About | Overview
Hi I'm Richard L Blake. I am a Conscious Connected Breathwork (CCB) facilitator and PhD Candidate, currently running the largest ever randomized controlled trial on this kind of breathwork. I have a Post-Graduate Certificate in Psychotherapy and am certified by Breath Guru and SOMA breathwork. I have a background in fitness and nutrition, having owned a CrossFit gym in California. I like to combine my training in psychology, nutrition, and fitness to create a holistic approach to dealing with clients who want to improve their mental health and optimize their lives.
How did you decide to become a Breath Service Provider?
I decided to become a Breathworker after having a hugely transformative and mystical breathwork session. I was studying psychotherapy at the time and realized that breathwork had the potential to be far more effective than talk therapy for many people. I was surprised to find how little research had been done on CCB and hence felt inspired to begin my Ph.D. in psychology and help the industry develop by doing more research.
What was your previous work before going into private practice?
Before becoming a Breathworker, I was a Chartered Surveyor working for an Industrial property company. I then transitioned into owning a CrossFit gym, while fitness modeling and working with people on their nutrition.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
In my free time, I love competing in CrossFit team competitions as well as bio-hacking with my friends in the sauna and ice bath.
What guiding principles inform your work?
The guiding principle I strive towards is integrity. When dealing with people in vulnerable states, I think it’s vital to be honest and trustworthy. I also think it’s important to acknowledge one’s own limitations. The scientific understanding of breathwork is still in its nascent stages, and I do not like to make up answers to people’s questions when the answers are not available.
Can you tell us more about your specialties?
If I have a specialty, it is being able to explain the science of breathwork clearly. As part of my PhD proposal, I believe I read every single journal article ever published (and many unpublished) on Conscious Connected Breathing (which took me several years!). This is how I got given the name The Breath Geek.
About the Creator
About the Business
Specialties & Areas Of Expertise
-
Trauma
-
Anxiety
-
Entrepreneur mental health
Breathing Style
-
Conscious Connected Breathing
-
SOMA Breath
What will our first session together be like?
Our 1st session together will last 90 minutes. We will have a brief chat about what is going on for you in your life and what you hope to gain from CCB. I will then explain the breathwork technique, and you will then go into a 40-minute breathwork practice. There will then be 10 minutes for stillness and grounding. Finally, we will have a 15-minute chat about your experience.
Are there any books you often recommend to clients?
I am an avid reader, so I can recommend many specific books for people with specific interests or issues. But if I had to recommend my top 3, they would be ‘Lost Connections’ by Johan Harris, ’The Body Keeps The Score’ by Bessel Van Der Kolk and 'The Comfort Crisis', by Michael Easter.
How can I prepare for our first session?
To prepare for your 1st session, I recommend you avoid caffeine, alcohol and drugs for 24 hours before and after the session. I also recommend not scheduling anything strenuous after the workshop as you may feel emotionally delicate.
Article Details
-
PublishedDecember 5, 2023
-
Minutes Read5 mins
-
Article NameInterview With Richard L Blake
-
Article TypeInterview
What clientele do you work with most frequently?
The clientele I work with most frequently include people who want to optimize all areas of their lives and people who want to improve their mental health through non-ordinary states of consciousness.
What do you find most rewarding about your work?
What I find most rewarding when working with clients is seeing the amazement in people’s faces when they come back from a Conscious Connected Breathing journey. Being able to hear stories of people meeting their deceased loved ones, becoming one with the universe, and feeling like there is meaning and purpose to their lives after being at rock bottom is a true privilege.
Do you assign "homework" between sessions?
I give people a 10-minute guided practice for clients to do daily between sessions.
What happens in ongoing sessions?
In the clinical trial I am running, participants have one session per week for 6 weeks. I would see this as the minimum amount required to achieve significant transformation.
