Name: Christine Dawkins
Address: GB
Rating: 5

Question 1

I want to try a group breathwork session, but I'm not sure which one.

Accepted Answer

If this is the first time you are trying group breathwork, and you are nervous about this, or have any kind of health condition - it's usually better to start off with a pranayama session. If you feel good with this, then move onto the Breathe with Christine or Soma Breath sessions.

If you are in full health, and want to try something new and fun - try the Breathe with Christine session, or Soma Breath sessions.

The longer Awakening sessions are a more advanced session - which beginners can access and have great take away impacts from. Though it's probably not the best session to start with if you feel nervous in any way about trying it. These sessions are longer, and so do have a different impact on how you feel and the experience you have. Some say these sessions can be quite psychedelic. Variations can also be provided for people who fall into the contraindication groups, but still want to have the Awakening experience.

We must respect our body, our nervous system, and their relationship to pace.

I also think that we all move through our preferences of what 'type' of breathwork we like best, at different points in our lives.

Question 2

Are the sessions safe for everyone?

Accepted Answer

Yes. There is a style of breathwork that can benefit everyone, however if you are feeling unsure please do reach out to discuss any concerns you might have. There are some overly activating styles of breathwork like conscious connected breathing, and holotropic breathing, which can be unsafe for some - but I do not offer these styles of breathwork in my services.

The pranayama sessions are suitable for absolutely everyone.

The Soma Breath sessions do have one technique that is not suitable for some groups of people, for example those who are pregnant, have epilepsy, heart irregularities/ pacemaker, or late stage terminal illness. However Christine will communicate with you prior to the session to check if you have any health concerns. If so, variations of that technique are included in the session, and you are personally told beforehand what to do instead. All contraindications are clearly stated at the start of each session. In group sessions, it is quite common to have variations offered, which are often for a number of different people.

Private 1:1 and small group Soma Breath sessions can be planned to account for the needs absolutely everyone, and can be hugely beneficial.

Question 3

What can I expect from a SOMA Breath session?

Accepted Answer

Soma breath sessions are a mid strength form of breathwork that can be done lying down or sitting up. All sessions have specially created trypnaural beats to breathe to, to boost the experience. Most people in the online sessions do this with the camera off, but you can keep it on if you like.

These sessions start with a guided relaxation and then a number of rounds of breathing, broken up by breath holds, or a variation of this technique. Christine is guiding all the way through. At the end of the session, mediation is very natural and easy, and so we spend a few mins in this space, enjoying all the good feelings we get from the breathwork. At the end of the session, you are guided back. If you are doing this session online, you are welcome to hang up and continue doing your own personal meditation, or you stay on the call to be guided back out of the experience.

In the online sessions you will need headphones, and optionally something to cover your eyes. These sessions are held via Zoom, and start within 3 mins of the start time, to respect everyone's time. Please be prepared to be on the call within that time frame.

The more rounds of breathwork we do, the deeper the experience becomes. Morning sessions have 2 rounds of breathing, evening and Sunday sessions have 3 rounds of breathing. Awakening sessions have 4+ round of breathing. Bespoke sessions are tailored to the person and group.

A quick health check will be sent out after booking, to ensure each person in the group is catered for and Christine is aware of your situation and needs. Not all techniques in this session are suitable for everyone, so the health check informs Christine as to how to prepare variations if needed, and she will communicate with you about this if you need to do something a bit differently. She also incorporates this into the guidance during the session.

Group Soma Breath session are more general, however the bespoke sessions can be catered to specific areas you would like to work on.

Question 4

What can I expect from a Pranayama session?

Accepted Answer

The pranayama sessions are suitable for absolutely everyone - you just have to work out what your personal preference is.

Pranayama in one sense, means breath control - this is what we are doing with these techniques.

Theses sessions move through various breathing exercises, which are from the Ancient Indian Yogic techniques, and we do each exercise for a few mins, then we have a mindful pause to rebalance ourselves, as each technique will be doing something in our body. It's also becomes a nice point for a little meditation, as the session moves on.

Most sessions have around 5 techniques with the pauses.

In the morning sessions, some of the exercises will be energizing, as well as calming - so you are boosted with energy, but still in a calm and in a focused and regulated place to start the day from.

The evening pranayama sessions are fully calming and slowing techniques, with Bedtime pranayama often leaving most people asleep by the end of the session, or totally ready for a beautifully restful good night's sleep.

Although pranayama is not the strongest form of breathwork, many often enjoy these sessions the most, as they are naturally quite therapeutic for the body and mind.  You do get all the best bits.

Question 5

What kind of health conditions can breathwork help?

Accepted Answer

There's a saying that if you have 99 problems, breathwork can help around 95 of them.

Beyond the idea that breathwork can be relaxing and good for things like anxiety, stress management and pain management, here are some of the more niche areas I have worked in, for physical and emotional health:

*Cancer
*Pre-op nerves
*Dementia
*Heart issues
*Shingles
*COPD
*Pregnancy
*Bereaved partners and children, including those affected by suicide. 
*Adults and youths with mental health and psychiatric conditions, including those sectioned in live-in facilities. 
* work in schools with somatic behaviour and mindset invention, anxiety management, including students with SEND needs, coping with exam pressure, and managing emotions.    
*Couples breathwork, to deepen connection and relationship harmony. 
*Assisting those going through relationship breakdown, including divorce.  
*Family breathwork to build connection, and assist parents with tangible tools to help their children. 
*Carers, to help process the emotions that are often needed to be held back while caring for a loved one. 
*People with, and families of those effected by debilitating conditions, eg. Alzheimers and dementia, Motor Neurone Disease, etc.

Question 6

What are your corporate sessions like?

Accepted Answer

Corporate sessions can be tailored to the wishes of your business and what it requires. This can look like workshops for Mental Health Week, or targeted workshops that assist with occupational therapy plans in the workplace, or training sessions or videos to assist HR needs. They can involve an element of teaching with the breathwork, so the understanding of the science, benefits and continued personal work with the tools given help employees outside of the session and beyond. Outside of teaching breathwork, I have a degree in education and training, and this is a skill I often combine with my breathwork to deliver my corporate sessions. High achievers often appreciate this style of delivery.

However, these corporate sessions can also look like more relaxed weekly classes offered before or after work, both in person and online, to set them up for the day or week ahead, or to help them unwind after a long day, like a mid week reset for their nervous system.

Small group workshops in person are usually around 10 people per session. Larger groups can be accomodated, but this is best discussed together of how this can work.

I have experience working with multi-national corporations in the UK, who have asked me to deliver their workshops and provide training videos for them over consecutive years.

Question 7

What is Discovery call?

Accepted Answer

A discovery call is a quick 15 min chat to talk about what service you are interested in, and to know more about it. We can discuss personal issues or medical issues, what you would like to work towards, and how this might look in my sessions.

We will discuss the realistic outcomes for different periods of time, and it can also be a place where you give me the information required so I can go away and formulate a program, reaching back to you a few days later to discuss.

It is also where we can see if we are a good match to work together.

If I do not think that I personally can help you with what I offer - I will do my best to refer you on to someone I trust and think is better suited for your specific needs.

Christine Dawkins

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