Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Rebirthing

Rebirthing, also known as rebirthing-breathwork, is an alternative therapeutic practice involving continuous, connected circular breathing sessions designed to induce altered states of consciousness and purportedly release prenatal and birth-related traumas through emotional catharsis.^[1] Developed by Leonard Orr in the 1970s following his personal experiences of spontaneous hyperventilation-induced recollections, the technique emphasizes "intuitive energy breathing" without pauses between inhales and exhales, often conducted in groups or one-on-one to address suppressed emotions like fear and anger.^[2] Proponents claim it fosters self-awareness and healing by accessing subconscious memories, though empirical validation for these specific mechanisms remains limited, with broader breathwork practices showing modest reductions in stress via physiological effects such as altered CO2 levels rather than trauma resolution.^[3] A distinct and more coercive variant of rebirthing emerged in the context of attachment therapies for children diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder, incorporating physical simulation of birth through tight swaddling in blankets or sheets, applied pressure, and encouragement to "fight through" distress, which ignores standard medical safeguards against hypoxia.^[4] This approach, lacking peer-reviewed support for efficacy and rooted in unverified theories of overcoming "resistance" to bonding, gained notoriety after the 2000 death of 10-year-old Candace Newmaker during a 70-minute session in Colorado, where she suffocated after repeatedly signaling inability to breathe while wrapped and compressed by pillows and adults.^[5] The incident, captured on video, led to convictions for reckless child abuse resulting in death against therapists Connell Watkins and Julie Ponder, who received 16-year sentences, and prompted a statewide ban on such techniques in Colorado, alongside U.S. Senate condemnation highlighting rebirthing as the most hazardous form of attachment therapy.^[6]^[7] These events underscored causal risks of oxygen deprivation and psychological coercion, with no demonstrated therapeutic benefits outweighing the documented harms in controlled studies.^[8]

Overview

Definition and Core Concepts

Rebirthing, also known as rebirthing breathwork, is a form of alternative therapy that employs conscious, connected breathing techniques to facilitate the release of emotional and psychological blockages, particularly those purportedly stemming from the trauma of birth. Pioneered by Leonard Orr in the United States during the late 1960s and early 1970s, the practice involves rhythmic, circular breathing—characterized by continuous inhalations and exhalations without natural pauses—to induce hyperoxygenation, altered states of consciousness, and the surfacing of suppressed memories or emotions.^[9]^[10] Practitioners assert that this process simulates and resolves the primal stress of birth, enabling personal rebirth and enhanced vitality, though such outcomes lack robust empirical validation beyond anecdotal reports. At its core, rebirthing operates on the premise that birth represents a foundational psychosomatic event imprinting lifelong patterns of fear, tension, and survival instincts, including what Orr termed the "fear of death" as the primary human affliction. The technique typically occurs in sessions lasting 45 to 90 minutes, often in warm water to mimic the womb or on dry land, with a facilitator guiding the breather to maintain focus and surrender to emerging sensations. Key elements include verbal affirmations to reframe negative birth narratives and integration of physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions, aiming for holistic self-healing.^[11]^[12] While rebirthing emphasizes voluntary participation and self-empowerment through breath as a direct access to subconscious material, its theoretical foundations draw from metaphysical rather than evidence-based psychology, with limited peer-reviewed studies confirming long-term efficacy or causality in trauma resolution. Critics highlight potential risks such as hyperventilation-induced dizziness, emotional overwhelm, or exacerbation of underlying conditions without medical oversight, underscoring the need for caution in its application.^[4] Distinct from coercive "attachment rebirthing" variants later adapted for children—which involve physical restraint and have been linked to fatalities and subsequent bans—the original breathwork form prioritizes non-invasive, adult-oriented exploration.^[5] Rebirthing breathwork, as developed by Leonard Orr in the 1970s, employs continuous circular breathing without pauses between inhalation and exhalation to access and release suppressed emotions tied specifically to birth trauma, distinguishing it from primal therapy's emphasis on vocal catharsis and reliving broader childhood pains through screaming and emotional expression.^[2] Unlike primal therapy, which relies on therapist-guided regression to primal scenes via verbal and physical outbursts, rebirthing prioritizes somatic release through breath alone, typically in sessions lasting 45-60 minutes without evocative music or aggressive confrontation.^[13] In contrast to holotropic breathwork, pioneered by Stanislav Grof in the 1970s, rebirthing focuses narrowly on perinatal experiences and personal biography, using a gentler, guided connected breathing pattern in individual or small-group settings, whereas holotropic induces altered states for transpersonal and collective unconscious exploration via accelerated breathing combined with rhythmic music and optional bodywork, often in extended group sessions up to three hours.^[14] Holotropic's non-directive approach encourages self-emergent visions and archetypes beyond birth trauma, while rebirthing maintains a structured emphasis on ego-strengthening and personal pattern interruption through breath integration.^[15] Attachment-holding rebirthing, a coercive variant used in some attachment disorder treatments, differs fundamentally from breathwork rebirthing by simulating physical birth through wrapping and compressing the body to force emotional bonding, as seen in the 2000 case of Candace Newmaker's death during a 70-minute session in Colorado, leading to bans on such practices.^[5] Breathwork rebirthing avoids physical restraint, relying instead on voluntary respiratory control for self-directed trauma resolution, without the risks of hypoxia or suffocation inherent in holding techniques, which have been condemned as pseudoscientific and dangerous by U.S. Senate resolutions.^[7] Rebirthing also stands apart from hypnotic regression therapies, which use trance states to revisit past events cognitively, by grounding its process in physiological breath mechanics rather than suggestion or visualization, aiming for direct cellular memory release over narrative reconstruction.^[16] Unlike general somatic experiencing or trauma release exercises, rebirthing's unbroken breath cycle specifically targets the hypothesized psychosomatic imprints of birth, eschewing titration or pendulation in favor of sustained immersion.^[17]

History

Origins in the 1970s

Rebirthing breathwork originated with Leonard Orr, an American spiritual seeker born in Walton, New York, who developed the technique through personal experimentation in the late 1960s and early 1970s.^[18]^[19] Orr, influenced by his background as a born-again Christian, began exploring conscious connected breathing while relaxing in a hot tub, where deep, circular breaths led him to spontaneously relive memories of his own birth process, including sensations of prenatal distress and delivery.^[20]^[21] This experience prompted him to refine the method as a therapeutic tool for accessing and resolving repressed birth trauma, positing that such early imprints contributed to lifelong psychological patterns.^[22] By the early 1970s, Orr had formalized rebirthing as a structured practice involving sessions of uninterrupted, circular breathing—inhalation seamlessly connected to exhalation without pauses—to induce altered states and emotional catharsis.^[12]^[23] He conducted initial sessions with friends and associates in California, observing recurring themes of birth-related imagery and release of suppressed emotions, which he attributed to the breath's ability to bypass verbal defenses and access subconscious material.^[21] Orr emphasized personal responsibility in the process, training participants to self-facilitate after 10 or more sessions with a rebirther, distinguishing it from dependency on therapists.^[22] The technique gained early traction within the burgeoning New Age and human potential movements of the 1970s, with Orr establishing informal training networks.^[20] Key early adopter Sondra Ray encountered rebirthing in 1974 and became a prominent proponent, adapting it to address relational and somatic issues while co-authoring works that popularized its applications.^[23] Orr's approach drew independent parallels to earlier explorations, such as Frank Lake's prenatal therapy in the 1960s, but prioritized breath as the primary mechanism over regression or hypnosis.^[24] These origins positioned rebirthing as a self-empowering practice amid the era's interest in alternative psychotherapies, though its claims of trauma resolution lacked empirical validation from controlled studies at the time.^[4]

Evolution and Key Figures

Leonard Orr refined rebirthing breathwork into a systematic technique by 1974, shifting from his initial personal experiments with circular breathing in hot tubs—intended to simulate the womb and evoke birth memories—to a guided process of conscious, connected nasal breathing without pauses, aimed at purging deep-seated emotional blockages.^[25] This evolution emphasized self-directed sessions after initial guidance, with rebirthers facilitating rather than directing the breath, distinguishing it from more externally stimulated methods like holotropic breathwork.^[14] Over the subsequent decades, the practice incorporated elements like verbal affirmations to reprogram "birth scripts"—negative beliefs allegedly formed during delivery—and expanded to address broader life traumas, though empirical evidence for resolving prenatal imprints remains anecdotal and unverified by controlled studies.^[1] Orr established Rebirthing Breathwork International in the 1970s, training thousands of practitioners worldwide and fostering a decentralized network that spread to Europe, Australia, and beyond by the 1980s, often through workshops blending spiritual enlightenment with somatic release.^[26] This commercialization included certifications and books promoting rebirthing as a tool for immortality and disease reversal, claims rooted in Orr's personal experiences rather than clinical trials.^[22] Variations emerged, such as "dry rebirthing" without water immersion, reflecting adaptations for accessibility, while the core tenet of breath as a vehicle for unconscious material integration persisted.^[24] Prominent figures include Orr (1938–2019), who pioneered the method after independent explorations paralleling earlier breathwork innovators like Frank Lake in the 1960s, and positioned rebirthing as a path to personal sovereignty.^[26]^[24] Sondra Ray, an early adopter and collaborator from the mid-1970s, advanced the practice by developing Liberation Breathing—a deeper, circular variant—and integrating it with relationship training, authoring influential texts that reached millions and emphasizing birth trauma's role in relational patterns.^[27] Ray's work, often termed the "Mother of Rebirthing," extended Orr's framework into metaphysical and interpersonal domains, training facilitators globally until her death in 2020.^[28] Other contributors, like trained rebirthers in Orr's lineage, propagated localized adaptations, though the movement's lack of centralized oversight led to inconsistent applications.^[29]

