The Nervous System Studio

Feeling off? Exhausted from pushing through? Carrying tension or pain you can't shake?

What you’re feeling is real. It’s your body holding on to what was never meant to stay.

Your nervous system remembers every stress, every unspoken emotion, every time you set aside your own needs. Over time, that weight can leave you stuck, disconnected, or in pain.

Your breath can change this. Conscious Connected Breathwork helps unwind those patterns and release stored tension and emotion, creating space to reconnect with your resilient self.

Commitment to Your Healing

At The Nervous System Studio, your emotional and physical safety come first. I create a supportive space to explore what your system has been holding.

Whether you’re seeking relief from chronic stress, stored trauma, or persistent pain, my approach meets you exactly where you are and honors your unique process.

With gentle guidance and evidence-based, trauma-informed practices, I can help you restore balance and release the stress your body has been carrying.

Services / Offerings

Group and One-On-One Sessions are offered online with in-person sessions in the Washington, DC region and Southeastern New England.

Group

Sessions

One-On-One

Sessions

Workshops &

Retreats

There's something magical about breathing together. In a group, you can experience the power of collective healing. These sessions create a safe space where you can explore your inner landscape alongside others on similar journeys. The shared energy amplifies the experience while you remain in complete control of your own process. Perfect for those seeking connection.

$25 pp*

Receive personalized attention and guidance tailored specifically to your needs and goals. In private sessions, you can address your patterns, trauma, and healing journey with focused intention. This setting allows for customized exploration and breathing techniques, and the space to process whatever arises. Ideal for those seeking intensive healing or prefer a private experience.

$125*

Dive deeper into breathwork through educational workshops that combine learning with experience. These extended sessions provide time to experience longer breathing journeys. Workshops often focus on specific themes, such as stress relief, inner-child healing, or letting go of what no longer serves you, among others, providing you with knowledge and practical tools for ongoing transformation.

Please Inquire

* Because I believe everyone should have access to breathwork, I offer sliding scale pricing for those who need it. Please reach out to me through the contact form below.

FAQ

What is Conscious Connected Breathwork?

Conscious Connected Breathwork uses a continuous flow of inhales and exhales with no pauses in between.

This rhythmic pattern creates a physiological shift that gently opens access to your subconscious—opening an expanded state of awareness without substances.

This practice is safe, natural, and fully within your control.

By setting the pace of your own breath, your body generates its own form of “medicine” for release and renewal. It can help you:

Calm your nervous system and ease anxiety
Release emotional tension stored in the body
Reduce chronic pain and improve quality of life
Shift out of limiting patterns and coping strategies
Build deeper self-awareness, resilience, and compassion

Using the power of your breath, curated music, and skilled guidance, this practice helps you let go of tension and reconnect with yourself in a meaningful way.

Is breathwork suitable for beginners?

Yes, this practice is accessible to individuals at all levels. Whether you are new to breathwork or seeking advanced support, sessions can be tailored to meet diverse needs and experiences.

Hi, I’m Karen – the good kind.

I know what it’s like to push until everything breaks. Years in a demanding, high-pressure job, along with divorce, debilitating fibroids, and the growing pains of blending a family, left me anxious, exhausted, and in chronic pain. When I discovered conscious connected breathwork, it felt like someone had told me a secret. None of my 14 doctors, not even my pain specialist, had ever mentioned it. Breathwork brought the relief I’d been searching for. Today, I’m an internationally certified, trauma-informed breathwork facilitator helping others break free from stress, pain, and the patterns that keep them stuck. I’m still human, still learning, and I know firsthand how powerful this practice can be.

Stay in touch for upcoming sessions, workshops, and tools for nervous system support.
Small shifts begin with your breath.

Get in Touch

The Science:

Research shows that your breath isn't just keeping you alive - it could be your most powerful tool for change.

We’re constantly bombarded by wellness trends promising quick fixes. Breathwork sometimes gets lumped in with them. But the research tells a different story. Universities and medical institutions are now validating what practitioners have long observed: breathwork produces measurable physiological and psychological effects, making it a valuable complement to traditional therapy.

Measurable Brain Changes

Researchers at the Clinical Neuroscience Department of Brighton and Sussex Medical School used advanced brain imaging to observe people during conscious connected breathing. They found that this rhythmic pattern activated regions tied to emotion and memory, supporting natural release and insight.

Deep Emotional Access

Real-time tracking confirmed that participants could safely access and process stored emotion and memory. The deeper the breathwork session, the greater the positive shift. Across studies, participants reported less fear, fewer negative emotions, and no panic reactions.

Psychedelic-Level Benefits Without Substances

In related studies, scientists described breathwork as a “powerful, non-pharmacological tool” capable of producing metabolic and neurological changes comparable to those seen in psychedelic-assisted therapy, yet achieved entirely through breath and music.

Clinical Improvements in PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression

Research from the Ernst Strüngmann Institute for Neuroscience in Berlin and the MIND Foundation in Frankfurt found that participants’ well-being improved within a week of conscious connected breathwork, with reductions in depressive symptoms. Other breathwork studies have shown that:

PTSD survivors experience major reductions in trauma symptoms
People with anxiety report better sleep and emotional regulation
Burned-out healthcare workers show lower stress and fatigue
Those with depression report improved mood and vitality

The Physiology Behind It

During conscious connected breathwork, carbon dioxide levels drop and blood pH rises (becoming more alkaline). Low CO2 causes blood vessels to constrict slightly. At the same time, the Bohr Effect means hemoglobin holds oxygen more tightly, temporarily altering oxygen delivery to tissues. These changes can create tingling or muscle tightness while increasing activity in emotional and memory centers of the brain. Meanwhile, the prefrontal cortex (the "thinking mind") quiets, allowing deeper awareness to surface. As normal breathing resumes, the body naturally rebalances.

What This Means for You

The evidence is clear: breathwork changes how the brain functions, how the nervous system regulates stress, and how we experience emotion. These are not placebo effects, they’re measurable biological shifts that support real healing and transformation.