About

My story:

One December night, I simply stopped sleeping. In a 24 hours period I went from being an average sleeper to an insomniac, only getting an average of 1-3 hours per night. Because this insomnia continued for 13 months, it eventually lead to a cascade of effects including adrenal, thyroid, kidney and liver failure. Not to mention the emotional impact that manifested in panic attacks and nervous system dysregulation.

I remember nights where I would lay on the living room floor, curled up in the fetal position just sobbing, crying out for relief and yet, relief would not come. I didn’t want to live anymore if this was what “living” was.

However, there was still a fight left in me and in this season I went on a deep dive into inner healing of the mind, body and soul. I explored healing modalities such as Nuero Feedback, Acupuncture, Chiropractic care, Energy Healing, Yoga, Meditation along with major dietary and nutritional research. While EVERY SINGLE ONE of these played a part in my healing journey; Breathwork was what catapulted me into my breakthrough.

You see, Breathwork helped me get to root of why I wasn’t sleeping in the first place. I didn’t realize that for my entire life I had been in a state of fight or flight due to trauma as a child and an unhealthy family dynamic growing up. Though I had been in counseling for a large majority of my adult life and had a beautiful personal practice of contemplative prayer and meditation, there were still wounds that were deeply entrenched in my body and psyche; stuck energy that had become stagnant and toxic. The insomnia was the mind and body’s way of sounding the alarm and saying: “Enough is enough! The toxicity will kill us if we do not purge and heal!”

The beautiful thing about Breathwork is that it allows this trapped energy to move up and out without the need to analyze and scrutinize. Creating a safe space as it bypasses the cerebral “monkey mind” and just moves through in liberation.

Breathwork quickly became my go-to practice at work any time I would feel my nervous system overloading. I noticed such a change in my sleep and overall health that I then began my journey to become certified as a Breathwork practitioner. At first my reasons for this training were purely personal because I wanted to be trained in healing myself; but as time went by and I began practicing on others, I was awakened to the innate gift I have to hold space for those who needed to be seen, known and supported in this journey we call LIFE.

I trust that my experience can help yours. 

 – Joy August