to sessions and have profound experiences. Others who have practiced meditation for years find it a powerful complement.

How to prepare for a mindful breathing session? Wear comfortable clothing, find a quiet room, and have a mat or bed to lie on. Avoid heavy meals in the two hours beforehand. And above all, arrive without any particular expectations. What will be, will be.

And you ?

If you recognize yourself in what is described here, if you feel that something is still resisting in the body despite all the work you have already done, I invite you to come and breathe.

A 1.5-hour conscious breathing session, in a small group, in a physical space or online, from your home.

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Anne-Laure Martin is a breathwork facilitator. She guides conscious and connected breathing sessions in small groups, online and in person.