Breathwork for Black Women: A Powerful Tool for Healing, Stress Management and Liberation

In a world that rarely creates space for Black women to breathe—literally and figuratively—intentional breathwork emerges as a revolutionary practice for healing, stress management, and reclaiming wellness. On a recent episode of the Be Well, Sis podcast, Dr. Cassandre Dunbar spoke with Jasmine Marie, CEO and founder of Black Girls Breathing, about how this accessible practice is transforming lives within the community.

What Is Breathwork and Why Does It Matter for Black Women?

Breathwork isn’t just breathing—it’s an active meditation that encourages intentional breathing patterns to retrain your nervous system. While everyone breathes naturally, many of us—especially those experiencing chronic stress—default to shallow breathing that keeps our bodies in constant fight-or-flight mode.

“Most people don’t realize they’re breathing incorrectly until they experience symptoms like tightness in the chest or anxiety attacks,” explains Jasmine Marie, whose personal journey with breathwork began during her high-pressure career in corporate America.

For Black women specifically, who navigate unique stressors including systemic racism, workplace microaggressions, and the pressure of the “strong Black woman” trope, breathwork offers a powerful way to process emotions that are often suppressed for survival.

How Breathwork Heals the Body and Mind

When stress becomes chronic, our nervous systems stay perpetually activated, creating a cascade of physical and emotional effects. Breathwork directly addresses this by activating the parasympathetic nervous system—the “rest and digest” mode that allows our bodies to recover.

The benefits are far-reaching:

• Stress Management: Even a few minutes of intentional breathing can shift you from anxious to grounded
• Trauma Processing: Unlike talk therapy alone, breathwork helps release trauma stored in the body
• Anxiety Reduction: Restores natural breathing patterns disrupted during anxiety episodes
• Emotional Regulation: Creates space to witness difficult emotions without being overwhelmed by them
• Physical Relaxation: Releases tension held in the body, particularly in the chest, shoulders, and jaw

Most importantly, breathwork empowers Black women to take control of their well-being in a world that often dismisses their pain and exhaustion.

Community Healing: Why Breathing Together Matters

While breathwork can be practiced individually, Jasmine emphasizes the transformative power of breathing in community with other Black women.

“There’s something profoundly healing about being in a space where your experiences are centered and validated,” she explains. “When Black women breathe together, they not only process individual trauma but also connect to collective healing.”

Black Girls Breathing was founded on this principle—creating safe spaces where Black women can share their experiences, support one another, and practice breathwork collectively. This community-centered approach acknowledges that while healing begins internally, it flourishes in connection with others.

Breathwork as a Path to Liberation

Perhaps most powerfully, breathwork offers a path to liberation that begins from within.

“True freedom starts internally,” Jasmine notes. By learning to navigate emotions and stressors through breath, Black women can cultivate a sense of agency that extends beyond the breathing practice itself.

This internal liberation becomes a foundation for addressing external challenges—whether in relationships, workplaces, or broader societal systems. When you can regulate your nervous system and respond rather than react, you reclaim power in situations where you previously felt powerless.

Making Breathwork Part of Your Daily Routine

The beauty of breathwork lies in its accessibility. Unlike many wellness practices that require special equipment, locations, or financial resources, breathwork can be practiced anywhere:

• Morning routine: Start your day with 5 minutes of intentional breathing to set a grounded tone
• Work breaks: Take 60-second breathing pauses between meetings or tasks
• Bedtime ritual: Use breathwork to signal to your body that it’s time to rest and recover
• Emotional moments: When strong emotions arise, use breath as your first tool for processing
• Community practice: Join virtual or in-person breathwork sessions to experience collective healing

The Vision: Reaching One Million Black Women and Girls

Jasmine Marie’s vision extends beyond individual healing sessions. Black Girls Breathing aims to reach one million Black women and girls by 2025—a goal that speaks to both the need for these practices and their transformative potential.

By making breathwork accessible to Black women across different backgrounds and life stages, this initiative addresses a critical gap in the wellness space, where Black women’s experiences are often overlooked or misunderstood.

Your Breath Is Your Birthright

As you navigate life’s challenges, remember that your breath is always available as a tool for grounding, processing, and healing. It requires no special equipment or expertise—just your awareness and intention.

In a society that often leaves Black women breathless, reclaiming your breath becomes a revolutionary act of self-care and self-determination. As Jasmine Marie reminds us, it’s safe to feel your emotions fully, and breathwork creates the container to do so with compassion and strength.

Your journey toward wellness through breath begins with a single intentional inhale. What are you waiting for?

Want to experience breathwork in community? Check out Black Girls Breathing for virtual and in-person sessions designed specifically for Black women.

Listen to the full episode featuring Jasmine Marie on the Be Well, Sis podcast with Dr. Cassandre Dunbar, available on all major streaming platforms.