Breath Refinery Safety, Screening and Contraindications Policy | Updated August 2026

Your safety and wellbeing are an important part of every breathwork session. I am committed to providing a calm and supportive environment, and to taking reasonable care to help minimise risk across one-on-one sessions, group workshops, private group sessions, and corporate offerings.

Breath Refinery uses different breathing practices, ranging from gentle breath-awareness and nervous-system regulation exercises to more intensive conscious connected breathing journeys. Suitability depends on the technique, its intensity and your individual health circumstances. All participants complete health screening and informed consent before taking part.

• You are invited to breathe at your own pace.

• Consent is ongoing, and you can pause or stop at any time.

• Touch is never used without explicit permission, if touch is used at all.

• The facilitator monitors participants for distress.

• A gentler breathing pattern can be substituted.

• Every intensive session ends with rest and integration.

Clients are responsible for providing accurate information about any physical or mental health conditions, pregnancy, recent surgery or injury, or medication that may affect their participation. Clients are also encouraged to communicate openly during sessions and to pause or stop at any time if they feel uncomfortable or unwell.

Some forms of breathwork, particularly deeper breathwork journeys using conscious connected breathing, may not be suitable for everyone. If you have any of the following we may need to modify the practice for your safety;

• Uncontrolled high blood pressure, significant heart disease, previous heart attack or stroke.

• Epilepsy or a seizure disorder.

• Severe asthma or other respiratory disease that may be aggravated by altered breathing.

• Glaucoma, retinal detachment or other conditions affected by pressure changes.

• Recent surgery, fracture or significant injury.

• Pregnancy.

• Current psychosis, mania, severe dissociation or acute psychiatric instability or a serious mental health diagnosis within the past two years.

• Medication or substance use that may affect breathing, consciousness or emotional regulation.

Before completing the booking process, you will be required to complete a confidential health and consent form that applies to the specific service you are booking. I will review this for suitability before we meet. If I have concerns, I will contact you to discuss modifications or recommend medical clearance.

At the beginning of every session the breathing method and possible physical and emotional responses are explained. You may choose whether to proceed or ask for modifications at any time.

If you are unsure whether a session is suitable for you, please contact me to discuss before booking.

Email Rebecca@hawthorn.nz

I reserve the right to decline, postpone, or modify a session if I believe it is not safe or appropriate to proceed.