Ethical Framework
Context
Breathwork is gaining in popularity and recognition. The collective knowledge of the power of the breath has expanded dramatically in the last five years. This is testament to our evolving times, the need for this therapeutic tool and the power of the breath.
A significant proportion of the recent upsurge of breathwork globally has been focused on high-profile individuals that rely on already established networks of celebrity, popularity or charisma. We have also seen the rise in breathwork certification programs that do not have safeguarding principles in place such as: accreditation, proper trauma training, the role of the facilitator, client agency or experience and supervision.
This makes it hard for individuals who have qualified appropriately to work in communities as breathwork therapists to attend to the communities they work in. In many cases, this damages the reputation of breathwork.
Recognising that there is now a desire in the community for collective care, the UK Breathwork Association is coming together as a collective of professionals to create a UK-wide association to protect the career, to protect clients and to safely share this practice in order to serve the communities we live in.
Hannah Kendaru and Inspire Breathwork work closely with the UK Breathwork Association. The Ethical framework Inspire Breathwork follows is in accordance with the UKBA.
The UK Breathwork Association understands three functional objectives of breathwork:
Breath Hygiene (pranayama, daily practises, breath count and timings etc)
Capacity Building and Performance (functional breathing, free diving, lung capacity building, breath holding, buteyko etc)
Deeper Exploration (conscious connected breathwork – exploring consciousness, trauma, emotion and spirit with the breath)
This ethical framework is made relevant to the third functional objective: deeper explorations that allow individuals to explore their emotional, physical and spiritual bodies. These practices invite individuals into a space of vulnerability as they explore their consciousness, often tapping into personal historical experiences or inherited traumas. This framework aims to address the ethical complexities that accompany working with vulnerable communities.
Ethical Framework
This ethical framework is provided to benefit the client and the practitioner. As a member of this association, breathworkers must recognise the responsibility to clients first and foremost, as well as to society, to other breathwork professionals and to the self.
1. Integrity and Competency:
Breathwork professionals choose to uphold professionalism by holding relevant qualifications and by being honest in all professional interactions.
Breathwork professionals strive to refer clients outside of their scope or expertise and shall report those deficient in competency or those engaging in deception, fraud or malpractice.
Reports for concerns or good practice are to be made here.
2. Legalities, Responsibility and Professionalism:
Breathwork professionals commit to:
respect all relevant legislation including data protection laws.
obtain insurance and offer waiver forms covering contraindications and consent forms from consultations (or from caregivers if the client is under 18).
to maintain accurate documentation of client’s therapeutic experience in confidence.
to not work under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
use honest promotion and marketing of their services, offering a standard of privacy, safety, consent of all marketing materials.
3. Respect, Rights and Dignity:
Breathwork professionals commit to:
respect the rights of clients, colleagues and safeguards clients’ confidence and privacy.
to respect the intentions of the client for wellbeing and healing and do no harm.
hold ethical responsibility to place the client’s welfare above the breathworkers own interest and chooses to refrain from entering multiple relational dynamics with the client (personal, sexual, financial).
not to exploit their clients based on the power dynamic in effect of the profession.
4. Choice, Discrimination, Justice:
Breathwork professionals commit to:
work with, where and how in accordance with environmental safety, client safety, consent and the law.
uphold values of equality, diversity and inclusion and recognise that fairness and justice is entitled to all people and everyone should have access to breathwork therapy.
to understand that we exercise reasonable judgements and precautions against biases, boundaries and prejudices.
5. Improvement and Development:
Breathwork professionals commit to continue study and advance their skills to maintain a commitment to their competence and make relevant information available to other professionals to use their experience and research for the development of the collective.
6. Access
Breathwork professionals commit to support access to breathwork therapy for all people.
Ethical considerations as an organisation: Contemplations of care.
How do we care in a way that is sustainable for us, for our members and our clients?
How do we offer breathwork therapy outside the models of the consumerist wellness industry and help bring breathwork into communities?
How can awareness and access to the benefits of Breathwork therapy be effectively offered to groups less likely to come into contact with private wellness practitioners?
How do we care for the community in a way that supports collective growth and development?
How do we care for people with divergent needs and belief systems?
How do we actively seek to evolve the structure of the UK Breathwork Association to continually provide wider and deeper benefit to the community?
How do we consider and care for those historically unseen?
How do we create an inclusive community that welcomes everyone?
Conclusion
In conclusion, the professional relationship between breathwork professionals and clients is based on integrity, care and safety. These tenets provide an intimacy for clients to explore their inner worlds with vulnerability and freedom.
Most people who seek breathwork as a therapeutic tool often feel challenged or are in a vulnerable space and so have concerns for their mental health. The ethical framework offered above gives a minimum standard of care. The most important task of a breathwork professional is to provide care. These ethical standards have been created to support professionals to come together to provide a standard level of care within the UK.
Last updated: 9th Dec 2025