Q&A with Transformational Breath Facilitator Jessie Laute

Jessie Laute

Wellness & Empowerment Coach Jessie Laute is among 1000 therapists to support Duty to Care’s work in providing NHS staff with mental health and wellbeing support. Also working as a Transformational Breath® Facilitator, Jessie provides tools and techniques to manage any day to day stresses and anxieties we can experience whilst also assisting in the integration of any trauma or tension in the body. Currently she is sharing guided breathwork and meditations to support our mental health and the regulation of our nervous system.

How have you been coping during lockdown? Has it had a big impact on your lifestyle and the therapy you offer?

J: Lockdown has been an incredible challenge and a complete rollercoaster of emotions. Usually being quite an outdoors and social person, it’s been hard for me to not see my family and friends let alone have the freedom to be outside. I have often felt every emotion in the same day, like a swinging pendulum. Some days I would be waking up early in a great mood but then be crying myself to sleep without any reason.

I found lockdown has forced me to face things I may have been avoiding and allow myself to rest and recover from things I haven’t given myself the opportunity to recently. I have been so grateful for my breathwork practice and my support network throughout this and I have ensured I have been taking the time to just rest and allow myself days where I do nothing at all. Whilst not working for the first part of lockdown I decided to embark on a 10 week breathwork meditation journey (for the fourth time) and this has been an incredible support to my mental health & wellbeing.

Business wise, the breathwork I offer usually involves hands on facilitation so I have been unable to see clients face to face since mid March. What this meant is I need to transition my whole business online as it was more important for me than ever to be able to reach my clients and support during this time. This transition has also included further training in order to be able to provide the same level of support and facilitation without being physically present.

Can you offer any advice for anyone struggling during lockdown/Coronavirus? What has helped you during this time?

J: Absolutely, I would say just take things one day at a time, one task at a time, one breath at a time. Be gentle with yourself, it’s such unusual circumstances for all of us and no-one really has the answer. The most important thing is to make sure that you are looking after yourself so you can support your loved ones and others if needed. Reach out and speak to someone, connect with friends, family or a therapist if you feel you need someone to talk to. Just because we have to physically distance from each other, it doesn’t mean we need to socially distance. We can still be social via phone, video chat, and distanced meetings.

Try some breathwork, meditation, mindfulness, or some kind of movement to allow yourself to release any kind of emotional build up or tension in the body. Explore what works for you and build it into your daily practice. My breathwork and meditation practice has been my savour through all of this and helped me to process what has been going on. It has also kept me grounded and able to support others.

Can you explain the therapy you offer as a wellness & empowerment coach & transformational breath facilitator?

J: I am a trained Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and a Certified Transformational Breath® Group Leader. There are many breathwork practices available now but this technique is a self healing tool which allows you to integrate any trauma stored in the body and manage your stress and anxiety levels. It has an endless list of benefits but these are the ones my clients mostly come to me for assistance with. It has been described as the best non-speaking therapy out there and during these sessions you will be empowered by learning how to use your breath to totally transform your life.

Who would your therapy benefit – would it help those suffering anxiety or depression?

J: Breathwork will really benefit anyone and everyone, particularly those suffering with anxiety or depression. Breathwork helps us to support our nervous system, slow everything right down and bring us back into balance. It brings us back into the present moment and shift out of a sympathetic fight or flight response and into a calm, restful parasympathetic state.

How could it help support NHS staff during/after Coronavirus?

J: Breathwork allows us to release and process experiences we are having on a daily basis that may have a negative impact on us. It also gives us a tool to manage those stressful situations a bit easier and allow us to remain calm and effective rather than stressed and panicked.

It really should be a daily practice and like any other healthy habit, it takes time like to form, strengthen and build on until it becomes second nature. Having a facilitator to support this is undoubtedly beneficial and for our NHS staff to have continued access to this service will be an incredible support to them.

What could clients expect from a first session with you?

J: Whatever it is they are in need of at that time. To begin the session we will check in to see what is going on for them, a mini coaching session so to speak. We will then determine what will be of most benefit at that time. Be it relaxation, release, a system reset, or a safe space to share and be supported with what they are going through.

I have a complete toolkit of breathwork available to them so can guide through several different breathing exercises they can take away with them and use immediately or go a little deeper with some connected breathwork. Each one of us is an individual having our own unique experience so I will assess the individual needs and go from there.

There is concern over PTSD implications for NHS staff after Coronavirus – Is this something your treatment could help with?

J: This does not surprise me unfortunately, with the amount of pressure the NHS staff are under and what they have to deal with on a daily basis without having the time and space to process. It would be great if there was government support for our NHS staff to receive or have access to therapies that will support them with their health & wellbeing whilst they are working so hard to support us. PTSD is definitely something that can be supported in my sessions.

Are there any symptoms NHS staff should watch out for as a sign they may need extra support?

J: So many, the list could go on but here are a few key things: feeling restless, not being able to switch off at the end of a shift, disrupted sleep, heightened emotions, feelings of unease. Experiencing any kind of trauma and needing to process it, unable to focus clearly, loss of appetite, digestive issues, headaches are just to name a few.

Why do you think there has been such a huge cultural shift towards wellness over the last few years?

J: Because we really need it more than ever. I feel like we have become overstimulated in our day to day lives. We are always ’switched on’ and accessible. Due to smart phones and the internet, no longer can we unplug so to speak unless we turn off all of our devices (which is probably very rare) and this can really have an impact on us being able to slow down and recharge.

Everything needs to be done ‘now!’ and we are often spinning several plates at the same time. We are very much in our heads and probably overthinking everything, so we can become disconnected from our bodies. This can make us push ourselves beyond our limits further than we would if we were more connected and present within our bodies.

Living like this eventually leads to more and more of us experiencing ‘burn out’ where our bodies cannot physically keep up. With this happening all too often, we are searching for and exploring more ways to look after ourselves as this is not sustainable. It’s back to the basics of self care. Many corporates I work with are also realising that by taking better care of their staff, they will be a happier, healthier workforce and in turn more productive at work and are offering these therapies to their employees.

I believe mindfulness has paved the way for breathwork to really come forth as a leading wellness practice as it is teaching us how to slow down and live in the present moment. You can’t be more present than with your breath and it’s always with you, right under your nose.

To find out more about Jessie’s wellness & breathwork therapies, visit her website: WWW.JESSIELAUTE.COM or email: JESSIE@JESSIELAUTE.COM