Holotropic Breathwork: The Potential Role of a Prolonged, Voluntary Hyperventilation Procedure as an Adjunct to Psychotherapy
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine September 1, 2007 Joseph P. Rhinewine, Oliver J. Williams 37 citations
Holotropic Breathwork (HB), a prolonged voluntary hyperventilation procedure, may be useful in treating anxiety and depressive disorders. Hyperventilation produces significant changes in central nervous system activity. Preliminary evidence suggests potential efficacy, and a tentative biopsychologic hypothesis proposes that HB, when combined with ongoing psychotherapy, could facilitate extinction of avoidance behaviors, leading to therapeutic progress. Individuals high in trait absorption and social desirability who have not responded adequately to psychotherapy might benefit most. Further research using more rigorous methods is needed to confirm or refute HB's therapeutic potential for psychiatric disorders.