Psychotherapeutic Mechanisms of Holotropic Breathwork Through Charles Tart's Model of Altered States of Consciousness: A Conceptual Analysis
The Korean East West Mind Science Association May 31, 2026 SungShin Hong, Sunghyun Park
Holotropic Breathwork, developed by Stanislav and Christina Grof, is an experiential technique whose psychotherapeutic mechanisms are theoretically explored using Charles T. Tart's model of altered states of consciousness. Tart's concepts of set, setting, and trigger, along with stages of consciousness change, are linked to the session structure of Holotropic Breathwork. Therapeutic change may involve disrupting and reorganizing rigid psychological patterns through a new discrete state of consciousness (d-SoC), which are then reintegrated upon returning to ordinary consciousness. The quality of set and setting, rather than the altered state itself, is critical for determining whether the experience leads to therapeutic benefit or psychological crisis. This analysis aims to strengthen theoretical foundations for clinical application in transpersonal psychotherapy.