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PsychotherapyVolume 33/Spring 1996/Number 1
HOLOTROPIC BREATHWORK: AN EXPERIENTIAL
APPROACH TO PSYCHOTHERAPY
SARAH W. HOLMES
ROBIN MORRIS
PAULINE ROSE CLANCE
R. THOMPSON PUTNEY
Georgia
State
University
The study investigated the relationship
between the use ofHolotropic
Breathwork and therapeutic changes in
levels of distress associated with
self-
identified problems, death anxiety,
self-
esteem,
and sense of affiliation with
others. Two groups of 24 subjects were
compared using a repeated measures
design. One group participated in a
combination of experientially oriented
psychotherapy plus six monthly sessions
ofHolotropic Breathwork (Breathwork
Group);
the second group participated
only in experientially oriented
psychotherapy (Therapy Group).
Dependent measures were Templer's
Death Anxiety Scale, the Abasement and
Affiliation subscales of the Personality
Research Form-E, and a questionnaire
regarding self-identified problems. The
Breathwork Group showed significant
reductions in death anxiety and increases
in self-esteem compared to the Therapy
Group. No significant differences were
observed between groups on affiliation or
self-identified problems. Results suggest
that experiential approaches to
psychotherapy may be useful in
Correspondence
regarding
this article should be addressed
to Sarah W. Holmes, Ph.D., 965 Virginia Ave. NE, Suite
100,
Atlanta, GA 30306.
ameliorating some types of
psychological problems.
The second half of the twentieth century has
seen a proliferation of experientially-oriented
psychotherapies. Many of the originators of these
approaches to psychological and emotional heal-
ing have recognized that intellectual understand-
ing of
the
nature and manifestation of
a
particular
psychological problem is often not sufficient to
resolve it (e.g.,
Grof,
1985; Janov, 1970; Perls,
1976).
These theorists maintain that the fullest
possible resolution of therapeutic issues can best
occur when the treatment approach accesses mul-
tiple levels of experience (i.e., cognitive, af-
fective, physiological, behavioral).
However, claims for the efficacy of such expe-
riential approaches are often based primarily on
clinical observation. In addition, the results of the
few empirical studies that have been conducted
are somewhat mixed
in
their support for
the
effec-
tiveness of experiential approaches (Wolf & Gold-
fried, 1988).
The primary purpose of this study was to con-
duct an empirical examination of
one
experiential
approach to psychological healing, Holotropic
Breathwork. Holotropic Breathwork is a non-
verbal therapeutic technique which employs
deep,
rapid breathing, evocative music, and fo-
cused body work to facilitate the emergence and
processing of material rooted outside conscious
awareness. For example, the Holotropic Breath-
work method may allow one to access, fully re-
experience, and integrate previous trauma such
as
a serious childhood
injury.
Proponents ofHolo-
tropic Breathwork maintain that this process of
working through and integrating the traumatic
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