Quick Overview: Yes. Slow deep breathing in therapy can be included as a relaxation technique. The National Institute of Mental Health states that psychotherapy can include mindfulness and relaxation techniques, such as breathing exercises. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health describes breathing exercises as a relaxation technique that may focus on slow, deep breaths. These sources provide general education; they do not determine whether breathing exercises will be included in a particular appointment or what they will mean for an individual person.
What Slow, Deep Breathing Means Here
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health includes breathing exercises among relaxation techniques. Its description says breathing exercises may focus on taking slow, deep breaths, also called diaphragmatic breathing.
That description identifies slow, deep breaths as one possible focus of a breathing exercise. It does not establish a single method, a required duration, or an expected result. It also does not establish that every relaxation technique involves breathing.
The National Institute of Mental Health describes psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, as a variety of treatments that aim to help a person identify and change troubling emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. In its overview of psychotherapy elements, the organization says therapists may apply mindfulness and relaxation techniques, such as meditation and breathing exercises.
The phrase slow deep breathing in therapy therefore refers to a possibility within psychotherapy: breathing exercises may be discussed or used as relaxation techniques. The available information does not establish what a particular therapist will include.
What the Available Information Does—and Does Not—Answer
The sources answer the approved question directly: therapy can include breathing exercises, and breathing exercises may focus on slow, deep breaths.
They do not answer every question a reader may have. They do not determine personal fit, predict outcomes for an individual reader, or establish whether a breathing exercise belongs in any particular therapeutic conversation. They also do not describe a standard appointment format, frequency of breathing exercises, or a universal approach among therapists.
The National Institute of Mental Health notes that therapists may use one primary approach or incorporate elements from multiple approaches depending on their training, the condition being treated, and the needs of the person receiving treatment. That general statement does not identify the approach used by a particular practice or therapist.
A Source-Bounded Distinction
“Relaxation technique” is the description used by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health for breathing exercises. “Psychotherapy” is the broader term used by the National Institute of Mental Health for a variety of treatments.
The sources support saying that breathing exercises can be one element of psychotherapy. They do not support treating slow, deep breathing as a description of all psychotherapy, all relaxation techniques, or every therapist’s work.
Reflection Questions Before a Consultation
The following questions are for reflection and discussion. They do not assess a person’s needs or determine what a therapist will recommend.
| Reflection question | Source-bounded context |
|---|---|
| What am I asking when I use the phrase “slow, deep breathing”? | The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health describes breathing exercises as a relaxation technique that may focus on slow, deep breaths. |
| Am I looking for general information about breathing exercises or information about a therapist’s approach? | General information about psychotherapy does not establish an individual therapist’s approach. |
| What would I like to know about mindfulness or relaxation techniques? | The National Institute of Mental Health lists mindfulness and relaxation techniques, including breathing exercises, among possible elements of psychotherapy. |
| What questions do I have about individual therapy? | The National Institute of Mental Health says a preliminary conversation can help a person understand how treatment will proceed and whether they feel comfortable with the therapist. |
| What would I want to ask before deciding whether to schedule? | Rooted Integrative Therapy describes a consultation call as an opportunity to ask questions and consider fit. |
Questions to Bring to a Consultation
- How do you describe breathing exercises as part of therapy?
- When you refer to slow, deep breathing, what do you mean?
- Do you use mindfulness or relaxation techniques in individual therapy?
- What approach do you use in individual therapy?
- What can I expect from a consultation call?
Practice Note: Rooted Integrative Therapy lists individual therapy, couples therapy, group therapy, and therapy intensives. Alina Hovsoyan, LCSW, is identified by the practice. The practice’s FAQs describe scheduling a consultation call as a first step, with an opportunity to ask questions and consider fit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can therapy include slow, deep breathing?
Yes. The National Institute of Mental Health states that psychotherapy can include mindfulness and relaxation techniques, such as breathing exercises. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health describes breathing exercises as a relaxation technique that may focus on slow, deep breaths.
Are breathing exercises the only relaxation technique?
No. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health lists several relaxation techniques, including progressive relaxation, autogenic training, guided imagery, biofeedback-assisted relaxation, self-hypnosis, and breathing exercises.
Does psychotherapy always include breathing exercises?
The available information does not establish that. The National Institute of Mental Health says psychotherapy can include breathing exercises, which leaves open what a particular therapist or appointment may include.
Is slow, deep breathing the same as mindfulness?
The National Institute of Mental Health lists mindfulness and relaxation techniques as possible psychotherapy elements and gives meditation and breathing exercises as examples. The available information does not define slow, deep breathing as the same thing as mindfulness.
Can I ask about breathing exercises before scheduling?
Yes. Rooted Integrative Therapy’s FAQs describe a consultation call as a first step for asking questions and considering fit. A consultation question may concern breathing exercises, relaxation techniques, or individual therapy.
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 want to ask whether breathing exercises are discussed in individual therapy, Rooted Integrative Therapy invites inquiries and appointment requests through its Connect page. The practice offers in-person therapy near Orem and Provo, with virtual therapy across Utah.
Please do not include urgent or highly sensitive clinical information in a general inquiry.
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.