Spread and Commercialization

Rebirthing breathwork, initially developed by Leonard Orr in northern California during the early 1970s, expanded rapidly within the United States by the late 1970s, moving eastward from its origins and gaining adoption in diverse locations through personal referrals and introductory sessions.^[30] Orr formalized the practice as a therapeutic technique in 1974, after which it proliferated via informal networks among holistic and New Age communities, with proponents reporting that over 10 million individuals worldwide had engaged with it by the early 21st century, though such figures originate from practitioner accounts without independent verification.^[2]^[31] The technique's international dissemination accelerated in the 1980s and 1990s, as Orr conducted workshops and trainings in more than 40 countries, including Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South America, and India, often emphasizing self-healing and spiritual enlightenment to attract participants.^[29] To systematize this growth, Orr established Rebirthing Breathwork International (RBI) as a central organization for standardization and promotion, enabling certified trainers to offer sessions globally and fostering a network of facilitators who adapted the method locally.^[29] Commercialization emerged primarily through paid workshop formats and professional certification programs, transitioning rebirthing from ad hoc hot tub simulations of birth to structured, fee-based breathwork seminars that charged for multi-day intensives and ongoing training cycles.^[32] Early examples included Orr's Loving Relationships Training seminars in the late 1970s and 1980s, which integrated rebirthing with interpersonal dynamics, while later programs evolved into comprehensive 400-hour certifications costing between $1,000 and $3,000 or more, marketed to aspiring practitioners for personal transformation and vocational skills.^[33]^[34] Orr supplemented this with authorship of over 29 books, such as Rebirthing in the New Age (co-authored in 1978), which disseminated techniques and rationale to a broader audience via commercial publishing.^[29] By the 2000s, rebirthing had commercialized further into diverse offerings, including online and in-person facilitator trainings by independent centers, often priced as retreats or multi-month courses emphasizing trauma release and energy work, though regulatory oversight remained minimal outside voluntary alliances like the Global Professional Breathwork Alliance.^[35] This model sustained growth amid broader interest in breathwork, but practitioner-led sources predominate in documenting reach, potentially inflating estimates of adoption due to promotional incentives.^[32]

Methods and Techniques

Breathwork Rebirthing

Breathwork Rebirthing, developed by Leonard Orr in the 1970s, employs a specific pattern of conscious connected circular breathing to facilitate emotional release and access altered states of consciousness.^[10] The technique involves continuous breathing without pauses between inhalation and exhalation, typically performed through the mouth to maximize airflow, which differentiates it from nasal breathing practices.^[36] Sessions generally last 1 to 2 hours and are conducted in a supine position, with participants guided by a trained rebirther to maintain the rhythm while focusing on relaxation and any emerging sensations or memories.^[37] Proponents assert that this hyperventilatory breathing pattern induces physiological changes, such as reduced carbon dioxide levels leading to hypocapnia, which can trigger tetany, emotional catharsis, and purported reliving of birth trauma through activated autonomic nervous system responses.^[38] Physiologically, the method elevates respiration rates, increasing oxygen intake and potentially altering blood pH, effects documented in studies of high-ventilation breathwork practices that correlate with subjective reports of expanded awareness but also risks like dizziness or panic.^[8] Orr recommended an initial series of 10 private sessions to build proficiency, emphasizing "initiation" by an experienced teacher to integrate the practice safely.^[37] While anecdotal accounts describe breakthroughs in releasing suppressed emotions, empirical validation remains limited; general breathwork meta-analyses indicate modest reductions in stress markers, yet rebirthing-specific trials are scarce and often lack rigorous controls, with some researchers noting potential for iatrogenic effects from induced hyperventilation.^[3] Critics highlight the absence of evidence linking the technique directly to resolving prenatal trauma, attributing experiential phenomena more to nonspecific arousal than causal memory retrieval.^[4] Practitioners advise contraindications for those with respiratory conditions, cardiovascular issues, or pregnancy due to the intensity of the breathing.^[2]

Attachment-Holding Rebirthing

Attachment-holding rebirthing is a coercive technique employed in certain attachment therapies, wherein a child—typically one diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder—is wrapped tightly in blankets or flannel sheets from head to toe to replicate the womb's enclosure.^[5] Therapists or facilitators then apply external pressure using pillows, their bodies, or additional coverings to simulate uterine contractions and the birth canal, while directing the child to struggle, cry out, and "push" to emerge, purportedly reliving and resolving birth-related trauma or early separation experiences.^[4] Sessions often involve multiple adults maintaining restraint for durations exceeding 70 minutes, with the child positioned prone and immobilized to enforce cathartic emotional release.^[5] Proponents, primarily non-mainstream attachment therapists, assert that the method disrupts pathological "resistance" patterns, induces rage or grief expulsion, and forges bonds through enforced proximity and submission, drawing on fringe notions of prenatal cellular memory rather than empirical attachment models like those of John Bowlby.^[39] These claims lack support from validated psychological research, as no randomized controlled trials demonstrate improvements in attachment behaviors or symptom reduction in reactive attachment disorder.^[39] The procedure carries acute physical dangers, including positional asphyxiation from restricted breathing and circulation under sustained compression, as evidenced by the April 18, 2000, death of 10-year-old Candace Newmaker during a Colorado session.^[5] There, facilitators imposed equivalent restraint of 304 kilograms for over an hour despite the child's pleas of suffocation, leading to cardiac arrest and autopsy-confirmed asphyxia.^[5] The involved therapists, Connell Watkins and Julie Ponder, were convicted in 2001 of reckless child abuse resulting in death and sentenced to 16 to 48 years imprisonment.^[5] This incident prompted Colorado's enactment of "Candace's Law" on April 20, 2001, banning therapies requiring active physical restraint, with similar prohibitions in North Carolina and legislative proposals in states including Florida and Utah.^[5] ^[4] Professional organizations, including the American Psychiatric Association and the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, have denounced attachment-holding rebirthing as pseudoscientific and harmful, citing flawed assessment tools like the Reactive Attachment Disorder Questionnaire and risks of iatrogenic trauma or worsened relational distrust.^[39] Empirical evaluations reveal no causal link between simulated birth reenactment and attachment repair, underscoring the approach's divergence from evidence-based interventions like dyadic developmental psychotherapy.^[39]

Variations and Adaptations

Rebirthing breathwork, as originally developed by Leonard Orr in the 1970s, emphasizes conscious connected circular breathing without pauses between inhalation and exhalation, typically conducted in sessions lasting 1 to 2 hours to facilitate the release of suppressed emotions and cellular memories associated with birth trauma.^[4]^[40] This core technique, often termed Conscious Energy Breathing, induces hyperventilation-like states to access altered consciousness, with practitioners recommending a series of 10 initial sessions to overcome physiological responses such as tetany or cramping.^[41] Early adopters of Orr's method established independent schools, leading to stylistic variations in facilitation, such as differing emphases on verbal guidance, body positioning, or integration with affirmations, though the breathing pattern remains central.^[36] A distinct adaptation emerged in the context of treating reactive attachment disorder in children, incorporating physical simulations of birth alongside breathwork, such as wrapping participants in blankets to mimic the womb or submerging them in water with snorkels to reenact delivery.^[4] This form, sometimes labeled "holding therapy" or "compression rebirthing," involves adult facilitators physically restraining or compressing the child to provoke emotional catharsis, diverging sharply from Orr's adult-oriented, non-physical breathwork model.^[5] Such techniques have been linked to severe risks, including oxygen deprivation; the 2000 death of 10-year-old Candace Newmaker during a simulated rebirthing session in Colorado, where she suffocated after 70 minutes of struggle, prompted convictions for negligent homicide and bans on coercive rebirthing practices for minors in states including Colorado and North Carolina.^[4]^[5] Further adaptations include hybrid integrations with psychotherapy elements, such as empty-chair dialogues, body awareness exercises, or movement to process emerging memories during or after breathing sessions, as employed by some rebirthers to address broader psychological patterns beyond birth trauma.^[42] Contemporary wellness applications extend rebirthing principles into group formats or combinations with practices like yoga or meditation, though these lack standardized protocols and empirical validation, with proponents claiming enhanced stress reduction but critics highlighting potential for unsubstantiated metaphysical interpretations.^[10] No large-scale clinical trials differentiate efficacy across these variants, and attachment-focused adaptations remain discredited due to documented harm outweighing anecdotal benefits.^[4]

Theoretical Foundations

Birth Trauma Hypothesis

The birth trauma hypothesis, central to rebirthing therapy, maintains that the physiological and emotional stresses endured during birth—such as uterine contractions, potential hypoxia, and abrupt separation from the intrauterine environment—imprint deep-seated traumas on the newborn's psyche and body, manifesting as foundational fears and dysfunctions throughout life. Leonard Orr, rebirthing's originator, described birth as the primary source of human suffering, linking it causally to pervasive issues like fear of death, relational conflicts, financial scarcity mindsets, and suppressed vitality.^[43] ^[10] Proponents contend that these imprints operate at a cellular and unconscious level, disrupting natural breathing patterns established amid birth distress and perpetuating a cycle of tension and avoidance.^[44] In rebirthing's framework, the hypothesis posits that unresolved birth trauma underlies broader existential blocks, including inhibited self-expression and chronic psychosomatic ailments, as the infant's first "struggle for breath" conditions responses to stress and novelty. Orr emphasized that healing requires recreating this event through conscious connected breathing, which allegedly dissolves the trauma's "substance" by integrating painful memories without catharsis, leading to profound release and empowerment.^[44] ^[45] This process is said to restore innate health, with sessions targeting the "ten biggies" of human trauma, starting with birth as the progenitor.^[41] The hypothesis echoes Otto Rank's 1924 psychoanalytic formulation, where birth represents the archetypal separation anxiety shaping all subsequent neuroses, though rebirthing reframes it from interpretive analysis to experiential breathwork for direct reprogramming.^[46] Unlike Rank's emphasis on symbolic dread, rebirthing practitioners like Orr prioritize literal physiological reenactment, asserting that breath patterns encode birth-specific encodings amenable to reversal.^[4] Empirical support for these mechanisms remains proponent-driven, with claims resting on anecdotal session outcomes rather than controlled studies.

