Holotropic breathwork: An experiential approach to psychotherapy.

Adding six monthly sessions of Holotropic Breathwork to experientially oriented psychotherapy reduced death anxiety and increased self-esteem more than psychotherapy alone. The study compared two groups of 24 subjects each: one group received a combination of experiential psychotherapy plus breathwork, while the other received only psychotherapy. No differences were found between groups on feelings of affiliation with others or on distress from self-identified problems. The findings suggest that experiential approaches may be useful for addressing death anxiety and self-esteem.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The study investigated the relationship between the use ofHolotropic Breathwork and therapeutic changes in levels of distress associated with selfidentified problems, death anxiety, selfesteem, and sense of affiliation with others. Two groups of 24 subjects were compared using a repeated measures design. One group participated in a combination of experientially oriented psychotherapy plus six monthly sessions ofHolotropic Breathwork (Breathwork Group); the second group participated only in experientially oriented psychotherapy (Therapy Group). Dependent measures were Templer's Death Anxiety Scale, the Abasement and Affiliation subscales of the Personality Research Form-E, and a questionnaire regarding self-identified problems. The Breathwork Group showed significant reductions in death anxiety and increases in self-esteem compared to the Therapy Group. No significant differences were observed between groups on affiliation or self-identified problems. Results suggest that experiential approaches to psychotherapy may be useful in