Description

Your breath is always practicing something.

Stress, posture, tension, mouth breathing, breath-holding, and everyday habits can gradually change the way your body breathes — often without you realizing it.

You may notice:

• A tight chest or difficulty getting a satisfying breath
• Neck or shoulder tension
• Frequent sighing or breath-holding
• Feeling wired, restless, or easily overwhelmed
• Difficulty settling your body after stress
• A sense that your breathing takes more effort than it should

Breathe Smart™ gives you a clear, personalized starting point.

Instead of giving you another generic breathing exercise, we look at how your body is actually breathing and build your plan from there.

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What Is Breathe Smart™?

Breathe Smart™ is a private 90-minute functional breathing assessment and coaching session designed to help you identify your current breathing pattern, establish a measurable baseline, and begin retraining the mechanics underneath it.

You’ll learn what your body is doing now, why it matters, and what to practice next.

The goal is simple:

Turn “I know I should breathe better” into “I know exactly what my body needs.”

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What’s Included

1. 90-Minute Private Assessment + Coaching Session

We begin with a conversation about your concerns, goals, daily stress patterns, and what you want breathing training to help you change.

Then we assess your breathing and begin working with your body in real time.

2. Three Functional Breathing Assessments

We establish a baseline using assessments that look at areas such as breathing mechanics, movement, breath control, and CO₂ tolerance.

These measurements help turn:

“Something feels off.”

into:

“Here is the pattern we can work with.”

3. Personalized Breathing Retraining

You’ll learn targeted exercises based on what we observe during your assessment.

Rather than learning every breathing technique, you’ll focus on the practices most relevant to your breathing pattern.

4. Customized Breathe Smart™ Restoration Plan

After your session, you’ll receive a personalized practice plan outlining:

• What to practice
• Why you’re practicing it
• How often to practice
• What changes to watch for
• How to track your progress

Most plans require approximately 10–15 minutes of daily practice.

5. 20-Minute Integration Follow-Up

Approximately two weeks later, we’ll reconnect to review what you’re noticing, answer questions, refine your technique, and adjust your plan as needed.

6. Two Weeks of Personalized Email Support

You’ll have support as you put your plan into practice so you’re not left wondering whether you’re doing it correctly or what to adjust.

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Who Is This For?

Breathe Smart™ is designed for adults and teens ages 16+ who want to better understand how their breathing may be interacting with stress, tension, energy, focus, and everyday wellbeing.

It may be especially helpful if you:

• Feel like you can’t always get a satisfying breath
• Carry chronic tension in your neck, shoulders, chest, or abdomen
• Notice yourself holding your breath or bracing
• Feel overwhelmed quickly and have difficulty settling afterward
• Have tried breathing exercises but aren’t sure whether you’re doing them correctly
• Want measurable information instead of another one-size-fits-all technique
• Want to develop healthier breathing habits you can use throughout your life

No previous breathwork experience is required.

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The Breathe Smart™ Approach

Recognize

Identify the breathing mechanics, tension habits, and stress patterns your body is using now.

Relearn

Begin restoring lower, more efficient diaphragm-led breathing and reducing unnecessary tension and effort.

Routine

Leave with a realistic daily practice so your new breathing pattern has an opportunity to become more familiar and accessible.

Recognize. Relearn. Routine.

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Why Assessment Comes First

“Take a deep breath” sounds simple.

But not every body takes that breath in the same way.

Some people lift through their shoulders and upper chest. Others brace their abdomen, restrict their ribs, hold their breath, or recruit muscles that make breathing feel harder than it needs to.

That’s why Breathe Smart™ begins with assessment before prescription.

Once we understand your pattern, we can choose exercises more intentionally.

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What You’ll Learn

During your session, you’ll begin learning:

• What efficient breathing looks and feels like
• Where your breath currently moves
• How your diaphragm and lower rib cage participate in breathing
• Which habits may be creating unnecessary effort or tension
• How to use your exhale more effectively
• How different breathing patterns can influence your state
• How to practice without forcing or over-breathing
• How to build a simple daily routine you can realistically maintain

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My Approach to Breath Coaching

I keep this work:

Science-informed.
We use functional assessment, breathing mechanics, and evidence-informed practices rather than guessing.

Simple.
Plain English. Practical exercises. No need to memorize complicated techniques.

Personalized.
Your plan is based on your body, your assessments, and your goals.

Trauma-sensitive.
Choice, pacing, and agency matter. You are never asked to push through discomfort simply to complete an exercise.

Practical.
The goal is not only to breathe well during our Zoom session. It is to build skills you can use in everyday life.

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What You’ll Need

For your virtual session, please have:

• Computer, tablet, or phone with Zoom
• Quiet space where you can move comfortably
• Comfortable clothing
• Yoga mat or towel
• Water
• Flexible body-measuring tape

Any additional items will be included in your preparation instructions.

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Session Details

Format: Private 1:1 via Zoom
Length: 90 minutes
Age: 16+
Investment: $497
Daily Practice: Approximately 10–15 minutes
Follow-Up: 20-minute integration session
Support: 2 weeks of personalized email support

For in-person inquiries in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, contact stephanie@balancingelephants.com.

You don’t need more breathing tricks.

You need to understand the pattern your body is already practicing.

Breathe Smart™ gives you the clarity, personalized instruction, and plan to begin changing it.