Psychological and Physiological Mechanisms

Rebirthing breathwork employs a pattern of continuous, connected circular breathing without pauses, which induces voluntary hyperventilation. This results in elevated respiratory rates, increased minute ventilation, and severe hypocapnia (low end-tidal CO₂ levels), as observed in a study of ten healthy women undergoing a 45-50 minute session, where participants also showed heightened heart rates and high oxygen ventilatory equivalents aligning with the physical demands of the practice.^[47] The hyperventilation triggers respiratory alkalosis, shifting blood pH toward alkalinity due to excessive CO₂ expulsion, which reduces cerebral blood flow via vasoconstriction and alters ionized calcium levels, often producing sensations of tingling (paresthesia), muscle spasms (tetany), light-headedness, visual disturbances, and palpitations.^[8] ^[48] These physiological changes breach typical homeostatic balances in the autonomic nervous system, activating sympathetic responses while potentially overriding parasympathetic regulation temporarily.^[8] Psychologically, proponents of rebirthing, such as founder Leonard Orr, posit that the induced hypocapnic states facilitate access to subconscious "cellular memories" of birth trauma, enabling cathartic release and reprogramming of deeply ingrained emotional patterns through affirmations and emotional flooding during sessions.^[40] However, scientific evaluations attribute observed psychological effects more directly to the altered states of consciousness (ASC) arising from hypocapnia, which correlate strongly with reduced end-tidal CO₂ and can evoke mystical experiences, emotional processing, and shifts in mood via modulated cortical brain activity, including deactivation in default mode network regions associated with self-referential thinking.^[48] ^[49] A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on breathwork interventions, including high-ventilation variants akin to rebirthing, indicates moderate reductions in stress and improvements in mental health markers, potentially mediated by enhanced interoceptive awareness and autonomic recalibration, though these benefits are not uniquely tied to rebirthing's birth-trauma narrative and diminish without sustained practice.^[3] Empirical data thus suggest that any therapeutic psychological outcomes stem primarily from the nonspecific effects of hyperventilation-induced ASC rather than targeted resolution of perinatal events, with no controlled studies verifying the latter mechanism.^[8]

Spiritual and Metaphysical Claims

Proponents of rebirthing, particularly its founder Leonard Orr, assert that the practice transcends psychological therapy to access metaphysical realms, enabling practitioners to connect with the eternal spirit and resolve karmic imprints from past lives. Orr proposed that unresolved traumas accumulated across reincarnations manifest as present-life obstacles, which conscious connected breathing releases through energy healing, fostering integration of psyche, body, and soul.^[50] This process purportedly awakens spiritual awareness, allowing individuals to experience "the peace that surpasses all understanding" and achieve oneness with a higher spiritual essence while embodied.^[29] ^[51] Central to these claims is Orr's philosophy of physical immortality, which frames death not as inevitable but as a conquerable "death urge"—described as a psychic entity that severs the body's link to the immortal spirit through inherited beliefs and emotional pollution in the aura.^[52] Rebirthing, combined with elemental purification rituals (earth, air, water, fire), allegedly dismantles this urge, transforming the physical form into a "light body" capable of everlasting life.^[52] Orr maintained that "the only way you can conquer the death urge is to outlive it," positioning spiritual purification as the expedient route to such mastery, informed by encounters with immortal yogis and figures like Babaji, whom he called the "Eternal Father in human form."^[52] These metaphysical assertions underpin rebirthing's appeal in spiritual circles, with sessions claimed to induce states of enlightenment and mind mastery, extending consciousness beyond the ego to align with an undying spiritual core.^[29] Orr detailed these ideas in works like Physical Immortality: The Science of Everlasting Life (1981) and Breaking the Death Habit (1998), arguing that the human spirit's inherent immortality demands bodily alignment through breath-induced purification.^[29] While proponents report profound shifts in self-awareness and liberation from mortal fears, such claims rely on anecdotal spiritual experiences rather than empirical validation.^[50]

Purported Benefits and Proponent Perspectives

Therapeutic Claims

Proponents of rebirthing breathwork maintain that the technique allows individuals to relive and resolve birth trauma and other early-life stressors through conscious connected breathing, fostering improved emotional regulation and healthier interpersonal relationships.^[4] Advocates, including founder Leonard Orr, assert that this process addresses core human traumas—termed the "eight biggies"—such as birth trauma, parental disapproval syndrome, unconscious death urge, religious and school-induced traumas, specific negatives from past experiences, karma from past lives, and senility, thereby enabling profound psychological healing and reduced physical pain associated with unresolved emotions.^[13] Rebirthing is claimed to facilitate the release of suppressed emotions, tension, and energy blockages, which proponents say alleviates symptoms of anxiety, depression, insecurities, and fears by targeting their root causes rather than surface-level manifestations.^[53] This emotional catharsis purportedly leads to greater self-awareness, balanced mind-body-emotion dynamics, and the identification and dissolution of self-destructive behavioral patterns, including those linked to chronic stress or reactive attachment issues.^[4]^[54] Physiologically, practitioners assert that enhanced oxygen intake and energy circulation via circular breathing detoxifies the body, supports natural healing processes, and mitigates chronic pain, while also aiding in issues like digestion, weight management, addiction recovery, and grief processing.^[53]^[54] On a broader level, rebirthing is said to promote personal integration, access to inner resources for joy and aliveness, and an expanded state of peace, with some reporting recall of birth memories and life-altering shifts in well-being.^[4]^[53]

Anecdotal Evidence and Testimonials

Proponents of rebirthing breathwork frequently cite personal testimonials describing profound emotional releases, altered states of consciousness, and perceived long-term psychological benefits following sessions of conscious connected breathing.^[29] These accounts, often shared on alternative therapy websites and personal blogs, emphasize sensations such as tingling, vibrations, and visual phenomena, interpreted as reliving birth trauma or accessing deeper self-awareness.^[55] However, such reports originate primarily from participants motivated to share positive outcomes, potentially overlooking negative experiences or physiological effects like hyperventilation-induced tetany.^[56] One individual reported undergoing a 90-minute session in India, experiencing light-headedness, fingertip tingling progressing to full-body vibrations and "lobster claw" hand tetany, culminating in geometric closed-eye visuals and a detached emotional release, which they described as an "eye-opening" shift stronger than anticipated from breathing alone.^[55] Similarly, a forum user detailed a 35-minute self-guided session involving continuous nasal-to-oral breathing, leading to intense leg-kicking urges, a vibrating sensation, feelings of invincibility and deep connection, and resolution into profound relaxation, attributing it to elevated consciousness rather than mere hyperventilation.^[56] Testimonials from rebirthing practitioners' sites highlight therapeutic transformations. For instance, a client of UK-based facilitator Beatrice described sessions as instrumental in uncovering and resolving negative life impacts, praising the process for enabling personal growth.^[57] Another participant in Bali reported tapping into suppressed emotional layers through rebirthing, facilitating healing and self-discovery.^[58] A Quora user, Kelly La Rue, claimed that ten one-hour circular-breathing sessions allowed re-experiencing their birth, eliminating hoarding behaviors tied to stored traumas, and yielding insights surpassing years of conventional talk therapy.^[59] Leonard Orr, rebirthing's founder, referenced sessions where participants transitioned from pain and tension to relaxation and peace, often involving physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions, as observed in early group experiments.^[29] Additional accounts, such as one from a London practitioner, noted gentle yet profound effects persisting for days post-session, including sustained lightness and integration.^[60] These self-reported benefits, while influential among advocates, lack independent verification and may reflect subjective interpretations influenced by expectation or session context.^[61]

Integration with Wellness Practices

Proponents of rebirthing breathwork advocate its incorporation into holistic wellness frameworks, positioning it as a complementary technique alongside practices like yoga and meditation to amplify emotional release and self-awareness. Sessions are frequently bundled in retreats that pair connected breathing cycles with yoga asanas, aiming to synchronize physical postures with pranayama for purported deeper somatic healing.^[62]^[63] Leonard Orr, rebirthing's originator, framed the method as a holistic system that merges intuitive energy breathing with spiritual disciplines, suggesting integration with daily mindfulness routines to sustain vitality and reduce accumulated tensions. Advocates extend this by embedding rebirthing in Kundalini yoga protocols, where breathwork kriyas are combined with mantras and visualizations to target subconscious patterns, as practiced in specialized classes since the 1970s.^[29]^[64] In wellness programs, rebirthing is promoted as an "accelerated meditation" tool, often sequenced after gentle yoga or preparatory breathing to access unconscious material, with proponents claiming enhanced outcomes when followed by grounding activities like journaling or nature immersion. This modular approach appears in modern offerings, such as those linking breathwork to stress reduction protocols akin to mindfulness-based interventions, though without standardized protocols across providers.^[65]^[66]

Scientific Evaluation

Empirical Studies on Breathwork Effects

A 2023 meta-analysis of 12 randomized controlled trials involving 785 participants found that breathwork interventions significantly reduced self-reported stress levels, with a small-to-medium effect size (Hedges' g = -0.35).^[3] Similar analyses across 20 trials for anxiety (g = -0.32) and 18 for depression (g = -0.40) indicated comparable benefits, predominantly from slow-paced breathing techniques such as diaphragmatic or resonant breathing.^[3] These effects were attributed to enhanced parasympathetic activity and autonomic regulation, though studies noted moderate heterogeneity, risk of bias, and a lack of long-term follow-up data beyond immediate or short-term outcomes.^[3] Intensive breathwork practices, including circular or connected breathing central to rebirthing, have been examined in smaller-scale empirical work focusing on physiological mechanisms. A 2025 study of 61 experienced practitioners using holotropic and conscious-connected breathwork measured end-tidal CO2 levels, revealing significant hypocapnia (average 20.1 mmHg versus 36.7 mmHg in controls; p < 0.001), which correlated with respiratory alkalosis, cortical vasoconstriction, and emergence of altered states of consciousness (ASCs) resembling psychedelic experiences (correlation r = -0.46 to -0.47; p < 0.012).^[48] One week post-session, participants reported reduced depressive symptoms (p < 0.001) and improved well-being (p = 0.003), with deeper ASCs and lower CO2 predicting these gains.^[48] Clinical applications of connected breathing, akin to rebirthing protocols, show preliminary efficacy in case-based research. In a 2020 single-case study of a firefighter with PTSD, eight sessions of extended connected breathing led to complete remission of PTSD symptoms (per DSM-5 criteria B–E), alongside eliminations in comorbid anxiety and depression, supported by heart rate variability metrics and subjective trauma resolution reports.^[17] However, such findings are limited to non-randomized, low-sample designs, with broader empirical support for high-ventilation breathwork relying on anecdotal integration rather than large-scale trials, and effects potentially mediated by transient hypocapnia rather than targeted psychological reprogramming.^[8] Overall, while breathwork yields measurable short-term physiological and mood enhancements, rigorous evidence for sustained therapeutic specificity in intensive forms remains constrained by study quality and scale.^[3]

