Breathwork can be life-changing - It cracks us open, revealing emotions we’ve buried, unlocking memories long forgotten, and sometimes offering profound spiritual insights. But what happens when the session ends? What happens when we return to our daily lives, trying to make sense of what surfaced?
This is where many people get lost. They feel something powerful shift within them, but without integration, that shift fades into the background. Integration isn’t an afterthought, it’s the real work. Breathwork opens the door, Integration is what allows you to step through it.
Breathwork isn’t just about the experience - it’s about what you do with it. True transformation happens in the days, weeks, and months after a session, when we actively work with what surfaced instead of letting it drift away.
Integration is the process of anchoring what came up in Breathwork so that it becomes a part of who we are, rather than just a moment we once had. Without integration, it’s easy to fall back into old patterns, dismiss insights, or avoid working with difficult emotions.
Bring up trauma, emotions, or forgotten memories.
Give us spiritual downloads or new perspectives on life.
Show us where we’ve been stuck and what’s holding us back.
Crack open layers of ourselves that we weren’t consciously aware of.
But without integration, these experiences can slip away, leaving us feeling like nothing really changed, or worse, feeling overwhelmed with no way to ground what we’ve uncovered.
Process emotions without shutting them down or getting stuck in them.
Take action on insights so they don’t just become distant memories.
Bring lasting shifts into your life in a way that feels grounded and real.
After a Breathwork session, you may feel open, connected, and perhaps even a little raw. But then, you return home. The dishes still need to be done, emails stack up, and the world keeps moving as if nothing has changed. The pull of “regular life” is strong, it can be so overwhelming that it’s easy to forget what you’ve just uncovered.
We live in a society that pushes us to move on quickly, to get back to “productivity,” to rationalize our experiences, or to dismiss emotions that feel too intense. But the real work begins not when you return to the busyness, but when you choose to stay with what surfaced instead of running from it.
Integration asks you to slow down, to pause, listen, and be present with the shifts that have occurred. It invites you to allow your experience to settle into your body, your emotions, your thoughts, and your energy. It’s about honouring what you’ve uncovered, rather than rushing to move forward or dismiss it.
By choosing to sit with the vulnerability, the openness, and the insights from your journey, you’re allowing them to become part of your everyday life, not something to be forgotten or pushed aside, but something to weave into the fabric of who you are becoming.
Anyone who joins either a group Breathwork session or private Breathwork coaching with me will receive a comprehensive Integration Workbook. This workbook is designed to support you in the days after your Breathwork journey and can also serve as a valuable daily guide on your personal path moving forward. It's important to remember that everyone integrates in their own way, so please be gentle with yourself during this process.
I’d love to share a few powerful ways you can continue working with your experience, rather than letting it fade away.
It’s natural to want to intellectualise your experience, to analyse it with your mind rather than feeling it with your body. But remember, the body speaks in sensation, not words..
If sadness rises, allow yourself to cry and feel without judgment.
If anger surfaces, let it move through you, scream into a pillow, rage-dance to loud music, or express it through movement, sound, or writing..
If you feel nothing at all, sit with that emptiness. Numbness may be part of your process, a protective shield keeping you from overwhelming emotions. In these moments, your work is to cultivate a sense of safety in your body, so that you can eventually feel grounded enough to gently open to those feelings. Honouring the pace your body needs to take.
Remember, avoiding emotions doesn’t make them go away, it only postpones the healing. The Breathwork has already brought these feelings to the surface for a reason. They are ready to be acknowledged, so honour them, and take it one step at a time.
Your body holds the key to integration. To ground yourself, take a slow, mindful walk and consciously notice how your body feels, every step, every sensation.
Take a few minutes to do some gentle stretching, shaking, or other movement to release any trapped energy or tension that may have surfaced.
Place your hands on your heart and belly, take deep breaths, and simply be with yourself. This practice helps to anchor your experience, allowing it to integrate on a cellular level.
Remember: your body is wise. Give it the space it needs to process and absorb the insights in its own time.
When we don’t record our experiences, they can slip away, lost in the rush of daily life. Writing helps to solidify your experience, making it tangible and real.
What did you experience?
What emotions surfaced?
What do you feel called to explore further?
What’s one small action you can take today to honour this shift within you?
You don’t need to have all the answers. But let your words serve as a bridge between the inner world of your experience and the outer world of your life.
Just because your Breathwork session is over doesn’t mean the work ends. Keep connecting with your breath as it continues to guide and support you in the days to come.
Diaphragmatic breathing to regulate emotions and bring awareness back to your body.
4-7-8 breathing to calm and reset your nervous system.
A grounding breath practice each morning to set a conscious intention for your day.
Sometimes, words don’t fully capture the depth of what you’ve experienced. Let your emotions flow in creative ways:
Paint, draw, or collage based on what you felt or saw.
Move your body, dance, shake, stretch in whatever way feels right.
Play music that resonates with your experience and allows your emotions to move through you. Maybe ask for the playlist from the session you attended.
Speak your insights out loud, even if it’s just to yourself. Expressing in any form allows for deeper processing.
While not everyone may fully understand your journey, sharing your experience in a safe, supportive space is essential. This can be with someone who holds space for your emotions without judgment.
Find an integration group, a supportive community, or a therapist who understands the healing process.
Share your experience with trusted friends or peers who are also on a journey of self-discovery.
If emotions feel overwhelming, don’t isolate yourself. Reach out for support. Connection with others can help you make sense of your experience and validate the healing process you’re going through.
Integration is not a race. It’s a gradual unfolding, and not everything will make sense immediately.
You might have a moment of clarity one day and then gain a deeper understanding weeks later. Trust that your system is working with the experience, even if it’s not always visible or immediate.
If at first, you feel nothing, be patient. Small shifts can be just as meaningful as big ones. You may notice changes in how you show up in your relationships, work, or daily life, these subtle shifts are the fruits of your integration.
Honour the process, trust your body’s wisdom, and allow yourself the grace of time. The journey isn’t linear, and there’s no “right” speed, it’s all part of your own unique healing process.
You feel a gradual sense of clarity, even if emotions are present.
You’re noticing small shifts in perspective or behaviour.
You feel more connected to yourself, even in subtle ways.
You’re staying curious about what surfaced rather than dismissing it.
You avoid thinking about your experience, distracting yourself instead.
You feel restless, irritable, or disconnected.
You tell yourself “it was just a session” and brush it off.
You feel overwhelmed but don’t allow yourself space to process.
If you notice resistance, don’t judge yourself. Just bring awareness to it and gently invite yourself back into the process.
Breathwork is a doorway. But stepping through that door is up to you.
Integration isn’t about perfection, it’s about being present with what arose and allowing it to shape you in a way that feels true.
So give yourself space. Give yourself patience. Give yourself permission to not have all the answers right away.
How are you integrating your Breathwork experience?
Drop a comment below or connect with us to share your journey 🌸