"Breathing Techniques for Stress Management and Calmness"

In this episode of Band Director Boot Camp, host Lesley Moffat interviews Brenda Winkle, a music teacher with 26 years of experience, who is also an educator, healer, and guide. Brenda shares her journey of discovering the power of breathwork and its positive impact on stress management. She explains how implementing breathwork techniques in her classroom helped her and her students find calmness and improve behavior. Brenda emphasizes the physiological effects of breathwork, including reducing blood pressure, lowering heart rate, and promoting a neutral pH in the blood. She teaches two breath patterns: the square breath, which promotes centering and reduces anxiety, and the candle breath, which quickly inhales and long exhales to release tension. Brenda highlights the importance of teaching and practicing breathwork when not escalated to make it an effective tool in times of stress.