What is Integrative Breathwork?
Integrative Breathwork is a modern breathwork therapy developed by psychotherapist and author Jacquelyn Small in 1991. The approach is based on her work in Holotropic Breathwork alongside Dr. Grof, adapting those techniques into a distinct modality that emphasizes self-directed inner exploration. Integrative Breathwork combines accelerated breathing with evocative music, mixed in a specifically designed, high fidelity playlist, typically with eyes closed and lying down, each person utilizing their own breath and the music to experience a non-ordinary state of consciousness. Unlike guided meditation or therapist-led processing, the practice relies on the participant’s own “inner intelligence” to surface material requiring attention—memories, emotions, bodily sensations, or spiritual insights.
The method operates on the premise that psychological, emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being are interconnected and accessible through specific breathing patterns. Sessions typically last two hours and take place in a controlled, supportive environment. Practitioners lie down, breathe in a sustained, accelerated rhythm (often described as circular or conscious connected breathing), and allow the music and breath to catalyze altered states. Because it is not guided or facilitated, the therapeutic catharsis, revelations, answers, and/or images you receive are all yours alone, meaning you can trust what that comes forward to be exactly what you need at the time. The psyche searches for content with enough emotional charge to bring it to your awareness to work with, and it can be very effective for working with addiction, trauma, depression and anxiety.
Origins & Lineage
In the Spring of 1991, Jacquelyn Small discovered a method which is a powerful psychic opener, naming it “Integrative Breathwork”, an adaptation of Holotropic Breathwork she co-taught with Stanislav Grof, M.D. during the '80’s. Small, a pioneer in transpersonal psychology and addiction recovery, had worked directly with Stanislav and Christina Grof in the 1980s, co-facilitating Holotropic sessions and studying the therapeutic potential of non-ordinary states of consciousness.
The lineage traces back to Holotropic Breathwork, developed by Stanislav Grof—a Czech psychiatrist whose LSD-assisted psychotherapy research in the 1950s and 1960s led him to seek non-pharmacological methods for accessing deep unconscious material after LSD was criminalized. Grof and his wife Christina formalized Holotropic Breathwork in the 1970s, drawing on insights from depth psychology, Eastern spiritual traditions, and indigenous ceremonial practices. Small’s Integrative adaptation retained the core mechanics—accelerated breathing, evocative music, bodywork support, and integration through art and discussion—but refined the approach to emphasize personal empowerment and the psyche’s self-organizing capacity.
Judith Kravitz created Transformational Breath and Jacquelyn Small founded Integrative Breathwork, both women having studied with both Grof and Leonard Orr (founder of Rebirthing Breathwork). This cross-pollination of influences in the early 1990s produced several distinct breathwork lineages, each emphasizing different therapeutic or spiritual dimensions.
How It’s Practiced
An Integrative Breathwork session follows a structured protocol. Participants typically work in pairs or small groups, with one person “breathing” while another serves as a supportive witness or “sitter.” The breather lies down in a comfortable space, closes their eyes, and begins breathing in a continuous, accelerated pattern—inhaling and exhaling without pause, often through the mouth. This sustained hyperventilation alters blood chemistry (lowering CO2 levels), which can produce physical sensations (tingling, temperature changes, muscle tension) and psychological shifts.
Evocative music plays throughout, carefully sequenced to mirror the arc of the session: building intensity, reaching a climax, then gradually returning to stillness. The playlist is high-fidelity and often includes drumming, orchestral pieces, choral music, and ambient soundscapes. Unlike guided visualization, the facilitator does not direct the content of the experience; the breather navigates their inner landscape autonomously.
Physical and emotional release are common. Some participants cry, laugh, shake, or move spontaneously. Others remain still and report vivid imagery, ancestral memories, or encounters with archetypal figures. Trained facilitators provide grounding, physical support (such as applying pressure to areas of tension), and hold space for whatever arises without interpretation.
After the breathwork portion (usually 60–90 minutes), participants transition to integration. Many create mandalas or drawings to symbolize their experience, then share in a group circle. This verbal and artistic processing helps anchor insights and emotions back into waking consciousness.
Integrative Breathwork Today
Integrative Breathwork is practiced in retreat centers, psychotherapy offices, and online formats worldwide. It is often incorporated into addiction recovery programs, trauma therapy intensives, and spiritual development workshops. Some practitioners are licensed therapists who integrate the modality into psychotherapy; others are certified breathwork facilitators who offer standalone sessions or group workshops.
Jacquelyn Small’s Eupsychia Institute, founded in Austin, Texas, trained hundreds of facilitators through the 1990s and 2000s, spreading the method internationally. While less commercially visible than some other breathwork brands (such as Wim Hof Method or Transformational Breath), Integrative Breathwork remains influential within transpersonal and somatic psychology circles.
Seekers typically encounter Integrative Breathwork through word-of-mouth, referrals from therapists, or online directories of conscious/spiritual practitioners. Sessions range from private one-on-one work to weekend group intensives. The method is also taught in somatic psychotherapy training programs, where it is valued for its capacity to access pre-verbal and somatic memory without relying on cognitive processing.
Common Misconceptions
Integrative Breathwork is not a relaxation technique. While participants may feel deeply relaxed afterward, the process itself can be intense, confrontational, and physically demanding. It is designed to surface unconscious material, which may include difficult emotions, traumatic memories, or existential uncertainty.
It is not interchangeable with pranayama, although both involve conscious breathing. Pranayama practices from yoga are typically slower, more controlled, and embedded in a specific philosophical framework. Integrative Breathwork uses sustained hyperventilation to induce altered states, a technique more akin to shamanic or ecstatic practices.
It is not guided imagery or hypnosis. Facilitators do not suggest content or direct the breather’s experience. The method trusts the psyche’s innate wisdom to reveal what needs attention.
Finally, it is not a substitute for medical or psychiatric care. While therapeutic, Integrative Breathwork is contraindicated for individuals with certain conditions (cardiovascular disease, severe mental illness, pregnancy) and should be practiced under qualified supervision.
How to Begin
Those interested in experiencing Integrative Breathwork should seek a trained facilitator certified by Jacquelyn Small’s lineage or a transpersonal psychology program that includes breathwork training. Online directories of breathwork practitioners often list modalities; look for “Integrative Breathwork” or inquire about the facilitator’s training background.
Reading Jacquelyn Small’s writings—particularly her work on psycho-spiritual integration and addiction recovery—provides helpful context. Her book Transformers: The Therapists of the Future explores the philosophical underpinnings of the approach.
Beginners should expect an intake conversation with the facilitator to assess readiness and contraindications. First sessions are often one-on-one to establish safety and familiarity with the process. Group workshops offer the added dimension of collective energy and shared witnessing.
As with any consciousness-altering practice, approach with clear intention, respect for the process, and willingness to integrate whatever surfaces. Integrative Breathwork is a tool for self-exploration, not a quick fix, and its value unfolds over time through repeated practice and integration.