Liquid Breathwork holds weekly Breathwork classes near ASU at InnerVision Yoga (6448 S McClintock Dr, Tempe, AZ 85283), a short drive from campus. In the American College Health Association's Spring 2019 national survey, 65.7% of college students said they had felt overwhelming anxiety in the past 12 months.
College Stress at ASU
Arizona State University is the largest public university in the country. Exams and money worries pile up, and the waitlist for student mental health services can run weeks.
What Breathwork Is
At Liquid Breathwork in Tempe, you lie on a mat with a pillow and blanket. We guide you through a conscious connected breathing pattern set to music. Every session includes live sound healing and Reiki.
How It's Different from Meditation and Yoga
Meditation asks you to sit still and watch your thoughts. In Breathwork you have a pattern to follow, so you don't need a quiet mind or flexibility.
Yoga uses pranayama alongside poses. Somatic Breathwork makes the breath the whole practice. It works on your nervous system and leaves room for emotions to come up.
Other styles have different goals. Box breathing is used by the military for acute stress. Breath of fire comes from Kundalini. Wim Hof pairs cold plunges with intense breathing, and shamanic Breathwork is often cathartic. Our goal is nervous system regulation.
The Science Behind Breathwork
Chronic stress keeps cortisol high and you stuck in fight-or-flight. Slow breathing is thought to work through the vagus nerve, shifting the body toward parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) mode. A 2018 review in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (Gerritsen and Band, PubMed 30356789) describes that respiratory vagal pathway as the shared mechanism behind breath-based practices. More on the benefits of Breathwork.
How Breathwork Helps College Students
Exam Stress and Test Anxiety
In survival mode, your prefrontal cortex, the part that handles focus and memory, goes partly offline. That is one reason you can study for hours and still blank on a test. Calm the stress response and it comes back.
Social Anxiety
Your eyes stay closed the whole class, so nobody watches you. You get practice relaxing with other people in the room.
Burnout
Your phone fills every gap in the day. On the mat, it stays in your bag for an hour.
Doubts About Your Major
Second-guessing your major or life after graduation is hard to think your way out of. Some students find it easier to sort through after a session.
What to Expect at a Breathwork Class Near ASU
Here is how a weekly Tempe Breathwork session runs.
- Settling in: we provide mats, pillows, blankets and eye masks.
- Intro (about 5 minutes): we explain the breathing pattern and answer questions.
- Guided breathing: eyes closed, you follow the pattern with music and live sound healing.
- Integration: quiet time to come back. Nobody has to share.
A class runs about 60 to 75 minutes. We also run occasional workshops and private sessions. First-timers often tell us "that was nothing like what I expected." We hold a 5.0 rating on Google.
Our founder Ryan McBurney has been guiding Breathwork since 2018 and has completed 7 training programs and holds 4 certifications, including SOMA Breath, Somatiq Breathwork and Rebirthing. We also offer a 24-hour certification training for anyone considering Breathwork as a career (72 students enrolled so far).
Class Pricing
- $44 drop-in per class (Phoenix area rate)
- $17/month membership (50% off regular pricing, virtual access included, 7-day free trial)
No contract on either.
Breathwork vs. Therapy
Breathwork does not replace therapy. If you need clinical support, please get it. Many of our members see a therapist and come to Breathwork during finals or burnout. You don't need a referral. Class times are on our schedule. See also Breathwork vs. meditation.
Feel our style first
Get a free recording of one of our live Breathwork classes.
Get My Free RecordingFrequently Asked Questions
Is Breathwork near ASU good for college students with no experience?
Yes. Our Tempe classes are built for first-timers, and we walk you through the pattern before you start.
How does Breathwork help with exam stress and test anxiety?
Slow, steady breathing can shift the body toward parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) mode and ease the fight-or-flight response that spikes during finals. In a small 2017 study in Frontiers in Psychology, adults who trained in slow diaphragmatic breathing for 8 weeks had lower salivary cortisol afterward.
Is Breathwork safe for students dealing with anxiety or mental health challenges?
Our co-founder Shelby Von Oepen is a certified facilitator and a registered nurse (RN, BSN). Our approach is surrender-based and trauma informed, with no push toward intense cathartic breathing. If you have a severe mental health condition, check with your provider first.
Where exactly are the Breathwork classes near ASU?
At InnerVision Yoga, 6448 S McClintock Dr, Tempe, AZ 85283, a short drive from ASU campus and Downtown Tempe, with plenty of parking. Breathwork Tempe class times are on our schedule.
Breathwork Classes Near ASU
Weekly classes at InnerVision Yoga in Tempe.