Frequently Asked Questions
Understanding the Approach
Breathing pattern retraining is the process of identifying dysfunctional or adapted breathing habits and gently guiding them toward healthier patterns through education, awareness, and practice. It is not about breathing more, or trying harder — it is about restoring breathing that is appropriately calibrated to what the body needs for the given circumstances.
Functional breathing is comfortable, and fluidly adjusts to what the body needs — at rest, that means nasal, quiet, gentle, and rhythmic, with the diaphragm optimally engaged. It’s not a fixed state; it adapts smoothly as demand changes, then naturally returns to that calm baseline once increased demand passes.
Dysfunctional breathing is any chronic or habitual shift away from that pattern that produces symptoms, sometimes with no clear underlying cause. Many people have no idea their breathing pattern is adaptive and contributing to how they feel.
Those practices are typically deliberate, time-limited techniques you step into for a specific effect — calming down, energizing, or focusing — and then step back out of. Breathing pattern retraining works differently; the overarching goal is to shift your baseline resting pattern itself, so healthier breathing becomes your default — present at rest, in activity, under stress, and during sleep.
This is common, and it doesn’t mean this approach won’t work for you. Generic breathing exercises apply one technique to everyone rather than starting with an assessment of your unique pattern. Pushing a specific breath type or rhythm without knowing and adapting to your baseline can increase stress rather than ease it.
This work starts by identifying what’s actually happening in your breathing pattern, then makes targeted shifts from there.
This work draws on the Buteyko and BreatheAbility methods, respiratory physiology, and my background in dental hygiene and orofacial myofunctional therapy. I also bring trauma-sensitive training to this work, given how closely breathing and the nervous system are connected.
All sessions are with Emily, who has offered breathing pattern retraining since 2018.
Is This a Fit for Me?
This work is for people with a deep interest in breathing well for health and performance, as well as those who sense that their breathing isn’t quite right and are ready to commit to improving it.
Many of the people I work with are busy individuals holding it all together while privately carrying exhaustion, anxiety, disrupted sleep, or a nervous system that won’t quite settle. Others come to this work for snoring, mouth breathing, or breathing that feels effortful.
You do not need a diagnosis — just curiosity and a willingness to practice. This work is offered to adults.
Breathing pattern retraining addresses breathing — not conditions.
Snoring is breathing disruption — the sound of air vibrating airway tissues in an often narrowed airway, typically involving mouth breathing and more air volume than the body needs.
Sleep quality, anxiety, and nervous system regulation have a different kind of relationship with breathing pattern: as breathing normalizes, the nervous system can move into deeper calm — and that calm can ripple into better sleep, eased anxiety, and steadier regulation overall.
No. Breathing pattern retraining and education is not medical care. I do not diagnose or treat medical conditions. This work sits outside the clinical healthcare system — it is education and pattern work, grounded in respiratory physiology.
Yes, this work can be done alongside medical or dental treatment that you’re currently receiving. Breathing pattern retraining doesn’t replace that treatment, and any diagnosed condition should continue to be managed by your physician, dentist, ENT, or sleep specialist. If you’re unsure whether this is a fit alongside what you’re already doing, we can talk it through on our initial call, and I encourage you to discuss it with your provider as well.
No — you’re welcome to reach out directly, no referral needed. If a physician, dentist, or therapist has suggested breathing retraining, I’m glad to connect with them if that’s helpful to you.
Working Together
We begin with a complimentary call to talk through your current challenges and what you’re hoping for, and to see whether the work feels like a good fit. There’s no cost or obligation to this conversation. If it feels right, we schedule your first session.
The Foundation Series is five one-to-one sessions over eight weeks. Your sessions are 1.5 hours each and the time stays consistent throughout the series — the same day and time for each session — which helps the work build steadily. The series is followed by a dedicated one-hour follow-up at twelve weeks. This timeline reflects both research on habit formation and what I’ve seen give clients their best outcomes. Some people need additional sessions beyond the series — we adjust as needed.
Consistency is part of what makes this work — sessions are held at the same day and time throughout the series. I ask clients to hold that time as a standing commitment. That said, life happens, and if a conflict comes up, reach out and we’ll find a solution together.
All sessions are held online via Zoom, so you can work with me from anywhere. You’ll just need a computer or hands-free tablet with a camera, microphone, and a quiet, private space for our time together. You can work from a phone but a larger screen is strongly advised.
Breathing pattern retraining is not medical care and is not covered by insurance. Sessions are offered as a private-pay service. Investment and payment timing are discussed on our initial call.