Lack of Evidence for Core Claims

No rigorous empirical studies substantiate the foundational assertion of rebirthing that voluntary hyperventilation via circular breathing enables the reliving and therapeutic resolution of birth trauma encoded in cellular memory.^[4] Proponents claim this process reprograms subconscious imprints from the birth experience, purportedly alleviating chronic anxiety, phobias, and relational patterns stemming from perinatal distress, yet peer-reviewed research identifies no causal link between birth events and such adult outcomes, attributing reported memories to confabulation or suggestion rather than accurate recall.^[4] The original birth trauma theory, advanced by Otto Rank in 1924, has faced longstanding criticism for presuming fetal consciousness and sensory awareness sufficient to register trauma, a notion rejected even by contemporaries like Sigmund Freud, who argued the fetus lacks self-awareness to form such imprints.^[67] General breathwork practices, including those resembling rebirthing's connected breathing, yield short-term physiological effects like reduced stress via hypocapnia (lowered CO2 levels inducing altered states), but meta-analyses emphasize these benefits are non-specific, comparable to mindfulness or relaxation techniques, without evidence tying them to rebirthing's unique mechanisms of trauma rebirth or metaphysical release.^[3] Limited empirical investigations into rebirthing specifically—such as small physiological monitoring studies during sessions—document elevated oxygen consumption and respiratory exchange ratios consistent with hyperventilation, but fail to correlate these with verifiable psychological healing or long-term changes attributable to birth trauma resolution.^[47] No randomized controlled trials exist demonstrating rebirthing's superiority over placebo or evidence-based therapies for conditions like PTSD or attachment issues, with professional bodies including the American Psychiatric Association withholding recognition due to insufficient validation.^[4] Spiritual claims integral to rebirthing, such as accessing past-life insights or achieving enlightenment through breath-induced "energy releases," remain untestable and unsupported by objective data, relying instead on subjective testimonials prone to expectancy bias.^[68] While anecdotal reports from facilitators describe symptom relief in mood and trauma-related disorders, these lack controls for confounding factors like therapeutic alliance or natural remission, underscoring rebirthing's classification among unverified New Age practices rather than empirically grounded interventions.^[8] The paucity of independent, high-quality research—spanning over five decades since Leonard Orr's development in the 1970s—highlights systemic evidential deficits, with available studies confined to case reports or preliminary physiological snapshots that do not address core causal assertions.^[69]

Physiological Risks and Hyperventilation

Rebirthing sessions typically involve prolonged voluntary hyperventilation, often lasting 45-50 minutes, which elevates oxygen consumption (VO₂) and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) while inducing a state of sustained low end-tidal CO₂ (ETCO₂).^[47] This hyperventilation breaches normal homeostatic mechanisms, leading to respiratory alkalosis as excess CO₂ expulsion raises blood pH.^[8] The resulting hypocapnia causes cerebral vasoconstriction, impairing oxygen delivery to the brain despite increased ventilation, which can manifest as dizziness, paresthesia, visual disturbances, and confusion.^[70]^[71] A primary physiological risk is tetany, characterized by involuntary muscle contractions such as carpopedal spasms, due to reduced ionized calcium levels from the alkalotic shift.^[72] Hyperventilation-induced alkalosis lowers serum calcium availability, exacerbating neuromuscular irritability, particularly in prolonged sessions without breaks.^[73] Additional autonomic effects include tachycardia, palpitations, and potential arrhythmias, as the sympathetic nervous system is overstimulated while parasympathetic tone diminishes.^[8] In individuals with preexisting conditions like cardiovascular disease or electrolyte imbalances, these changes heighten the risk of syncope or more severe complications, including hypoxic blackout if hyperventilation precedes breath-holding elements.^[74] Under resting conditions typical of rebirthing, such hyperventilation can precipitate acute physical distress, including fainting and emotional panic, without the mitigating effects of physical exertion.^[75] Studies on high-ventilation breathwork indicate that while transient altered states may occur, the metastable physiological imbalance—marked by acid-base disruption and altered brain perfusion—poses risks amplified by lack of medical monitoring or participant screening.^[8] Vulnerable populations, such as those with respiratory or psychiatric vulnerabilities, face elevated dangers, underscoring the need for caution in unsupervised practice.^[76]

Controversies and Criticisms

Fatal Incidents and Child Endangerment

The most prominent fatal incident associated with rebirthing occurred on April 18, 2000, when 10-year-old Candace Newmaker suffocated during a session intended to simulate birth trauma resolution as part of attachment therapy for reactive attachment disorder.^[77]^[78] In the procedure, conducted by unlicensed therapists Connell Watkins and Julie Ponder at Watkins's clinic in Evergreen, Colorado, Newmaker was wrapped tightly in a flannel sheet with pillows stacked around her to mimic the birth canal, while instructed to "struggle to be born" through hyperventilation and physical exertion; she pleaded for air and stated "I'm not breathing" multiple times over 70 minutes, but the facilitators dismissed her distress as resistance, leading to her death from asphyxia the following day.^[5]^[79] The session, attended partially by Newmaker's adoptive mother Jeane Newmaker—who had paid $7,000 for the treatment—was videotaped, with footage later shown in court revealing the child's pleas ignored amid claims she was "acting" or manipulating the process.^[80]^[81] Watkins and Ponder were convicted in April 2001 of reckless child abuse resulting in death after a jury reviewed the video evidence and expert testimony on the foreseeable risks of positional asphyxia from restraint without monitoring vital signs.^[77]^[78] Watkins received a 16-year prison sentence in June 2001, while Ponder, who held Newmaker's head during the wrapping, was sentenced to 10 years; both had prior experience with rebirthing but lacked medical credentials to assess respiratory distress.^[82] Jeane Newmaker pleaded guilty in December 2001 to criminally negligent child abuse resulting in death, receiving a probationary sentence and reflecting parental complicity in unproven therapies despite warnings from child welfare experts.^[83] Two assistants faced lesser charges of child abuse, pleading to misdemeanor offenses.^[84] This case exemplified child endangerment risks in rebirthing, where non-evidence-based techniques prioritized emotional "breakthroughs" over physiological safety, particularly for vulnerable adopted children diagnosed with attachment issues; no peer-reviewed protocols existed to mitigate hyperventilation-induced hypoxia or restraint hazards.^[5] U.S. Senate Resolution 277 in 2000 condemned rebirthing as the most dangerous variant of attachment therapies, citing it as prone to coercion and physical harm without empirical validation for treating disorders like reactive attachment disorder.^[85] No additional verified fatal rebirthing incidents involving children have been documented in subsequent records, though the Newmaker case prompted Colorado's 2001 ban on the practice by mental health professionals, prohibiting blanket-wrapping or simulated birth simulations due to inherent endangerment.^[86] Critics, including child advocacy groups, highlighted systemic failures in unregulated alternative therapies, where proponents downplayed medical risks despite autopsy evidence of oxygen deprivation.^[87]

Pseudoscientific Nature

Rebirthing therapy exemplifies pseudoscience through its endorsement of unsubstantiated causal mechanisms, such as the notion that psychological disorders originate from prenatal or birth-related trauma that can be "rebirthed" via circular breathing patterns, without rigorous testing or falsifiability. Proponents assert that this breathwork simulates the birth process to release cellular memories and resolve attachment issues, yet no peer-reviewed studies validate the existence of such encoded traumas or their therapeutic resolution through hyperoxygenated breathing.^[39] Instead, observed emotional releases during sessions align with physiological responses to voluntary hyperventilation, including respiratory alkalosis-induced tetany, paresthesia, and heightened suggestibility, which are misattributed to cathartic breakthroughs rather than biochemical artifacts.^[4] The absence of controlled empirical support distinguishes rebirthing from evidence-based interventions; systematic reviews of attachment therapies, including rebirthing variants, confirm a lack of randomized trials demonstrating efficacy for conditions like reactive attachment disorder, with outcomes relying solely on anecdotal reports prone to confirmation bias.^[88] The American Psychiatric Association has explicitly advised against its use in children, citing divergence from established diagnostic and therapeutic standards.^[89] This evidentiary void persists despite decades of practice since Leonard Orr's development in the 1970s, underscoring rebirthing's insulation from scientific scrutiny in favor of subjective validation within alternative wellness communities. Critics highlight rebirthing's theoretical foundations as incompatible with causal realism in psychology, positing unmeasurable "energy blocks" or karmic imprints resolvable non-invasively, claims untestable by objective metrics like neuroimaging or longitudinal biomarkers of trauma resolution. While general breathwork shows modest benefits for stress reduction in meta-analyses, rebirthing's specificity—intense, prolonged sessions aimed at regressive reenactment—lacks differentiation from these effects and introduces risks without proportional gains.^[3] Peer-evaluated critiques emphasize that such therapies thrive amid institutional gaps in oversight, where proponent-led studies, often non-blinded and self-published, fail to meet standards of replicability or independent verification.^[39]

