For a long time now, as I've scrolled through social media or looked into new somatic practices, I've noticed the recurring theme of content featured intense emotional explosions. Practitioners leaning over clients who were in the throes of loud, shaking eruptions, sometimes they were actually restraining people. And this wasn’t just in Breathwork settings, it seemed to be everywhere in the somatic and spiritual spaces. It left me with a bad taste in my heart, and I couldn't help but feel it was exploitation of vulnerable people who had been pushed too far.
But, a long time ago, witnessing these type of emotional bursts of release, made me question my own healing journey, and my path to becoming a practitioner. I had experienced emotional releases, but they were never like that.
So, before I understood better, I found myself wondering if I was missing something:
It took a deeper dive into the science of our amazing nervous system for me to realise that, in fact, I was actually now benefiting from years of working with my own body, and having the luck of being guided by grounded facilitators.
I realised that my ability to now remain in control and aware, even during a deep emotional release, was a sign of a nervous system that was regulated. I was meeting my edge without falling over, allowing healing to happen with dual awareness rather than complete overwhelm.
But there had been a time where I thought I was in-fact "broken" because I did not have these deep explosive releases, and where I also experienced somatic facilitation that was not grounded or felt safe for everyone.
At the beginning of my own healing journey, long before I had tapped into the path of becoming a practitioner, I was still a novice in understanding my own nervous system. I found myself as a participant in a group session where this loud version of catharsis was present, and even felt encouraged..
Lying there with my eyes closed, I was suddenly triggered into a state of high alert. Somewhere in the room, a participant erupted into raw, animalistic wailing and frantic tossing. As the screaming escalated, the facilitators did something that shocked me, they simply turned up the music. They were trying to muffle her screams so they wouldn't raise concerns from the public outside the studio.
But inside the studio, for the rest of us, the chaotic energy was too much, well, at least it was for me. The combination of loud drumming, chanting music, and raw screams completely overwhelmed my system. Hands clamped over my ears, and tears started flowing down my face, my body responded in total alarm. All I wanted was to exit the room, but I couldn't bring myself to move. I lay there, just frozen.
One of the facilitators made their rounds and stopped by me. They tapped on my chest (my thymus gland) and wiped the tears from my face. For a moment, I felt a small sense of relief that I wasn’t alone in this space. But it didn't last long. They moved on to the next person, and I was left frozen in total overwhelm.
This was the first time I had witnessed such a raw emotional release in a group setting, but it did not feel like a sanctuary. It didn't feel "under control," and the facilitators did nothing to ground the person, or the room.
Strangely, I left that session feeling deeply disappointed, but in myself.
I began blaming myself and talking down to my body for shutting down:
After that session, it took a very long time before I could bring myself to attend a group event again.
It wasn’t until much later, on my own journey to becoming a practitioner, that I reflected on this event and had a massive "Aha!" moment.
Back then, I used to think I was broken or rigid for shutting down.
What I didn't realise was that my nervous system was highly sensitive and already carrying its own stress. When that participant started screaming, my system recognised it as an extreme threat. Because I couldn't fight the noise and I couldn't flee the room, my body did the only thing it could do to protect me, it went into a freeze response.
Looking back, I realised that the screaming participant and I were actually experiencing the exact same thing: complete nervous system overload.
However, we were just expressing it from opposite ends of the spectrum:
Neither of us was experiencing safe, integrated healing in that moment.
We were both just blowing a fuse.
This realisation had a big impact on how I view emotional release, and it shapes everything I do as a practitioner today.
A "big" reaction is not proof of deep healing. If an emotional release happens without awareness, grounding, or control, it is often just a trauma response spinning its wheels. Furthermore, when facilitators chase these dramatic online trends without holding a safe container, the raw and chaotic energy can cause collateral damage, triggering and shutting down everyone else in the room.
True healing emerges from, and within, a space that feels safe enough for your body to voluntarily open up.
Because of my own experiences, I treat the nervous system with the deepest respect. I don't push people over the edge, I help them expand their capacity safely.
If you are navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, dissociation, or chronic stress, jumping straight into an intense, activating Breathwork session isn't safe or effective.
Your system needs to be prepared. This is why I created a Pre-Breathwork 8-Week Guide to Nervous System Safety. It is a completely free download designed for those who aren’t ready for active Breathwork yet. Together, we focus on:
A Nervous System Index, understanding your states and the mechanisms.
Every week includes a checklist, ensuring you only move forward when your body gives you a green light.
When you are ready for live sessions, I offer a gentle 45-minute Low Tempo Session, alongside my standard 75-minute Activating Sessions.
Most importantly, the journey doesn't end when the music stops. I place a massive emphasis on integration, providing an extensive workbook to help you embody your experience, as well as an optional offering of 30-minute Integration Support between sessions for those who need additional reflection guidance.
You don’t have to push your body to its breaking point to experience deep and lasting transformation! Healing begins when your nervous system feels safe enough to let go. If you are dealing with chronic stress, anxiety, or trauma, let’s start by building your foundation gently together.
👉 Download Your 8-Week Guide to Nervous System Safety
Take the first step toward regulated, grounded, and sustainable healing today.
👉 Explore my Breathwork Offerings
From Inner-child Connection to tapping into your Inner-Power, guided sessions through Conscious Connected Breathing to expand Awareness, release stored Emotions, and awaken deep inner Presence.