Reported by: Precella JB & Shikha Hedge (M.Sc. Counseling students)
The department of M.Sc Counseling organized a two days training program on Holotropic Breathwork on 2nd and 3rd of December, 2022 at Don Bosco training centre for counseling and psychotherapy, Trivandrum. The resource Persons were Rev. Dr. Kuriakose Pallikunnel , Counseling Psychologist and Rev. Fr K.C. Thomas SDB, certified practitioner of Emotional Freedom techniques and Holotropic Breathwork, Grof Transpersonal Training in India and Sri Lanka. The participants constituted 40 students of M.Sc. Counseling.
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The objective of the session was to gain knowledge and skills related to the practice of Holotropic Breath work. The method was developed by Stanislav Grof and his wife, Christina Grof. Holotropic comes from the terms holos- meaning wholeness and tropic meaning moving towards. It inculcates the use of music and deep breathing, wherein the breather undergoes a non ordinary state of consciousness with the help of deep breathing and immersive music. The method also involves a sitter whose role is to support the breather as she embarks on the emotional Rollercoaster of a psychological journey. The guide would be helping the breather to breathe deeply and then help them proceed to their state of non ordinary consciousness by just making sure they focus on their breathing. The integration session involves the reflection on all the things the breather experienced during the session which they can work on with the guide, sitter, other breathers and/ or therapist. There was also talk on the origins of the method, the components of it, the stages of its development, the areas where it works, how it works, what could be the expected outcomes, some previous outcomes, etc, so all were well informed.
The session was an interesting learning experience wherein the students learnt how to go about with the sitter and guiding process. The breathers underwent a lot of emotions and had afirsthand experience of how exactly the process works in people. The experience was one of great significance.
