I was so grateful for the Be Bold grant last year which helped with my costs starting up an LGBTQIA+ breathwork circle, which was mostly online, but I also ran some in person sessions in my local community.

The funding covered my Zoom subscription and some marketing to get the message out there. It wasn’t plain sailing from the start. Despite sharing the offering in multiple free and paid places, I only had 3 attendees at the first session, and on the second, no one showed up. It was disheartening, as I knew that there were a lot of people who would benefit from a safe space to practice breathwork with other queer people, but I wasn’t reaching them.

But by the third month, my spaces had been shared on a national queer wellness directory, and I also decided to switch my ticketing platform, and things started to pick up. I had 17 breathers at the next session, some of whom became staunch regulars. 

Over the months, it started to feel like a wonderful community. The online spaces provided an easy entry point to breathwork, with one participant sharing ‘I’m so glad I get to come to these every month. I am disabled and have agoraphobia and it is not possible for me to go to groups in person. But being able to come and do breathwork online is giving me the connection I need without it being too scary. Even though I join with my camera off and rarely speak, I love hearing everyone share about their experiences in the breathwork too. I feel less alone.’

As a facilitator, hearing a share like that makes it so worth while. I discovered breathwork myself while I was in inpatient treatment for PTSD, a really vulnerable time in my life, and it is such a privilege to now share one of my coping mechanisms with people who may be moving through their own challenging times.

Over the last year, I reached 105 people with breathwork and I hope that continues to grow.

Although I have unfortunately had to pause the breathwork circle temporarily for personal reasons, I will be back again soon, helping people to release stuck emotions and regulate their nervous systems.