Holotropic Breathwork: The Potential Role of a Prolonged, Voluntary Hyperventilation Procedure as an Adjunct to Psychotherapy

Abstract

Objectives: To pose the question of whether Holotropic Breathwork (HB), a prolonged, voluntary hyperventilation procedure, might be useful in treatment of common psychiatric conditions such as anxiety and depressive disorders.Design: This is a hypothesis-posing paper pertaining to a potential novel treatment. Summary:The neurophysiology and psychology of hyperventilation are reviewed, including findings demonstrating that hyperventilation leads to significant changes in central nervous system activity as measured by various technological means. Preliminary evidence suggesting efficacy for HB is reviewed. A tentative biopsychologic hypothesis is offered, suggesting a potential mechanism that may underlie putative therapeutic effects of HB. Specifically, when HB is used in the context of ongoing psychotherapy, hyperventilation may facilitate generalized extinction of avoidance behaviors, resulting in therapeutic progress. Individuals high in trait absorption and social desirability who have failed to respond adequately to psychotherapy might be those most likely to respond to HB. Recommendations for future research directions examining the therapeutic potential of HB are offered.Conclusions: Further research using more sophisticated methodologies than have been used to date will be necessary in order to confirm or refute the hypothesis that HB may be useful in treatment of psychiatric disorders.

Can Yoga, Qigong, and Tai Chi Breathing Work Support the Psycho-Immune Homeostasis during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Narrative Review

“…Moreover, when no contraindicating medical conditions are present, hyperventilation can be used as a therapeutic method to treat anxiety and as a diagnostic tool [ 72 ]. As a technique that uses, amongst other means, hyperventilation, holotropic breathing has been proposed to be an alternative therapeutic procedure for some psychiatric conditions [ 73 ].…”

Measuring the subjective: revisiting the psychometric properties of three rating scales that assess the acute effects of hallucinogens

“…Likewise, some of the HRS items we eliminated could be of interest as descriptive items. Besides, it may be interesting to develop psychometric studies using these rating scales in the exploration of subjective effects of distinct altered states of consciousness, such as meditation or holotropic breathwork (Rhinewine and Williams, ). It is also necessary to undertake studies replicating the aforementioned framework and to evaluate the results obtained before considering our proposals as definitive.…”

Applying intervention mapping approach to a program for early intervention in first-episode mental crisis of a psychotic type

“…These different levels in the perinatal and transpersonal remembrance dimensions can be accessed when experiencing, in a spontaneous or induced way, NOSC. Such experiences, when well-received in an appropriate therapeutic environment, as proposed by the practice of HB, can be promoters of healing and personal development (Afanasenko et al, 2014;Grof, 1987;Grof, 2015;Rhinewine & Williams, 2007).…”