Quick Overview: Yes—with an important boundary. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) lists breathing exercises among practices that may be applied with mindfulness and relaxation techniques. Separately, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) identifies slow, deep breathing, also called diaphragmatic breathing, as a relaxation technique. These sources support discussing breathing exercises alongside mindfulness and relaxation techniques, but they do not establish that breathing exercises are a mindfulness practice in every setting or that they will fit a particular person.
What the Available Information Supports
The approved question has a qualified answer: breathing exercises may be included when mindfulness and relaxation techniques are applied. NIMH includes meditation and breathing exercises in its description of mindfulness and relaxation techniques that may be used as elements of psychotherapy.
NCCIH provides a more specific description within relaxation practices. It identifies breathing exercises as a relaxation technique and describes them as focusing on slow, deep breaths. NCCIH also uses the term diaphragmatic breathing for slow, deep breathing.
Together, these descriptions support two points:
- Breathing exercises may be applied with mindfulness and relaxation techniques.
- Slow, deep breathing is identified as a relaxation technique.
They do not establish that all mindfulness practices involve breathing exercises. They also do not establish that breathing exercises are included in every relaxation practice, psychotherapy approach, or individual therapy service.
Why the Wording Matters
Words such as may, can, and is identified as help keep general education separate from assumptions. NIMH says that mindfulness and relaxation techniques, such as meditation and breathing exercises, may be applied in psychotherapy. That language does not describe a required component of psychotherapy.
Likewise, NCCIH’s description of slow, deep breathing defines a relaxation technique; it does not describe a universal method, a particular setting, or an expected result. The supplied information does not determine what any person will experience when focusing on breathing.
A careful answer can therefore be both direct and limited: breathing exercises can be discussed alongside mindfulness and relaxation techniques, and slow, deep breathing is a relaxation technique. Beyond that, the available sources do not answer questions about personal fit, a specific service, or a particular therapy conversation.
Mindfulness, Relaxation, and Breathing: A Useful Distinction
Mindfulness and relaxation are named together in NIMH’s description, but the source does not define them as interchangeable. It lists breathing exercises among practices that may be applied with mindfulness and relaxation techniques.
NCCIH specifically places breathing exercises under relaxation techniques. Its description of breathing exercises focuses on taking slow, deep breaths. This is why it is more precise to say that slow, deep breathing is a relaxation technique than to make a broader claim that every breathing exercise is a mindfulness practice.
If you encounter different terms, the available information supports this limited clarification:
| Term | What the supplied information says |
|---|---|
| Breathing exercises | NIMH lists them among practices that may be applied with mindfulness and relaxation techniques. |
| Slow, deep breathing | NCCIH identifies this as a relaxation technique. |
| Diaphragmatic breathing | NCCIH uses this as another name for slow, deep breathing. |
| Mindfulness and relaxation techniques | NIMH lists meditation and breathing exercises as examples that may be applied in psychotherapy. |
Questions for Personal Reflection
General education cannot determine whether a breathing-focused topic is relevant to your circumstances. Still, questions can help clarify what you want to learn before requesting information from a practice.
| Reflection question | What the question may help clarify |
|---|---|
| What am I asking when I ask about breathing exercises? | Whether you want a definition, a description of relaxation techniques, or information about a service. |
| Am I looking for information about mindfulness, relaxation, or both? | Which term you would like explained more clearly. |
| Have I encountered the phrase “slow, deep breathing” or “diaphragmatic breathing”? | Whether different language is referring to the same relaxation technique described by NCCIH. |
| What would I want to know before considering an individual therapy service? | Which questions to bring to a consultation call. |
| What information is not answered by a general article? | Where a general educational boundary remains. |
Practice Note: Rooted Integrative Therapy lists individual therapy, couples therapy, group therapy, and therapy intensives among its services. Alina Hovsoyan, LCSW, is identified by Rooted Integrative Therapy. The practice lists in-person availability near Orem and Provo and virtual therapy across Utah.
The practice’s FAQs describe scheduling a consultation call as a first step, with an opportunity to ask questions and consider fit. The Connect page invites inquiries and appointment requests through its contact details or form.
Questions to Bring to a Consultation
- Does your individual therapy service include discussion of mindfulness and relaxation techniques?
- How do you use the terms breathing exercises, slow, deep breathing, and diaphragmatic breathing?
- What information can you share about your approach to individual therapy?
- What questions would help me consider whether your services fit what I am seeking?
- What are the next steps after a consultation call?
FAQs
Can breathing exercises be included in mindfulness and relaxation practices?
NIMH lists breathing exercises among practices that may be applied with mindfulness and relaxation techniques. This supports a qualified yes, but it does not establish that breathing exercises are part of every mindfulness or relaxation practice.
Is slow, deep breathing the same as diaphragmatic breathing?
NCCIH identifies slow, deep breathing as a relaxation technique and also calls it diaphragmatic breathing.
Does this information mean breathing exercises are a mindfulness practice?
The supplied information does not establish that breathing exercises are a mindfulness practice generally. NIMH says breathing exercises may be applied with mindfulness and relaxation techniques, while NCCIH identifies them as a relaxation technique.
Does this article describe what happens in individual therapy?
No. The sources describe psychotherapy elements in general and identify breathing exercises within mindfulness and relaxation techniques. They do not establish what a particular individual therapy service includes.
Can a consultation call answer practice-specific questions?
Rooted Integrative Therapy’s FAQs describe a consultation call as an opportunity to ask questions and consider fit. Practice-specific questions can be directed to the practice through its Connect page.
This article is for general education only. It is not a diagnosis, treatment plan, or substitute for individualized mental-health care. A qualified mental-health professional can help you consider what fits your circumstances.
Sources and Further Reading
Sources used for this article:
- National Institute of Mental Health: Psychotherapies
- nccih.nih.gov: Relaxation Techniques What You Need To Know
A Grounded Next Step
If you would like information about Rooted Integrative Therapy’s services or want to request an appointment, visit the Connect page. The practice lists consultation calls as a first step for asking questions and considering fit.
Please do not include urgent or highly sensitive clinical information in a general inquiry.