Ethical Concerns in Application

The application of rebirthing therapy raises significant ethical concerns, primarily stemming from its use on vulnerable populations such as children with alleged attachment disorders, where practitioners often override participant autonomy in favor of coercive techniques. In cases like the 2000 death of 10-year-old Candace Newmaker during a rebirthing session, therapists ignored the child's repeated pleas for release and suffocation warnings, demonstrating a disregard for basic principles of non-maleficence and informed consent, as the minor was unable to provide meaningful agreement to the procedure.^[90]^[91] Parents, driven by desperation for unproven attachment fixes, were not adequately apprised of the risks, including hyperventilation-induced panic and physical restraint simulating birth trauma, which can exacerbate psychological distress rather than resolve it.^[92] Professional psychological bodies have highlighted these issues, with the American Psychiatric Association explicitly advising against rebirthing for reactive attachment disorder due to insufficient evidence of efficacy and potential for harm, underscoring an ethical breach in promoting interventions without rigorous validation.^[89] Attachment therapies incorporating rebirthing elements often involve physical coercion, such as wrapping participants in blankets and applying pressure, which violates ethical standards against coercive restraint and prioritizes therapist ideology over client welfare, as critiqued in evaluations of such practices as potentially harmful.^[93]^[39] Furthermore, the lack of standardized training and oversight in rebirthing circles enables unqualified facilitators to apply the technique without medical or psychological credentials, raising concerns about beneficence—delivering benefits—and justice, as it disproportionately targets families in crisis with false promises of trauma resolution.^[94] While some rebirthing associations promulgate internal codes emphasizing consent and boundaries, these self-regulatory measures have proven inadequate in preventing abuses, as evidenced by post-incident bans and convictions, highlighting a systemic ethical failure in balancing alternative therapy aspirations against empirical safety imperatives.^[95]^[5]

Legal and Regulatory Developments

Bans and Prosecutions Post-2000

Following the death of 10-year-old Candace Newmaker during a rebirthing session on April 18, 2000, in Evergreen, Colorado, two unlicensed therapists, Connell Watkins and Julie Ponder, were convicted on April 20, 2001, of reckless child abuse resulting in death after a jury trial established that the 70-minute procedure involved wrapping the child in a flannel sheet and pillows to simulate birth, leading to suffocation despite her pleas for air.^[78] On June 19, 2001, Judge Jane Tidball sentenced both to 16 years in prison, emphasizing the therapists' failure to monitor vital signs or respond to evident distress, with Watkins released on parole in 2008 after serving about seven years.^[6] Newmaker's adoptive mother, Jeane Newmaker, pleaded guilty to negligent child abuse (a misdemeanor) in a separate proceeding and received a one-year suspended sentence with probation, as prosecutors determined her role involved paying $7,000 for the session but not direct participation in the fatal restraint.^[82] In response, Colorado Governor Bill Owens signed Senate Bill 01-051, known as Candace's Law, on April 17, 2001, prohibiting mental health professionals from using rebirthing or similar attachment therapies that physically restrain or coerce children to simulate birth experiences, with violations classified as a class 3 misdemeanor punishable by fines and potential license revocation.^[86] The law specifically targeted techniques for treating reactive attachment disorder, mandating that therapies prioritize evidence-based methods over unproven rebirthing practices, and it remains the only state-level statutory ban in the U.S. as of 2025.^[96] Federally, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution on September 17, 2002, condemning rebirthing as "dangerous and harmful" and urging all states to enact prohibitions, citing the Newmaker case as evidence of risks including asphyxiation and psychological trauma without proven therapeutic benefits.^[97] The U.S. Senate followed with a similar non-binding resolution introduced by Senator Ken Salazar, highlighting rebirthing's status as the most perilous variant of attachment therapies and calling for regulatory oversight to prevent recurrence, though no nationwide ban materialized.^[7] No additional major prosecutions or state bans have been documented post-2002, reflecting rebirthing's shift to less regulated adult-oriented breathwork variants amid heightened scrutiny.^[5]

State and Professional Guidelines

In response to the 2000 death of Candace Newmaker during a rebirthing session, Colorado enacted House Bill 01-1179 on April 17, 2001, prohibiting licensed mental health professionals from using rebirthing techniques, defined as any therapeutic method involving prolonged restraint or induced catharsis to simulate birth trauma resolution.^[86]^[96] North Carolina followed with Senate Bill 251, enacted as Session Law 2003-205 on July 3, 2003, criminalizing the practice of rebirthing by making it a Class I felony for any person to engage in or assist with the technique on a child under 18, regardless of licensure.^[98] These state laws emphasize empirical risks over unverified psychological benefits, requiring therapists to prioritize evidence-based interventions for conditions like reactive attachment disorder.^[5] Federally, the U.S. Senate adopted S. Res. 276 on October 18, 2005, condemning rebirthing as the most dangerous variant of attachment therapy and urging all states to enact prohibitions, citing its lack of empirical validation and history of harm.^[99] The U.S. House of Representatives passed a similar resolution on September 17, 2002, denouncing the technique as harmful and calling for nationwide regulatory oversight to prevent unlicensed or coercive applications.^[97] Professional guidelines from mainstream bodies, such as the American Psychological Association, implicitly reject rebirthing through adherence to ethical standards requiring treatments to be evidence-based and non-coercive, with no endorsement in diagnostic manuals like the DSM-5 for trauma reenactment methods lacking randomized controlled trials.^[4] Organizations focused on breathwork, like the Global Professional Breathwork Alliance, provide standards for general conscious breathing sessions—mandating informed consent, medical screening, and avoidance of hyperventilation-induced distress—but explicitly distance from rebirthing's attachment-focused variants due to safety protocols excluding restraint or simulation of asphyxia.^[100] These guidelines prioritize physiological monitoring and contraindications for vulnerable populations, reflecting causal risks of hyperoxygenation and panic over unsubstantiated rebirth claims.^[101]

Ongoing Oversight

Despite the 2001 Colorado ban prohibiting licensed mental health professionals from employing rebirthing techniques—enacted following the death of 10-year-old Candace Newmaker during a session—enforcement relies on state licensing boards rather than dedicated monitoring programs.^[102] ^[86] This legislation, known as Candace's Law, classifies rebirthing as a prohibited activity under mental health practice regulations, with violations subject to disciplinary action, but no centralized state agency conducts proactive surveillance of alternative therapy providers outside licensed professions.^[102] Federally, a 2002 U.S. House resolution condemned rebirthing as dangerous and urged all states to enact bans, yet no national oversight mechanism emerged, leaving regulation fragmented across jurisdictions.^[97] A 2006 Senate resolution similarly highlighted rebirthing's risks within attachment therapies, but subsequent developments show no federal tracking or mandatory reporting for related practices.^[7] In practice, adult-oriented rebirthing breathwork persists through private retreats and self-certification programs, such as those offered by Rebirthing Breathwork International, which emphasize 400-hour training without governmental accreditation or oversight.^[32] Voluntary standards from breathwork organizations, like the International Breathwork Foundation, provide ethical guidelines for facilitators, including safety protocols and scope of practice, but these lack legal enforceability and do not address pseudoscientific claims inherent to rebirthing.^[103] Mainstream professional bodies, such as psychology associations, implicitly discourage such techniques by prioritizing evidence-based interventions, with rebirthing viewed as unsupported by rigorous trials and akin to discredited attachment therapies.^[4] Where children are involved, oversight falls to child welfare agencies under general abuse prevention laws, but the absence of uniform tracking allows variants to evade scrutiny in unregulated wellness contexts.^[5] This regulatory vacuum underscores ongoing vulnerabilities, as sessions continue without mandatory adverse event reporting or practitioner vetting beyond local licensing where applicable.

Current Status and Impact

Persistence in Alternative Therapy Circles

Despite legal restrictions on rebirthing variants involving physical restraint or child participation, the core breathwork technique developed by Leonard Orr in the late 1960s endures in alternative therapy networks focused on adult self-healing and spiritual exploration.^[10] Practitioners emphasize "conscious connected breathing" to purportedly release prenatal trauma and emotional blockages, often rebranding it as Rebirthing Breathwork to differentiate from discredited attachment therapy methods.^[23] This persistence is evident in ongoing professional trainings, such as the 400-hour certification program offered by Rebirthing Breathwork International, which draws from Orr's original methodology and maintains a global network of certified facilitators.^[32] Independent schools and retreats continue to promote rebirthing sessions worldwide, integrating it with mindfulness, hypnotherapy, and holistic wellness practices. For instance, the AIR School of Breathwork teaches rebirthing as a gentle, powerful modality for personal transformation, while BreathTalks provides specialized trainings led by experienced rebirthers.^[104]^[105] Events like the Aloha Rebirthing Breathwork Retreat offer experiential seven-day immersions for both novices and advanced practitioners, highlighting its appeal in spiritual and self-improvement circles.^[106] These activities underscore a dedicated, albeit niche, following that views the technique as a tool for physical, emotional, and spiritual renewal, despite lacking empirical validation from mainstream psychology.^[4] Advocates within these circles attribute rebirthing's longevity to anecdotal reports of cathartic experiences and Orr's foundational influence, with resources like rebirthingbreathwork.net promoting it as a non-forceful, heart-centered approach to energy pattern shifts.^[107] Recent online promotions, including workshops combining rebirthing with mindfulness for "breathwork transformation," indicate sustained demand in holistic communities as of 2025.^[108] However, participation remains unregulated in many jurisdictions, raising concerns about unqualified facilitators perpetuating unverified claims of healing diseases or achieving enlightenment through breath alone.^[109]

