Breathwork for Anxiety and Nervous System Regulation
When people find me at Breathe Again Wellness here in Olympia, Washington, one of the most common things they ask for is breathwork for anxiety. And I get it—anxiety can feel loud, persistent, and confusing, especially when your mind “knows” you’re safe but your body doesn’t feel that way. In my work as a trauma-informed breathwork facilitator and somatic coach, I focus on nervous system regulation in a way that’s gentle, practical, and designed to help you feel safer inside your body.
In this article, I’ll walk you through how anxiety shows up in the body, why the breath is such a direct pathway to shifting your stress response, and how conscious connected breathwork differs from quick calming exercises. I’ll also share a few simple practices you can try today—plus how I support local clients through private sessions, women’s circles and retreats, and workplace wellness offerings.
Anxiety Isn’t Just in Your Mind—It’s in Your Body
One of the first things I gently remind clients is this: anxiety isn’t purely a “thinking problem.” It’s often a body state. When your nervous system is in activation mode (often called fight-or-flight), your body behaves like something isn’t safe—even if your logical mind understands that you’re okay.
Common body-based signs of anxiety
Tight shoulders, jaw, or chest
Shallow, rapid breathing (or feeling like you can’t get a full breath)
Racing thoughts or looping worry
Trouble sleeping or waking up wired
Feeling on edge, restless, or hypervigilant
Feeling exhausted but unable to truly relax
When these patterns become your baseline, it can feel like anxiety is “who you are.” But in many cases, it’s your system doing what it learned to do: protect you. Breathwork for anxiety can help you work with that protective response rather than fighting it.
Why the Breath Impacts the Stress Response So Quickly
Your breath is one of the most direct ways to communicate with your nervous system. In a very real sense, breathing patterns are information: they tell the body whether it’s time to mobilize or time to soften.
Fast, shallow breathing tends to reinforce stress
When breathing becomes short, rapid, and high in the chest, it often reinforces an internal message of urgency. That doesn’t mean you’re doing something “wrong”—it’s just a common pattern when the body is bracing.
Slower, fuller, more rhythmic breathing can signal safety
When your exhale lengthens and your breathing becomes more spacious, the nervous system often receives a different message: “It’s okay to settle.” This is a key reason breathwork for anxiety can create noticeable shifts, sometimes within minutes.
That said, I also want to be clear: deep regulation isn’t about forcing calm. It’s about building the capacity to move from activation into settling—and back again—without getting stuck.
Breathing Exercises vs. Conscious Connected Breathwork
There are many quick breathing tools online, and I use them often in group settings and corporate wellness workshops. They can be wonderful for “right now” relief—like before a meeting, while stuck in traffic, or in a moment of overwhelm.
Conscious connected breathwork is different. It’s a deeper practice designed to work with what’s accumulated in the body over time—especially stress that never fully completed its cycle.
How I explain the difference
Breathing exercises are often symptom-focused (calm me down, help me sleep, slow my heart rate).
Conscious connected breathwork is process-focused (help my system metabolize what it’s holding, increase resilience, support emotional integration).
For many people, anxiety isn’t only about what’s happening today. It’s about what’s been carried for years: the seasons where you had to keep going, stay strong, push through, or not feel what you were feeling. The body can hold onto that activation, and over time it may start to feel like constant anxiety.
This is one reason breathwork for anxiety can be so supportive: it helps your system gently process what hasn’t had a safe way to move.
What “Regulation” Actually Means (and What It Doesn’t)
I think “regulation” is often misunderstood. It doesn’t mean you’ll never feel stress again. It also doesn’t mean you’ll be calm all the time.
Nervous system regulation is the ability to move through contraction (stress, fear, activation) and return to expansion (settling, rest, connection) without staying stuck in either place.
In real life, regulation can look like:
Noticing you’re activated sooner (before you spiral)
Recovering more quickly after a stressful conversation
Sleeping more consistently (even if life is still busy)
Feeling more present in your body
Making choices from clarity instead of urgency
This is why I approach breathwork for anxiety with pacing, choice, and safety. We’re not aiming for dramatic catharsis. We’re aiming for sustainable change.
What a Trauma-Informed Breathwork Session Can Feel Like
At Breathe Again Wellness, my approach is trauma-informed, evidence-informed, and gentle. That means I prioritize your sense of safety and your nervous system capacity. We don’t force anything, and we don’t overwhelm your system.
