A grounded space for healing begins with safety, clarity, and care.
Everything I offer, from yoga and mobility workshops to breathwork, meditation, and retreats, is guided by a strong ethical foundation and my commitment to trauma-informed, heart-centered facilitation.

This page outlines how I hold space, what my credentials are, and the scope of practice you can confidently expect when you work with me.

My Guiding Principles

1. Safety First — Always

Every practice I teach is designed to support nervous system regulation, embodiment, and personal agency. I do not push, force, or rush any emotional or physical process.
You will always be invited, never required.

In my spaces, you are encouraged to:

pause
adjust
opt out
choose what feels right for your body and nervous system

Your autonomy is sacred.

2. Trauma-Aware Facilitation

While I am not a therapist, I am committed to trauma-informed principles:

choice and pacing
non-coercive language
gentle invitations
honoring boundaries
regulating the space
avoiding retraumatizing cues
focusing on grounding and containment

My goal is to create an environment where your system feels safe enough to soften, release, or rest, without pressure to “go deep” or have any specific outcome.

3. Evidence-Informed Breathwork & Movement

Breath is one of the most powerful tools we have for shifting the nervous system.
Because of this, I teach breathwork with clarity, informed consent, and pacing. Always offering options so each person can choose what feels appropriate for their body and emotional landscape.

My approach includes a full spectrum of breath practices, from gentle down-regulating techniques to more activating, traditional yogic pranayamas used for emotional release, energetic clearing, or deeper self-inquiry.

Gentle + Down-Regulating Techniques

These practices support grounding, emotional steadiness, and nervous system calm:

alternate nostril breathing
box breathing
4-7-8 breathing
soft diaphragmatic breathing
bee’s breath
mindful breath awareness

These are always offered as accessible, safe options for anxiety, overwhelm, or when someone prefers a gentler session.

Traditional Yogic and Breathwork Techniques

At certain workshops and retreats — and always with clear explanation and choice — I may offer activating pranayamas or breath practices such as:

superventilations (cyclical and patterned breathwork)
Breath of Surrender-style journeys
kapalabhati (skull-shining breath)
uddiyana bandha-informed belly lifts
fire breath variations
traditional yogic cleansing techniques

These practices can support emotional release, internal clarity, and deeper somatic awareness.
They are never mandatory and are never offered without thorough safety guidance, including:

physiological effects
emotional possibilities
grounding options
ways to modify or soften
opt-out pathways
supportive aftercare

I hold activating breathwork with deep respect.
Participants are supported with grounding integration, rest, and clear communication before, during, and after the practice.

My Breathwork Philosophy

I believe in informed consent, choice, and collaboration with the nervous system, not overpowering it.

This means:

You always know exactly what we’re doing and why.
You always have the option to choose a gentler version.
You can stop, pause, or switch styles at any moment.
You will never be pushed into intensity, activation, or emotional vulnerability before you’re ready.

Breathwork is a tool for empowerment, not pressure, and I honour that with every session I guide.

4. Clear Scope of Practice

This is what I do:

Support nervous system regulation
Guide breath practices for grounding and ease
Offer yoga and movement for mobility + calm
Teach somatic awareness practices
Provide wellness coaching for lifestyle support
Create safe retreat environments for restoration
Hold space for emotional processing without analysis
Teach self-regulation tools

This is what I do not do:

Diagnose or treat clinical mental health conditions
Offer psychotherapy, counselling, or yoga therapy
Promise physical or psychological outcomes
Replace medical care or allied health support

I collaborate beautifully with clinicians, therapists, RMTs, and yoga therapists, but I do not claim their roles.

My Training & Credentials

I bring a multidimensional understanding of the body, nervous system, and somatic healing:

200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training
200-Hour Breathwork Facilitator Training
50-Hour Yin & Fascia Immersion
2200-Hour Massage Therapy Diploma (RMT)
Wellness Coaching Certification
Trauma-Informed Training (in progress)
Certified Personal Trainer
Certified Group Fitness Instructor
Certified Spin Instructor
30 Hour sound Healing Certification
60 hour Chakra Healing Certification
Continuing education in mobility, somatics & nervous system literacy

This blend of training , which is somatic, anatomical, nervous-system based, and experiential…. shapes everything I teach.

How I Create Safe Retreat & Workshop Environments with Breathwork

A space where nervous system care, choice, and dignity come first.

1. Gentle, Supported Experiences, with Clear Choice Around Intensity

My retreats include a spectrum of breathwork practices, from grounding, slow breathing to more activating traditional pranayamas and intentional superventilation techniques such as Breath of Surrender.

These practices can create emotional release or catharsis.
What you will never experience in my space is:

forced emotional release
pressured vulnerability
being pushed beyond your capacity
intensity without preparation, consent, or support

Any activating breathwork is always taught with clarity, choice, and grounding support before, during, and after.

Every participant is encouraged to honour their own pace, choose modifications, or remain with gentle practices if that feels right.

2. Clear Guidelines, Informed Consent & Nervous System Choice

Before any breathwork, especially activating practices, you will always receive:

a clear explanation of what the technique is
safety and contraindication notes
what you may feel physically or emotionally
ways to soften the practice or shift to gentler versions
full permission to decline or pause at any moment
a consent waiver, with option to change consent at any time.

You are the expert of your body.
I am here to guide, not to direct your internal experience.

3. Regulation, Containment & Emotional Safety

While some techniques may create activation, I always prioritize emotional containment and grounded nervous system care.

This looks like:

starting with grounding practices
slow, intentional pacing
stabilizing the room before activation
giving options for slower rhythms
teaching how to return to the breath at any time
emphasizing personal agency throughout

Activation is never the goal.
Regulation is the foundation — always.

4. Integration Support & Aftercare

Integration is essential, especially after activating breathwork.

Every retreat or workshop includes:

grounding techniques to stabilize the system
spacious reflective time
slow transitions
opportunities for questions and processing
supportive language to help you make meaning of your experience
resources for aftercare (hydration, journaling, grounding practices, gentle movement, and when to reach out for additional support)

I view integration as just as important as the practice itself.
The goal is always to help your body and mind return to a place of calm, clarity, and safety.

A Note on Collaboration & Community

I believe in community over competition.
Every practitioner in the wellness world brings their own medicine, and there is space for us all.
My intention is always to uplift, collaborate, and contribute to a safer, more supportive community.

If you have questions about my training or scope, I welcome the conversation.

Your safety matters. Your experience matters.
It is always an honour to guide you.

Kassandra Schwabenbauer

RMT, CPT, 200hr Yoga Instructor, Breath Work Facilitator, Wellness Coach, Spin Instructor, Fitness Instructor, Sound Healer, Chakra Energy Healer.

Website photos primarily by Amanda Mary Creative.

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