Influence on Modern Breathwork

Rebirthing Breathwork, pioneered by Leonard Orr in the late 1960s, established conscious connected breathing—characterized by circular, pause-free cycles of inhalation and exhalation—as a core technique for inducing altered states and emotional catharsis. This approach, initially aimed at reliving birth trauma, directly informed the technical foundations of subsequent breathwork modalities by demonstrating breath's capacity to trigger physiological shifts like hypocapnia and heightened oxygenation, which facilitate psychological release.^[110]^[111] The method's emphasis on sustained, rhythmic breathing patterns influenced pioneers like Stanislav Grof, whose Holotropic Breathwork, developed in the 1970s, adopted accelerated respiration to access unconscious material, though prioritizing self-directed healing over guided rebirthing sessions. Similarly, it contributed to the evolution of practices such as Transformational Breathwork, founded by Judith Kravitz in 1979, which refines Orr's connected cycle for trauma integration while incorporating verbal affirmations and bodywork to enhance safety and efficacy. These adaptations reflect rebirthing's role in shifting breathwork from esoteric experimentation toward structured therapeutic tools, evident in the global breathwork movement's growth since the 1970s.^[14]^[23] Contemporary breathwork, including variants like Biodynamic Breathwork and Trauma Release Exercises, retains rebirthing's core principle of using hyperventilatory breathing to mobilize suppressed emotions, supported by anecdotal reports of reduced anxiety and improved emotional regulation among practitioners. Professional bodies, such as the International Breathwork Foundation established in the 1990s, credit Orr's innovations with igniting the modern breathwork renaissance, which has integrated these techniques into wellness protocols despite rebirthing's discredited trauma theories. Empirical data from facilitator observations indicate that the breathing mechanics alone yield measurable shifts in autonomic nervous system activity, influencing evidence-informed applications in stress management as of 2023.^[110]^[112]^[8] While rebirthing's legacy is tempered by its association with unsafe applications, its technical innovations have persisted through rebranding and protocol refinements, contributing to breathwork's mainstream adoption in therapeutic settings by the 2020s, where controlled studies explore its adjunctive benefits for mood disorders without endorsing unsubstantiated causal claims about prenatal origins.^[20]^[113]

Broader Cultural Reception

The death of 10-year-old Candace Newmaker during a rebirthing session in Evergreen, Colorado, on April 18, 2000, generated extensive negative media coverage that solidified rebirthing's reputation as a hazardous practice in mainstream public discourse. Outlets such as Newsweek described the incident as a tragic outcome of simulated birth trauma intended to treat attachment disorders, emphasizing the child's suffocation under weighted blankets and the therapists' inaction despite her pleas.^[114] Similarly, The New York Times reported on the subsequent legislative ban in Colorado, framing rebirthing as an unproven and risky form of psychotherapy that exploited parental desperation for bonding with adopted children.^[96] This coverage contributed to a broader cultural wariness toward attachment therapies lacking empirical validation, with The Los Angeles Times critiquing the field's reliance on anecdotal claims over scientific scrutiny.^[87] Public opinion, as reflected in legislative responses and expert commentary, shifted decisively against rebirthing post-2000, viewing it as emblematic of pseudoscientific excesses in alternative mental health interventions. A U.S. Senate resolution in 2000 condemned rebirthing as the most dangerous variant of attachment therapy, citing risks of physical harm and psychological coercion without evidence of efficacy.^[7] Trials of therapists Connell Watkins and Julie Ponder, convicted of reckless child abuse resulting in death, further amplified perceptions of ethical recklessness, with ABC News highlighting Watkins' denial of responsibility amid videotaped evidence of the session's brutality.^[115] While mainstream institutions and regulators rejected it outright, rebirthing retained niche appeal in spiritual and breathwork communities, where proponents like Leonard Orr promoted it as a tool for trauma release, though without rigorous clinical support.^[116] In popular culture, rebirthing has seen limited direct representation, often subsumed under broader critiques of fringe therapies rather than celebrated. Books such as Rebirthing: Freedom from Your Past by Deike Begg (2002) advocate its use for emotional liberation through circular breathing, appealing to self-help audiences but ignoring documented fatalities.^[116] Mainstream media portrayals, by contrast, associate breathwork variants with altered states but distance rebirthing specifically due to its history, as noted in The New York Times discussions of rising interest in non-psychedelic therapies amid psychedelic resurgence.^[117] This dichotomy underscores a cultural divide: empirical skepticism dominates public and professional reception, while anecdotal endorsements persist in wellness subcultures, unmitigated by peer-reviewed validation.

