Academic Scientist to Breathwork Coach with Dr. Cathy Scanlon [Video]

This is a recording of a workshop I was invited to run by Women in research in Ireland. This is a recording of the first half of the workshop where I speak about my journey from academia to Breathwork Coaching.

Research and academia are fast-paced and high stress environments, leading to researchers feeling stressed and overwhelmed. Women in Research Ireland are teaming up with Dr. Cathy Scanlon aka the breathworkcoach to bring you a workshop focusing on Breathwork as a tool to alleviate and manage stress.

About Breathwork

Breathwork is a deep meditative practice that facilitates the release of stress and tension, as well as emotions we may have been holding onto for many years. It’s a highly cathartic and slightly psychedelic technique, which leaves us feeling lighter and often in a state of bliss and total mind clarity. Research studies have reported states of mental clarity, profound relaxation and sense of well-being after just one Breathwork session. Longer term benefits of deep breathing practices have shown significant effects on the respiratory, cardiovascular, cardiorespiratory and autonomic nervous systems.

About the Workshop

In this workshop Cathy will discuss her departure from academia and her discovery of Breathwork and building a business in the wellness industry. We will discuss what Breathwork is and a brief overview of the current research in the field. We will then move into a Breathwork session. For this portion you will need to have a quiet space where you can lay down flat and stretch out for the Breathwork meditation. You can lay on a bed, couch, or the floor, wherever you are comfortable. Have some blankets/pillows or whatever you need to be comfortable! Headphones are helpful and an eye cover if you have one. Breathwork is not suitable for pregnancy or if you have or had cardiovascular issues.

About Cathy

Before becoming a Breathwork Coach, Dr. Scanlon worked as an academic research scientist, specialising in Neuroimaging in both Neurology and Psychiatry. Cathy completed her PhD at Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI) and subsequently worked as both a postdoc and lecturer at University College San Francisco (UCSF), National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG) and King’s College London (KCL). Cathy has trained in many forms of Breathwork while living in Costa Rica, New York and California. We will be practicing Pranayama Breathwork in this workshop.