35 Types of Breathwork Certification- Physiology, Psychology, and Practice

Do you want to…

• Release stored trauma and emotional blockages?
• Reduce stress and anxiety naturally?
• Improve focus, clarity, and mental resilience?
• Deepen your connection to your body and intuition?
• Experience profound states of relaxation and healing?

This 8-week course provides a comprehensive overview of 35 of the most integral breathwork practices, focusing on their psychological and physiological effects as well as the scientific research supporting their benefits. You’ll learn how each technique is performed, explore the evidence behind it, and discover which practices resonate with you. While I’m not a "breathwork guru," I specialize in presenting the breadth of breathwork techniques with a deep dive into the science behind them. This is aimed at giving you a jumping-off point of to find what resonates with you (and CEUs if you are a healthcare provider or private practice clinician).

My name is Erica Harvitt. I am an occupational therapist, a researcher, a doctoral candidate at Boston University, and a lifelong student of the world. I love learning everything I can about methods, both ancient and modern, for improving our mental, physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Thank you for coming on this learning journey with me.

This course runs live every Thursday from April 3rd-May 28th. The tuition is a one-time fee that covers the entire course. All participants will receive the digital course at the end of the 8 weeks. While the in-person classes are highly recommended, they are not required to recieve the material. As such, students may join at any time during the 8 week period, however refunds will not be given for live classes missed. The tentative schedule is posted below.

Types of Breathwork:

Specialized and Performance-Oriented Breathwork

These techniques focus on enhancing physical performance, endurance, recovery, or respiratory health for athletes and high-performance activities.

Hypoxic Training Breathwork (For Athletes)

Power Breathing (For Athletic Performance)

Apnea Breathing (For Free-Divers)

Step Breathing (For Endurance Training)

Exhale-Focused Breathing (Used in endurance sports)

Continuous Diaphragmatic Breathing (Therapeutic for COPD or lung conditions)

Major Pranayamas (Yoga Breathwork)

Traditional yogic practices

Bhastrika – Bellows Breath

Nadi Shodhana/ Alum Valum – Alternate Nostril Breathing

Ujjayi – Ocean Breath / Victorious Breath

Bhramari – Humming Bee Breath

Sheetali – Cooling Breath

Sitkari – Hissing Breath

Kapalabhati – Skull Shining Breath/ Breath of Fire

Surya Bhedana – Sun-Piercing Breath

Chandra Bhedana – Moon-Piercing Breath

Modern Therapeutic Breathwork

These techniques are rooted in modern science and are primarily used for stress reduction, emotional regulation, and general health improvements.

Diaphragmatic Breathing (Deep Belly Breathing)

4-7-8 Breathing (Relaxing Breath)

Box Breathing (Square Breathing)

Buteyko Breathing Method

Cyclic Sighing

Coherent Breathing

Resonance Breathing

Pursed-Lip Breathing

Mindfulness-Based Breathing

Heart-Centered Breathing

Psychedelic Breathwork

Techniques inducing altered states of consciousness, emotional release, or trauma healing.

Wim Hof Breathing

Rebirthing Breathwork

Shamanic Breathwork

Conscious Connected Breathing

Polyvagal-Informed Breathing Techniques

Circular Breathing

Somatic Breathwork

Tibetan Breathwork

Ancient Tibetan techniques for energy cultivation and meditative states.

Tummo Breathing (Inner Fire Practice)

Vase Breathing (Tibetan Yogic Breath Retention)

Traditional Chinese Breathwork

Methods for cultivating energy and vitality.

Dantian Breathing (Abdominal Energy Breathing)

Reverse Breathing (Daoist Technique)

Microcosmic Orbit Breathing

Nine-Breath Method

Hawiian Breathwork

Hawaiian Ha Breathing

*The specific breathwork methods and order taught may change slightly as needed. The agenda below is a guideline that may change.

*The Continuing Education Units (CEUs) offered in this course have not been formally approved by individual state licensure boards for medical or allied health professions. It is the responsibility of the participant to verify whether CEUs from this course meet the requirements of their specific licensing board or professional organization.

*Some of the breathwork methods discussed in this course are proprietary techniques that require specific certification to teach under their official names. This course may provide an overview of these breathwork practices and research but does not teach or offer certification in trademarked modalities such as Holotropic Breathwork®, Transformational Breath®, TRE®, Wim Hof Breathing®, Rebirthing Breathwork®, Shamanic Breathwork®, Soma Breath®, Biodynamic Breathwork®, and Elemental Rhythm Breathwork™. While these techniques will not be directly taught, participants will be provided with links to publicly available resources, including educational videos when available, as well as official certification programs, for further exploration.

Host or Publisher Erica Harvitt OTR/L