References

[1]
ABOUT - Rebirthing Breathwork International
Rebirthing Breathwork is a healing modality that uses conscious connected breathing which induces deep relaxation and an expanded state of consciousness.
[2]
Rebirthing Breathwork - Therapedia - Theravive
Rebirthing Breathwork is a breathing process that works as a form of therapy to alleviate the client from feelings such as fear, sadness, and anger.
[3]
Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: A meta-analysis of ...
Jan 9, 2023 · Overall, results showed that breathwork may be effective for improving stress and mental health. However, we urge caution and advocate for nuanced research ...
[4]
Rebirthing Therapy: Safety, Technique, Bans, and More - Healthline
Jun 11, 2019 · Rebirthing is an alternative therapy technique used to treat reactive attachment disorder. This therapy uses a specific kind of breathing (breathwork) meant to ...Missing: history | Show results with:history
[5]
Rebirthing therapy banned after girl died in 70 minute struggle - NIH
Rebirthing therapy, a controversial treatment for reactive detachment disorder, has been banned in the US state of Colorado one year after it resulted in the ...Missing: history | Show results with:history
[6]
Therapists Are Sentenced In Girl's 'Rebirthing' Death
Jun 19, 2001 · Colorado District Court Judge Jane Tidball sentences therapists Connell Watkins and Julie Ponder to 16 years in prison following convictions ...
[7]
Senate Condemns Rebirthing Techniques
Ken Salazar (D-CO), the resolution contains a number of findings, including: “Rebirthing” is the most dangerous form of attachment therapy, a controversial and ...Missing: history | Show results with:history
[8]
High ventilation breathwork practices: An overview of their effects ...
It is important to consider that these practices might possibly lead to serious health consequences for individuals with specific comorbid conditions, ...
[9]
rebirthing - APA Dictionary of Psychology
Apr 19, 2018 · n. the therapeutic use of continuous, focused breathing and reflection, initially under the guidance of a rebirthing practitioner (a rebirther), ...
[10]
Rebirthing Breathwork International - Leonard Orr
Rebirthing Breathwork is a healing modality that uses conscious connected breathing which induces deep relaxation and an expanded state of consciousness. The ...Leonard Orr · Events · About · The Goals of the First Ten...
[11]
Rebirthing in the New Age: Orr, Leonard, Ray, Sondra - Amazon.com
30-day returnsLeonard Orr is the discoverer and founder of the worldwide Rebirthing Breathwork movement. As a result of spontaneous rebirthing experiences, from 1962 to ...
[12]
What is Rebirthing breathwork and where does it come from?
A fundamental element of Rebirthing Breathwork is Relaxation. Leonard Orr states, 'Relaxation is the ultimate healer. Every breath induces relaxation. Therefore ...
[13]
Breathwork Explained – How does it work? And what are the Benefits?
Rebirthing Breathwork also called “Intuitive Energy Breathing” or “Conscious Energy Breathing” was founded by Dr. Leonard Orr and is a self-healing technique.
[14]
How Holotropic Breathwork & Rebirthing Led to "the New Yoga"
May 21, 2023 · Thirdly, in Rebirthing, the facilitator guides the breath, whereas in Holotropic Breathwork, the focus is on self-healing, and sessions are ...
[15]
Comparing Holotropic Breathwork with Rebirthing, Pranayama, and ...
May 29, 2025 · Compared to Holotropic Breathwork, Rebirthing is generally less intense and more focused on resolving specific early life patterns. It's a good ...
[16]
Exploring Rebirthing Breathwork | PDF | Transpersonal Psychology
Rating 5.0 (2) Rebirthing style breathwork was developed independently in the 1950s-60s by Dr. Frank Lake, Dr. Stanislav Grof, and Leonard Orr through experimentation with ...Missing: distinctions | Show results with:distinctions<|separator|>
[17]
Treating PTSD with connected breathing: A clinical case study and ...
Extended connected breathing (Rebirthing-Breathwork) has been popular as a self-development tool for more than 4 decades, but has been subjected to minimal ...
[18]
History of Breathwork
Leonard Orr, was born in New York, USA, and founded the Rebirthing Breathwork movement. He discovered breathwork while sitting in a hot tub experimenting ...
[19]
rebirthing - Unscripted Self
Conscious Connected Breathing. Conscious connected breathing, or Rebirthing as it's also known, was discovered by Leonard Orr in the early 1970s, ...<|separator|>
[20]
The History of Breathwork: Origins of this Ancient Healing Practice
In the 1970s, Leonard Orr took Grof's methodology to another level when he created Rebirthing Breathwork. Orr came up with the idea for rebirthing while taking ...
[21]
Breathe Life Into Your Healing Journey with Breathwork Rebirthing
Sep 6, 2023 · Leonard Orr developed rebirthing breathwork in the 1970s, while living in California, and took nearly 12 years to fully develop it. In 1962 ...
[22]
The history of Rebirthing - Chandra
The process of Rebirthing Breathwork was created and developed by Leonard Orr, who realized it had the power to purge repressed traumatic childhood memories ...
[23]
The History of Breathwork - Alchemy of Breath
Feb 2, 2021 · Rebirthing. Leonard Orr discovered and developed the technique of 'conscious connected breathing' in the late 60's; he said he was inspired ...
[24]
(PDF) The Origins of Rebirthing Style Breathwork - Academia.edu
Quite independently from one another, Frank Lake and Leonard Orr began using breathwork as a therapeutic modality in the early 1960s; Leonard Orr then ...Missing: 1970s | Show results with:1970s
[25]
Rebirthing-Breathwork - wikidoc
Aug 20, 2012 · Rebirthing-Breathwork is a form of alternative medicine mainly consisting of a breathing technique. It shares a common belief with various other therapies ...
[26]
Leonard D. Orr Biography
May 28, 2019 · Leonard D. Orr is best known as the founder of Rebirthing Breathwork. He is one of the early pioneers of the use of the breath as a somatic therapy.
[27]
Sondra Ray Loving Relationships / Liberation Breathing
Mar 26, 2018 · Ray was launched into international acclaim in the 1970s as one of the pioneers of the Rebirthing Experience, along with Leonard Orr, its ...Missing: history | Show results with:history
[28]
Mother of Rebirthing | Sondra Ray | Liberation Breathing
Known as the 'Mother of Rebirthing' Sondra Ray has more than 30 years of experience in metaphysical study, helping many overcome negative thought structures ...
[29]
LEONARD ORR | RebirthingBreathwork
Leonard Orr is the founder of Rebirthing Breathwork, also called Conscious Breathing or Intuitive Energy Breathing. He discovered this holistic healing ...
[30]
Rebirthing - The Washington Post
Jul 22, 1980 · His rebirthing therapy has met with undeniable success, moving eastward from northern California and settling comfortably in unlikely places.
[31]
What is Rebirthing? - Heike Strombach
The breathing instruction Leonard Orr started in 1974 spontaneously spread to over 10 million people without advertising. It is taught all over the world ...
[32]
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM | RebirthingBreathwork
Completion of the entire Rebirthing Breathwork certification program is a 400-hour program and typically takes one to two years.Missing: commercialization | Show results with:commercialization
[33]
About Rebirthing - The Philadelphia Rebirthing Center
All through the late 1970s and 1980s, the seminar offerings were The EST training, Life Spring Insight and The Loving Relationships Training (Rebirthing).Missing: workshops | Show results with:workshops
[34]
REBIRTHING BREATHWORK - Certified Course - Wellbeing Center
$$3,000.00Rebirthing – Breathwork - is about peace, healing and integration. The focus is on breathing through emotions and sensations without drama - the breath is ...Missing: seminars commercialization<|separator|>
[35]
Our Courses - AIR School of Breathwork
Rebirthing Breathwork Training. Find out about our course content, fees and registration. Professional Breathwork training programme. There are 4, week-long ...Missing: seminars commercialization
[36]
The Leonard Orr Method of Rebirthing Breathwork - BreathTalks
When Rebirthing Breathwork was first discovered the original Rebirthers used mouth breathing because they breathed through a snorkel in a hot tub.
[37]
https://breathmastery.com/lesson-11/
[38]
(PDF) Rebirthing-Breathwork, activation of the autonomic nervous ...
Aug 9, 2025 · Extended connected breathing (Rebirthing-Breathwork) has been popular as a self- development tool for more than 4 decades, but has been ...
[39]
Coercive Restraint Therapies: A Dangerous Alternative Mental ... - NIH
Aug 9, 2005 · CRT is defined as a mental health intervention involving physical restraint and is used in adoptive or foster families with the intention of increasing ...
[40]
What is Rebirthing Breathwork? – rebirthingbreathwork.net
Rebirthing Breathwork is an active breathing process that inspires access to your full potential for joy, aliveness and peace in life.
[41]
The Goals of the First Ten Rebirthing Breathwork Sessions
Rebirthing or Conscious Connected Intuitive Breathing is learning to breathe energy (prana) as well as air. To have this ability available to us is the basic, ...
[42]
Rebirthing and Psychotherapy: The Micro and Macro Levels ... - IAHIP
But in Rebirthing, breathwork is the core of the session. This is because in Rebirthing, breathwork is at once the principle method of uncovering material, the ...
[43]
The Healing Power of Birth and Rebirth - Leonard D. Orr Foundation
Birth trauma affects each of us every day, including our relationships and our money case. Rebirthing Breathwork is a fast way to heal this. Rebirthing ...
[44]
Rebirthing, A non Cathartic Therapeutic Process
Leonard Orr says "The real function of rebirthing is to dissolve the substance of the birth trauma - we learned to breathe in the middle of pain and we.
[45]
[PDF] The 10 Big Traumas of Human Existence
Birth Trauma a. Rebirthing sessions repair the physical and emotional damage caused at birth as a result of the first struggle for breath.
[46]
Otto Rank: Pioneer of Birth Trauma Theory and the Will in ...
Oct 26, 2024 · Rank's most controversial contribution to psychoanalytic theory was his 1924 work “The Trauma of Birth.” In this groundbreaking text, ...Missing: evaluation | Show results with:evaluation
[47]
Physiological responses during a single rebirthing (Breath work ...
Results: The primary study findings demonstrated that a typical Rebirthing session involving long (45-50 minutes) voluntary hyperventilation generated VO2, RER ...Missing: empirical evidence dangers
[48]
Decreased CO2 saturation during circular breathwork supports ...
Apr 13, 2025 · We show that a reduction in end-tidal CO 2 pressure due to deliberate hyperventilation is significantly correlated to ASC onset.<|separator|>
[49]
Effects of conscious connected breathing on cortical brain activity ...
Sep 8, 2023 · Present results indicate that breathwork changes brain activity and mood, and induces mystical experiences. These results are promising.
[50]
Rebirthing Breathwork
However, it evolved with contributions from other practitioners like Sondra Ray, who helped refine it into what we now know as Conscious Energy Breathing (CEB).Missing: variations | Show results with:variations
[51]
Born Again - Harness the Power of Rebirthing Breathwork
In this retreat, you will be initiated into the power of rebirthing breathwork to experience oneness with 'the Spirit' while still being in the physical realm.
[52]
The Unconscious Death Urge | RebirthingBreathwork
Physical immortality philosophy provides a context and support to unravel the death urge. The death urge contains the ugliest of human emotions. It is a psychic ...
[53]
The Benefits of Rebirthing Breathwork – rebirthingbreathwork.net
Breathwork for energy, grief, healing, weight loss, digestion, pain, anger as well as for emotional release and addiction are just a few of the additional ...Missing: purported | Show results with:purported
[54]
How to Do Rebirthing Breathwork Therapy [Explained]
### Benefits of Rebirthing Breathwork
[55]
Getting High on Air — My Experience with Rebirthing Breathwork in ...
Jun 9, 2020 · I felt like being in a clamp, not able to move, except for breathing. The sides of my head and face started to vibrate, even my tongue was ...Missing: evidence | Show results with:evidence
[56]
Rebirthing / Breathwork - my experience - AYP Forum
Mar 14, 2010 · I felt like I was vibrating. It was profound. I felt deeply connected. focused and invincible. The session ended with me in a deep, relaxed ...
[57]
Rebirthing Testimonials
“I loved working with Beatrice, everything was perfect. She helped me transform and uncover a lot of things in me that were impacting my life in a negative way.
[58]
Rebirthing Breathwork in Bali | Breath and healing - ADDA Yoga
Mar 12, 2025 · Testimonials: Real Stories of Transformation Here's what they have to say: “The rebirthing breathwork sessions helped me tap into the layers of ...
[59]
Is 'Rebirthing breathwork' a credible process to mind and body ...