In a typical one-on-one session, we focus on:
Creating a supported container so your body can soften over time
Pacing and choice (you’re always in charge of your experience)
Tracking body signals like breath, tension, temperature, and emotion
Building capacity rather than “pushing through”
Integration so you can take what you learn into everyday life
Many people are surprised by how practical this work is. Yes, emotions can arise—because you’re human—but the goal is steady, supported nervous system regulation that actually translates to how you live and relate.
Is Breathwork for Anxiety a Good Fit for You?
Breathwork for anxiety can be especially helpful if you recognize yourself in any of these experiences:
You feel tense most of the time, even when nothing is “wrong.”
You have trouble relaxing, resting, or turning your brain off.
You overthink and feel stuck in mental loops.
You feel disconnected from your body or numb.
You’re navigating stress, burnout, or a major life transition.
In my Olympia-based practice, I often support adults who have done a lot of “mind work” (therapy, books, self-help) and are ready for a body-based approach that meets them where they are—without intensity for intensity’s sake.
A Simple Practice You Can Try Right Now (30–60 Seconds)
If anxiety is up in this moment, here’s a small step that can create a meaningful shift. It’s simple, but simple doesn’t mean shallow.
Inhale slowly through your nose (easy, unforced).
Exhale a little longer than your inhale (as if you’re letting your shoulders drop).
Repeat 3–5 rounds, noticing what changes—breath, jaw, belly, thoughts.
This is not about “fixing” yourself. It’s a way of offering your body a new message: you’re here, you’re present, and you’re allowed to soften.
Over time, practices like this can support nervous system regulation—and they pair beautifully with deeper session work when you’re ready.
How I Support Clients in Olympia (and Beyond)
Because everyone’s needs are different, I offer multiple ways to explore breathwork for anxiety through Breathe Again Wellness:
Ways to work together
Private one-on-one breathwork sessions (in person in Olympia, Washington, and virtually)
Women’s circles and retreats for community support, connection, and integration
Corporate wellness workshops for teams, organizations, and employee resource groups
Whether you’re seeking personal support or looking to bring regulation tools into a workplace culture, the intention is the same: helping you and your community feel safer in your bodies—because when the body feels safe, anxiety often softens naturally.
Key Takeaways
Anxiety is often a whole-body experience, not just a mental one.
Your breathing patterns directly influence your stress response and sense of safety.
Breathwork for anxiety can be both immediate (in-the-moment calming) and long-term (building resilience).
Conscious connected breathwork can help your body process accumulated stress that never had a chance to discharge.
Nervous system regulation means flexibility—moving through stress and returning to steadiness without getting stuck.
Trauma-informed pacing, choice, and integration make the work sustainable and supportive.
Where to Go From Here
If a private, one-on-one breathwork session sounds like the kind of support you’re looking for, I offer trauma-informed sessions here in Olympia, Washington, both in person and virtually. I also host women’s circles, retreats, and corporate wellness workshops for teams and organizations, so you can choose the level of support that fits your life right now. You can explore upcoming sessions or schedule time with me at Breathe Again Wellness—and if you’re ready to take the next step with breathwork for anxiety, I’d be honored to work with you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does breathwork for anxiety help in the moment?
Breathwork for anxiety helps by shifting breathing patterns from short and rapid to slower, fuller, and more rhythmic. This can signal safety to the nervous system and reduce the fight-or-flight response, often creating a noticeable change within minutes.
What is conscious connected breathwork, and how is it different from basic breathing exercises?
Basic breathing exercises are often used for quick calming and symptom relief. Conscious connected breathwork is a deeper, guided practice that can help the body process accumulated stress and support emotional integration over time, with an emphasis on pacing and safety.
What does nervous system regulation mean for someone with anxiety?
Nervous system regulation is the ability to move through activation (stress, worry, tension) and return to a more settled state without getting stuck. It’s not about never feeling stress—it’s about building flexibility and resilience.
Is trauma-informed breathwork safe if I feel easily overwhelmed?
Trauma-informed breathwork prioritizes choice, pacing, and nervous system capacity. The goal is to avoid overwhelm and support steady regulation. If you’re easily overwhelmed, it’s often best to work with a trained facilitator who can tailor the approach to you.
Do you offer breathwork sessions in Olympia, Washington?
Yes. Through Breathe Again Wellness, I offer trauma-informed private breathwork sessions in Olympia, Washington, as well as virtual sessions. I also facilitate women’s circles, retreats, and corporate wellness workshops.
Can breathwork for anxiety help with sleep and racing thoughts?
It can. Many people find that learning to lengthen the exhale and practice rhythmic breathing helps the body settle, which can reduce racing thoughts and make it easier to fall asleep. Longer-term work can also improve overall nervous system resilience.