Richard Blake, Ph.D. - Healing Through Breath: Science, Safety & Somatics

Jun 9, 2025

Dr. Richard Blake, a pioneering psychologist and breathwork researcher, shares groundbreaking insights from his extensive research on Conscious Connected Breathwork (CCB). He discusses its effectiveness in reducing anxiety compared to traditional therapies like SSRIs and psychedelics. The conversation highlights the importance of trauma-informed practices, safety in breathwork sessions, and the integration of holistic approaches in mental health treatments. Blake emphasizes the transformative potential of lifestyle changes and community support in achieving deep emotional healing.

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INSIGHT

Conscious Connected Breathwork Defined

Conscious Connected Breathwork (CCB) involves multiple therapeutic schools like Holotropic and Breath Guru.
CCB is potent but requires significant training and safeguards due to its intensity.

ADVICE

Safe Facilitation Practices

Facilitators should maintain a certification, insurance, informed consent, and a safe participant-to-facilitator ratio.
Avoid large group sessions with insufficient supervision to prevent emotional harm and dissociation.

INSIGHT

CCB’s Impact on Anxiety

Six weekly 90-minute online CCB sessions significantly reduced clinical anxiety, showing a large effect size.
Results surpassed typical effects of CBT and SSRIs, with many participants reaching remission.

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In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Dr. Richard Blake, a pioneering psychologist and breathwork researcher, to discuss the science and clinical application of Conscious Connected Breathwork (CCB).

Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-307/?ref=278

Dr. Blake shares key insights from his groundbreaking randomized controlled trial—the largest to date—on the effectiveness of CCB for reducing anxiety. The conversation explores the distinctions between breathwork modalities, how altered states are reached without substances, and why trauma-informed facilitation is essential for safe practice.

Paul and Dr. Blake also dive into the pitfalls of mainstream psychotherapy, the overlooked power of lifestyle interventions, and how breathwork compares to both SSRIs and psychedelics in measurable outcomes.

Dr. Richard Blake holds a PhD in Transpersonal Psychology and is a pioneering researcher in the field of breathwork, psychedelics, and holistic mental health. He conducted the largest-ever randomized controlled trial on Conscious Connected Breathwork (CCB), providing groundbreaking scientific evidence on its effects on anxiety and well-being. Dr. Blake works with RUNGA, where he is dedicated to advancing the evolution of mental health treatments—moving beyond head-centered approaches to include breathwork, psychedelics, nutrition, exercise, and other integrative healing practices. His mission is to help people unlock deeper levels of psychological resilience, nervous system regulation, and self-awareness through embodied and experiential methods.

Highlights:

Why breathwork is a potent tool for trauma and anxiety
Comparing Holotropic Breathwork to newer trauma-informed approaches
Facilitator-to-client ratio standards for safety
The ethics and economics of group breathwork sessions
Inside the largest randomized trial on CCB for anxiety
Why 5% adverse effects matters—and how it compares to SSRIs
The “pivotal mental states” hypothesis explained
Integration of talk therapy and altered states
The power of community and connection in healing
From peak performance to depth psychology: Dr. Blake’s story

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