If you have searched for breathwork in Australia you have probably hit a wall of labels: holotropic, rebirthing, conscious connected, somatic, shamanic, 9D, Wim Hof, pranayama. Most of them are related. Some of them are the same thing with different branding.
Here is a clear map.
The two big families
Almost every style falls into one of two groups.
1. Regulating / down-shifting practices. Slow, nasal, extended-exhale breathing. Physiological sighs, box breathing, coherent breathing, most pranayama. These calm the system in minutes. Low risk, learnable at home, useful daily.
2. Activating / releasing practices. Fast, circular, connected breathing sustained for 20 to 40 minutes. Holotropic, rebirthing, conscious connected, somatic, shamanic and 9D all sit here. These deliberately shift your state to let held material move. Higher intensity, and they belong in a held container with a trained facilitator.
Most people looking for "breathwork" have heard about the second group. Most people would benefit enormously from also having the first in their daily life.
Holotropic breathwork
Developed by psychiatrists Stanislav and Christina Grof in the 1970s as a non-drug route to non-ordinary states of consciousness. The classic format is long — often two to three hours — with loud evocative music, in pairs where participants alternate between breather and "sitter", followed by mandala drawing and group sharing.
The word means "moving toward wholeness". It is deeply established, and it is intense. Sessions are usually run in workshop settings rather than as private appointments, and the classical form is trademarked with its own certification lineage.
Conscious connected breathwork
The broader, modern family that most Australian facilitators practise — including us. Circular breathing with no pause between inhale and exhale, typically 20 to 40 minutes, with music and facilitator guidance.
Compared to classical holotropic it is generally shorter, more adaptable, and much more commonly offered one-to-one. That last point matters: a private session can be paced precisely to your nervous system in a way a workshop cannot.
Rebirthing breathwork
Leonard Orr's 1970s lineage, and one of the roots of conscious connected work. Same circular breath, historically with a focus on birth and early-life imprints, sometimes practised in warm water. The breathing mechanics are close to identical to conscious connected work; the framing is what differs.
Somatic breathwork
Less a distinct breath pattern than an emphasis. Somatic approaches pay close attention to body sensation, movement, sound and the completion of stress responses, drawing on trauma-informed frameworks. Usually gentler and more titrated. This orientation strongly informs how we work.
Shamanic breathwork
Connected breathing inside a ceremonial frame — drumming, chanting, ritual, indigenous-inspired cosmology. The breath is a vehicle for a spiritual journey. Whether it fits depends entirely on whether that framing resonates with you.
9D breathwork
Conscious connected breathing delivered inside a nine-layer produced soundscape. It is a delivery format rather than a new physiology. We wrote a full explainer: what is 9D breathwork?
Wim Hof method
A different animal. Cycles of 30 to 40 deep breaths followed by a breath retention, usually paired with cold exposure. It is a hormetic stress-and-adapt protocol aimed at resilience, inflammation and cold tolerance — not primarily an emotional release practice. Never do it in or near water.
Pranayama
The yogic parent of all of it, and thousands of years older. Nadi shodhana, ujjayi, bhramari, kapalabhati and others, each with a specific purpose. Michelle's background as a yoga teacher and Ayurvedic lifestyle counsellor means these tools sit alongside the modern work rather than underneath it.
How to choose
Want to feel calmer today? Start with slow, extended-exhale breathing. Five minutes, nasal, exhale longer than the inhale. No facilitator needed.
Carrying something specific — grief, burnout, anxiety, an old chapter? Choose a private, trauma-aware, conscious connected session. Pace and safety matter more than style.
Want the collective experience? A well-facilitated group journey is hard to beat. See our community events.
Chasing physical resilience? Wim Hof, with proper safety instruction.
Bringing it into a workplace? Regulating practices, not activating ones. That is exactly what our corporate programs are built around.
The thing that matters more than the label
Style is secondary. The container is primary.
Ask about training and lineage. Ask what happens if you become distressed. Ask how much time is left for integration. Ask whether you can stop at any point. A facilitator who answers those clearly will serve you better than the most fashionable modality with a vague one.
If you are on Sydney's Northern Beaches and want help working out where to start, book a free 10-minute consult — or read more about how we practise.