Understanding the Different Types of Breathwork
Breathwork is having a moment. It appears in podcasts, therapy rooms, wellness studios, performance training, trauma recovery spaces. It is described as calming, activating, transformational, regulating, psychedelic and therapeutic which can make it all a bit confusing.
Because breathwork is not one practice. It is an umbrella term covering a spectrum of approaches — from nervous system regulation to intense altered-state experiences.
If you’re exploring breathwork for anxiety, depression, trauma, burnout, or disconnection, understanding the differences matters. The technique is only part of the story, the intention, pacing, and container are equally important.
Below is a deeper look at some of the main types of breathwork and what they tend to support.
Functional Breathwork
Functional breathwork is about understanding and returning to baseline.
Rather than aiming for big emotional catharsis or expanded states, it focuses on restoring healthy breathing patterns. Many adults live in a state of subtle over-breathing: shallow chest breathing, mouth breathing, breath-holding under stress, a constant sense of urgency in the inhale. Over time, these patterns reinforce anxiety, fatigue, and nervous system dysregulation.
Functional breathwork works with the mechanics of breath:
Nasal breathing
Diaphragmatic engagement
Slower respiratory rates
Building tolerance to carbon dioxide
Repatterning chronic over-breathing
What makes functional breathwork particularly relevant for anxiety is that the breath and the nervous system are in constant conversation. When breathing becomes fast and shallow, the body receives a signal of threat. When breathing slows and stabilises, the body receives a signal of safety.
Functional breathwork is helpful for:
Generalised anxiety
Panic symptoms
Chronic stress
Sleep disturbance
Burnout
Fatigue
Asthma and respiratory pattern dysfunction
It does not seek intensity. It seeks steadiness. For many people, this is where real healing begins — not in breakthrough moments, but in restoring a calm baseline.
Diaphragmatic Breathing
Diaphragmatic breathing, often called belly breathing, is the foundation of regulated breathing.
The diaphragm is the primary muscle of respiration, yet many adults barely use it at rest. Instead, the breath sits high in the chest, creating subtle tension in the shoulders, neck, and jaw.
When the diaphragm engages fully, the lower ribs expand, the abdomen softens, and the exhale lengthens. This stimulates the vagus nerve and activates the parasympathetic nervous system, the body’s “rest and digest” state.
Diaphragmatic breathing appears in:
Yogic pranayama traditions
Mindfulness practices
Trauma-informed stabilisation work
It is often one of the first tools introduced in therapy for anxiety or panic attacks because it is simply and foundational.
This type of breathwork is helpful for:
Acute anxiety
Emotional overwhelm
Panic attacks
High stress environments
Sleep difficulties
Digestion
Diaphragmatic breathing builds capacity qand increases the window of tolerance. It creates a physiological platform from which deeper work can safely unfold.
Holotropic Breathwork
Holotropic Breathwork sits at the other end of the spectrum, it is about developing an altered state of consciousness.
Developed in the 1970s by psychiatrist Stanislav Grof and Christina Grof, it emerged after psychedelic therapy research was restricted. The intention was to access non-ordinary states of consciousness without substances.
Sessions typically involve:
Rapid, accelerated breathing
Evocative music
Extended time periods (often several hours)
Participants may experience vivid imagery, strong emotional release, somatic activation, archetypal material, or transpersonal states.
The word “holotropic” means moving toward wholeness, the premise being that the psyche moves toward integration when given the right conditions.
Holotropic breathwork is often used for:
Trauma exploration
Existential questioning
Identity and purpose exploration
Spiritual inquiry
It can be profound. It can also be intense, as it deliberately alters consciousness, it is not suitable for everyone, particularly those with certain cardiovascular, neurological, or psychiatric conditions. The facilitation and screening process matters deeply and should be practised with a qualified expert.
Rebirthing & Conscious Connected Breathwork
Rebirthing Breathwork, now more commonly referred to as Conscious Connected Breathwork (CCB), involves breathing in a continuous circular pattern with no pause between inhale and exhale. Over time, this rhythm can shift the nervous system and bring suppressed emotional material into awareness.
The practice gained visibility in the 1970s through Leonard Orr, who believed connected breathing could release early developmental and birth trauma. Modern therapeutic breathwork has evolved significantly since then, integrating trauma awareness and psychological understanding.
In a session, individuals may experience:
Emotional release (tears, anger, grief)
Physical sensations (tingling, temperature changes)
Memories surfacing
Insight into long-standing patterns
Connections with “parts” or inner child
Conscious connected breathwork is often helpful for:
Depression and emotional numbness
Long-held grief
Anxiety with early developmental roots
Chronic patterns of self-criticism
Disconnection from the body
Rebirthing breathwork can be a powerful experiences can overwhelm rather than heal. The breath can open the door but what happens after the door opens is what determines lasting change, practising with a qualified and turning the insight into integration is important step in the process.
Which Type of Breathwork Is Right For You?
The answer depends less on what sounds impressive and more on what your nervous system can safely hold.
If you are chronically overwhelmed, starting with regulation-based functional breathwork may be wiser than diving into cathartic work.
If you feel emotionally numb or stuck in repetitive patterns, therapeutic conscious connected breathwork, held within a safe, titrated container may offer access to deeper material.
Breathwork for anxiety looks different from breathwork for trauma processing. Breathwork for burnout looks different from breathwork for spiritual exploration. The method should match the moment.
Breathwork at Studio Klys
At Studio Klys, breathwork is offered through a therapeutic lens integrating functional breathing, diaphragmatic regulation, or conscious connected breathwork depending on what is appropriate and delivered by a trained practitioner.
Our focus is on:
Regulation before intensity
Pacing rather than pushing
Psychological integration alongside somatic experience
An awareness of parts, defences, and protective patterns
We work with people struggling with stress, anxiety, depression, overwhelm, and disconnection — helping them build capacity in their nervous system whilst allowing space for emotional processing that is truly supported.
If you are interested in how breathwork could support you book a free introductory call.