Breathe your way to mental wellness

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- It's something we do all day, every day: breathe. But our breath can actually be a powerful tool to regulate our bodies in times of stress, and gain a deeper connection to your inner self. There are hundreds of types of breathwork that can target different issues each person may be dealing with.

 Joseph Crespillo, founder of Unconditional Healing, has taught hundreds of people how to use their breath with one method called "D-9."

"I came to breathwork by necessity.  I was dealing w anxiety a lot during the day and I had a few panic attacks that landed me in the hospital," Crespillo says. Not wanting to be medicated, his search for a natural solution led him to breathwork.

"My first session I was amazed because my anxiety instantly melted away.  Completely gone.  I haven't had a panic attack since.  I know it was because I accessed my internal pharmacy," Crespillo says.

Some popular types of breathing include box breathing, diaphragmatic breathing, deep breathing, and pursed lip breathing. Parasympathetic breathing techniques can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which reduces stress and relaxes the body.

The D-9 breathing system guides participants as they listen to cues on their headphones and follow instructions of how to breathe and relax different parts of their bodies. Participants tell me they leave relaxed, with many shedding tears as they experience great relief. They add it's an experience they crave every few weeks.

Participant Edgar Duron says he was a little intimidated at first but fell in love with the experience. Breathwork has become the catalyst to what he calls a "beautiful healing journey."

Breathwork or guided breathing can help reduce stress and anxiety, improve mood, and reduces symptoms of depression. It boosts focus and can help clear our minds. Licensed Professional Counselor Traci Presley says everyone should have a breathing technique or two they can turn to throughout the day.

"The technique is: breathe in, and then do a double sip, then breathe out really slow like you have a straw in your mouth.  Again, breathe in, 2, 3, 4...double sip...breathe out...." To see this breathing technique in action, click on the video attached to this article.

For more information on Unconditional Healing and the services mentioned, call (915)850-3587.