Slow Your Breathing Skill

This deep breathing skill is from Radically Open DBT (RO DBT), teaching clients diaphragmatic breathing to activate the brain's safety system. It guides clients to deepen and slow their breathing to about six breaths per minute.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to this radically open DBT-based skill of slowing your breath.

Today our goal is to slow the rate of our breathing to approximately 6 breaths per minute.

We will count one inhalation-exhalation cycle as one breath.

Remember the goal is not to be perfect,

That is,

You must have only 6 breaths,

But to slow the rate down substantially.

The belly should rise on the in-breath and not the chest.

We want to emphasize abdominal breathing,

Breathing that moves the diaphragmic muscles in the abdomen rather than shallow chest breathing.

Now let's practice.

Beginning in a relaxed position,

Taking a breath,

Sitting back in your chair,

Lifting the corners of your lips up in a gentle smile.

While closed mouth smiling,

Add an eyebrow wag,

Raising and lowering your eyebrows.

Now taking your first breath in,

And then breathing out,

Breathing in,

And out,

Breathing in,

And breathing out,

Breathing in,

And breathing out,

Breathing in,

And out.

Now continue this pattern of breathing for one minute on your own.

If thoughts or emotions arise,

Practice returning to your breath.

Now let's practice breathing in and out.

Now bringing your awareness back to your surroundings.

If your eyes were closed,

You can open them.

Taking one last breath,

Eyebrow wag and a soft smile.

Now,

Thank you for joining today for this breathing practice.

Reviews

Nice little reset! So interesting with the eyebrow wag and soft smile to relax the face and carry the softness forward. Thanks 🙏