In holotropic Breathwork breath is made faster and deeper in order to access and release old trauma (including PTSD).
I imagine this uses a mechanism of conciously activating fight or flight to confront whatever psychological material is available and recontextualize the self as safe.
Holotropic Breathwork was created by Dr. Stan Groff as an alternative to LSD Therapy after prohibition.
His thesis was that symptoms were just a half expressed cure. Meaning, if you have anxiety, the trick is to actually "make it bigger" - in this case using breath work, to release whatever trauma was at the core of it.
Holotropic Breathwork is usually "faster and deeper" breath.
After 20 minutes or so (combined with Rythmic music) you end up in a space very similar to classic psychedelics. However this space is much more controllable in that if it gets too intense you can always slow your breath down.
Much in the same way people find relief from PTSD, anxiety, depression, etc. with the classic psychedelics, they have similar results with Holotropic Breathwork.
Once these sessions are over, often whatever it was that was the issue is resolved for good or at least dramatically diminished.
I've found HB to be very useful in conjunction with more classic Psychedelic therapies.
Does that help? If not, please rephrase for me and I'll try to answer.
I'm already "sold" on the healing potential of these modalities: psychedelics, float tanks, Lucid Lights, etc...HB would be good to add to the list, mostly because it's probably a great gateway for others to direct spiritual practice and more healing. Thank you!
I love it and have been going every few months.
email me if you like and we can chat more.
A@175g.com
Ps, while it's simple enough to put on a Breathwork playlist and turn up the volume and to breathe faster and deeper for a few hours, having a trained sitter to hold the space is useful for getting at and working with material you may not allow yourself to confront on your own. Also, can be a little risky if, say, your deep abandonment terror comes up and you are all alone.