Oct 17, 2012 · Rebirthing does is allows your body to release stored up emotions and traumas. This purification is initiated by a breathing method Leonard Orr discovered by ...According to Buddhism, why can some people remember past lives ...Are people who pass away and are reincarnated smarter in their ...More results from www.quora.com
[60]
Rebirthing
The rebirthing itself was gentle and very profound and I still feel the effects after 2 days. Will definitely go to see Olivia again for a rebirthing session. - ...
[61]
A Primer on Rebirthing Breathwork | by Lewiscoaches - Medium
Apr 28, 2024 · My son-in-law and two of my friends failed. One hour of rebirthing can accomplish more than years of talk therapy.
[62]
8 Days Rebirthing Breathwork and Yoga Retreat in Mafra, Portugal
Highlights · Yoga practices · 2 individual sessions · Guided meditation sessions · 6 rebirthing breath-work sessions · 7 nights accommodation · Vegetarian meals ...
[63]
8 Day Awakening Retreat with Meditation, Yoga, Tantra, Rebirthing ...
May 25, 2025 · Surrounded by raw nature and ancient mystical energy, you'll be guided through powerful practices including subconscious reprogramming meditation, gentle yoga.
[64]
Discover Kundalini Rebirthing - Yogi Mehtab
A series of powerful Kundalini Yoga classes were taught around “rebirthing,” or clearing the birth traumas from the subconscious mind.
[65]
Integrative Breathwork - Breath as therapy aka Rebirthing
Breathwork can support us to mindfully breathe into deeply held tension and old held material stuck in our bodies and allow what has been stuck or rejected in ...
[66]
Transform Your Day with a Simple Daily Breathwork Routine
Combining breathwork with other wellness activities, including meditation and yoga, can help boost overall wellbeing. Breathing techniques can be done alone as ...
[67]
Otto Rank (1884–1939) | Embryo Project Encyclopedia
Aug 12, 2019 · Rank was further denounced by Freud when Freud said that the fetus is not aware of its own existence and that it could not have the sensory ...Missing: evidence | Show results with:evidence
[68]
Rebirthing - Reachout Trust
Oct 5, 2012 · Conclusions. Rebirthing Breathwork is a questionable alternative therapy with no reliable independent scientific trials available to back it up.
[69]
Are there fitness-related physiological changes following a series of ...
Objective: The current study is only the second known empirical study of Rebirthing, a holistic self-improvement therapy.<|separator|>
[70]
Hyperventilation | Johns Hopkins Medicine
When you breathe, you inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. Excessive breathing may lead to low levels of carbon dioxide in your blood, which causes many of ...
[71]
Respiratory Alkalosis Clinical Presentation: History, Physical, Causes
Feb 18, 2025 · Respiratory alkalosis is a disturbance in acid and base balance due to alveolar hyperventilation. Alveolar hyperventilation leads to a ...Missing: rebirthing | Show results with:rebirthing
[72]
Tetany During Intravenous Conscious Sedation in Dentistry ...
Hyperventilation with resultant hypocapnia can result in a reduction in calcium ions, which can lead to tetany, an involuntary contraction of the skeletal ...Missing: rebirthing | Show results with:rebirthing
[73]
What is the relationship between tetany and respiratory alkalosis ...
Mar 21, 2025 · Tetany is directly related to respiratory alkalosis caused by hyperventilation, as the decrease in carbon dioxide levels leads to an increase in blood pH.
[74]
Effects of hyperventilation on oxygenation, apnea breaking points ...
Apr 15, 2023 · Our study shows that even a short period of hyperventilation delays the physiological breaking point, prolongs apnea duration, and increases ...
[75]
[PDF] Physiological responses during a single rebirthing (Breath work ...
Jun 12, 2022 · In the early '70s, Leonard Orr created the technique known as Rebirthing (also known as. Breastwork, Conscious breathing, Circular breathing ...Missing: spread commercialization
[76]
Holotropic Breathwork Benefits and Risks - Verywell Mind
Jul 9, 2025 · There are safety concerns with practicing it on your own, including dizziness, fainting, hyperventilation, and psychological distress. Because ...Missing: empirical | Show results with:empirical
[77]
Therapists Convicted of Abuse In Girl's Death During Treatment
Apr 21, 2001 · The girl, Candace Newmaker, 10, died on April 19, 2000, one day after the therapy session at Ms. Watkins's clinic in Evergreen, Colo. Candace ...Missing: fatal incidents
[78]
Therapists Guilty in 'Rebirth' Trial - ABC News
Apr 20, 2001 · Two psychotherapists were convicted today of reckless child abuse of the death of a 10-year-old girl who suffocated during a controversial rebirthing session.Missing: breathwork | Show results with:breathwork
[79]
Therapists on Trial in Death of Girl, 10 - The Washington Post
Mar 29, 2001 · Jury selection began today in the trial of Connell Watkins, 54, known for her work with children with reactive attachment disorder, and her colleague Julie ...
[80]
Mom Testifies at 'Rebirthing' Trial - ABC News
Apr 3, 2001 · The adoptive mother of the girl who died during a rebirthing session tearfully testified today that the 10-year-old underwent years of unsuccessful counseling.Missing: incidents | Show results with:incidents
[81]
2 Convicted in Girl's Death During 'Rebirthing' Therapy
Apr 21, 2001 · Two therapists were convicted Friday of child abuse in the death of a 10-year-old girl who suffocated while undergoing a controversial “rebirthing” therapy.
[82]
Rebirthing Therapist Sentenced - CBS News
Jun 18, 2001 · Watkins was found guilty April 20 of reckless child abuse resulting in death. Candace Newmaker, who had been in foster homes, was diagnosed with ...Missing: fatal incidents
[83]
Mother faces charges in daughter's 'rebirthing' therapy death
Dec 20, 2001 · A woman faces charges in the death of her 10-year-old adopted daughter, who suffocated during a therapy session intended to simulate birth.Missing: cases | Show results with:cases
[84]
Four Face Trial in Girl's 'Rebirthing' Death - ABC News
Aug 17, 2000 · 18 -- A judge ruled Thursday there is enoughevidence to try four people charged with child abuse in the deathof a 10-year-old girl who stopped ...
[85]
http://www.wcpinst.org/source/senate-condemns-rebirthing-techniques/
[86]
Colorado governor signs 'rebirthing' ban - April 17, 2001 - CNN
Apr 17, 2001 · Gov. Bill Owens on Tuesday signed a bill into law that prohibits the use of rebirthing techniques by mental health professionals, ...
[87]
Seeking Child's Love, a Child's Life is Lost - Los Angeles Times
Feb 4, 2001 · Connell Watkins--the particular Evergreen therapist chosen by Jeane Newmaker--was among the best known and most controversial in her field. It ...Missing: fatal | Show results with:fatal
[88]
Behavior Management Training for the Treatment of Reactive ... - NIH
Perhaps the most publicized of these treatments is holding therapy, also known as rebirthing or rage reduction therapy. As described by Hanson and Spratt ...
[89]
US psychiatrists oppose rebirthing › News in Science (ABC Science)
Jul 19, 2002 · The American Psychiatric Association has released a position statement advising against rebirthing for children with reactive attachment disorder.
[90]
Therapist Defends Herself in 'Rebirthing' Trial - ABC News
Apr 17, 2001 · A therapist accused of contributing to the death of a 10-year-old during a controversial technique called rebirthing told jurors today she thought the girl had ...
[91]
Legal and Ethical Issues in Rebirthing Therapy Case Study
May 20, 2023 · Regarding ethics, the therapists showed a lack of respect for the child's autonomy and put her at risk of harm without her consent.
[92]
[Solved] Rebirthing—Candace Newmaker. In 2000 ... - CliffsNotes
Feb 2, 2023 · In 2000, Candace Newmaker was killed during a rebirthing therapy session while she being treated for supposed reactive attachment disorder.
[93]
Attachment therapy: Are we truly doing “no harm”? - APA PsycNet
This article evaluates the existing research regarding attachment therapy and provides additional support for its consideration as a potentially harmful ...Missing: lack | Show results with:lack<|control11|><|separator|>
[94]
[PDF] Psychological Treatments to Avoid - ERIC
One controversial psychotherapeutic technique has actually been outlawed in one state; rebirthing is prohibited in Colorado (Mercer, Sarner, Rosa, & Costa, 2003) ...
[95]
RIBA Code of Ethics - Rebirthing Breathwork Association
The purpose of this is to facilitate a professional, ethical, and sacred space for Healing to occur. Our attention and focus is on personal growth, the power ...
[96]
Girl's Death Brings Ban on a Kind of Therapy - The New York Times
Apr 18, 2001 · Colorado Gov Bill Owens signs bill to ban 'rebirthing,' form of psychotherapy for treating reactive attachment disorder, ...
[97]
U.S. House denounces rebirthing therapy - Wilmington Star-News
Sep 19, 2002 · WASHINGTON - The House voted Tuesday to condemn a therapeutic technique known as rebirthing as dangerous and harmful and urged every state ...
[98]
S.L. 2003-205 - North Carolina General Assembly
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA. SESSION 2003. SESSION LAW 2003-205. SENATE BILL 251. AN ACT TO PROHIBIT THE practice of the "rebirthing" TECHNIQUE.
[99]
Untitled
[Congressional Bills 109th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. Res. 276 Agreed to Senate (ATS)] 109th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES.
[100]
Training Standards – Global Professional Breathwork Alliance
Oct 1, 2024 · GPBA Professional Training Standards for Breathworkers · A minimum of 400 hours of training time over a minimum of 2 years training period.2. Entry Requirements · 4. Structure Of Training · 11. Modules
[101]
Guidelines for Breathwork Sessions (of the GPBA)
The aim of these guidelines is to be wide enough to support an extensive range of Breathwork styles/differences, yet specific enough to contain some key ...Universal Components · Other Components In The... · Flow Of A Breathwork Session
[102]
[PDF] Colorado Law Scholarly Commons
Concerning a Prohibition on the Therapeutic Technique Known as. Rebirthing, and, in Connection Therewith, Creating an Additional. Prohibited Activity for Mental ...
[103]
Membri IBF - International Breathwork Foundation
View Ethics and Standards page for guidance on choosing a breathwork practitioner and modality. ... BreathTalks Professional School of Rebirthing Breathwork. CCB ...
[104]
AIR School of Breathwork
The breathwork modality we teach is Rebirthing breathwork, which is an original form of conscious connected breathwork. It is a very gentle yet powerful ...
[105]
BreathTalks: Home
Professional Rebirthing Breathwork Trainings and sessions with Ciara Longman. Discover the mysteries of the breath, Transpersonal Hypnotherapy, ...
[106]
Aloha Rebirthing Breathwork Retreat and Training
You are cordially invited to this 7 day immersive Rebirthing Breathwork Retreat and Training in Kauai from April 5th-12th, 2025.<|separator|>
[107]
rebirthingbreathwork.net - Miracles of Breath
Rebirthing Breathwork is a natural, heart-based technique that fast-forwards awareness and growth, joining science and spirituality for healing.
[108]
Breathwork Transformation (Rebirthing) Workshop - Surrey Holistic
A therapeutic breathing practice allowing you to connect with and release past trauma, moving from confusion into enlightening insights.Missing: seminars commercialization
[109]
Healing Disease with Rebirth Breath Therapy Breathwork
Mar 12, 2025 · Traditionally in Rebirthing and RBT we view disease as a persistent energy pattern – And the breath, as an instrument for changing that energy ...
[110]
IBF Story - IBF International Breathwork Foundation
In the late 60's Leonard Orr discovered Rebirthing Breathwork in the course of his personal search for spiritual growth and the expansion of consciousness.
[111]
Leonard D. Orr Foundation
Originally written in 1977, this book includes a detailed description of the early development of Rebirthing Breathwork™, and touches on Leonard's philosophy on ...
[112]
How Does Rebirthing Breathwork Work? Seeking a new consensus
Jun 19, 2023 · Is there any experimental evidence? The scientific evidence is clear. An abundance of scientific studies have demonstrated that such energy ...
[113]
How Breathwork Changes Us – IONS - Institute of Noetic Sciences
May 9, 2024 · Most people never properly learn how to do one thing that keeps us alive: breathing. This may be why breathwork has boomed in recent years.<|separator|>
[114]
A 'Rebirth' Brings Death - Newsweek
Jun 4, 2000 · In the four years since Jeane Newmaker adopted Candace, then 6, the little girl had never let her mother hold her.
[115]
'Rebirthing' Therapist Denies Guilt - ABC News
Jun 15, 2001 · A psychotherapist convicted of reckless child abuse in death of a 10-year-old girl during a controversial therapy still insists the child's death was not her ...Missing: history | Show results with:history
[116]
Rebirthing: Freedom from Your Past: Begg, Deike - Amazon.com
30-day returnsRebirthing is a breathing therapy that eradicates traumatic memories and negative forces from the body-mind, helping to uncover the authentic self.
[117]
Breathing Their Way to an Altered State - The New York Times
Jan 10, 2024 · The vigorous modality, known as holotropic breathwork, is offered at the end of an eight-month training to provide a lawful taste of the ...