Trauma lives in the body. Van der Kolk's 'The Body Keeps the Score' documented how traumatic experiences dysregulate the autonomic nervous system, creating a baseline of hypervigilance (sympathetic overdrive) or numbness (dorsal vagal shutdown) — or oscillation between both. Breathing exercises address trauma at the body level, which talk therapy alone often cannot reach. However, trauma-informed breathing practice requires specific modifications to avoid triggering flashbacks or dissociation.
Trauma-safe breathing guidelines: (1) Always practice with eyes open — closed eyes can trigger flashbacks for some trauma survivors. (2) Keep inhales gentle — aggressive deep breathing can trigger panic in hypervigilant nervous systems. (3) Prefer coherence breathing (inhale 5, exhale 5) over techniques with breath holds — holds can feel like being trapped. (4) Practice in a safe environment where you feel grounded. (5) Stop immediately if dissociation occurs (feeling detached from your body or surroundings).
The progression: Start with 2-3 minutes of gentle coherence breathing. If tolerated, gradually extend to 5 minutes over several weeks. Add grounding techniques (feet on floor, hands on thighs) to anchor body awareness during breathing. Over time, as the nervous system learns that slow breathing is safe, the window of tolerance expands — you can feel more without becoming overwhelmed. This is the somatic foundation that makes talk therapy and other trauma treatments more effective. Always work with a trauma-informed therapist alongside any self-guided breathing practice.