Breathwork Teacher Training
Learn to safely guide individuals and groups through structured breathing practices. 284 hours, 3 credentials, 24 in-person hours, and a cohort capped at 6 students. Surrender-based method led by Ryan McBurney and Shelby Von Oepen, RN, BSN. From $1,497 with payment plans available.
What Is Breathwork Teacher Training?
Breathwork teacher training prepares you to safely guide individuals or groups through structured breathing practices for nervous system regulation, emotional processing, and stress relief. A strong program covers anatomy, contraindications, facilitation practice, ethics, integration, live supervision, and scope of practice. Liquid Breathwork offers a 284-hour program with 3 credentials, 24 in-person hours, max 6 students per cohort, NCBTMB-approved, led by Ryan McBurney and Shelby Von Oepen, RN, BSN.
Breathwork teacher training and breathwork facilitator training are often used to describe the same path. Good training prepares you to both instruct and hold space. You need to understand the mechanics of the breath and the art of staying grounded when someone has a big experience. Liquid Breathwork's surrender-based method is built for wellness studios, yoga spaces, massage therapy practices, sound healing events, and clinical-adjacent settings.
What Makes This Training Different
The program is NCBTMB-approved and starts at $1,497. Ryan McBurney brings 9 years of breathwork facilitation experience. Shelby Von Oepen, RN, BSN brings 14 years of nursing experience to teach the clinical science. That combination of mystery and mechanics is what makes the training work.
Choose Your Breathwork Teacher Training Path
12-Week Online Cohort
Live weekly group calls, video curriculum, business training, and ongoing mentorship. Train from anywhere. Next cohort starts October 4, 2026.
Phoenix Intensive
3 days of hands-on facilitation practice in Phoenix, AZ, followed by the full 12-week online curriculum. Lead real sessions before you leave the intensive.
Lake Tahoe Retreat
5 days of immersive breathwork teacher training at a lakefront cabin in South Lake Tahoe. The deepest immersion and smallest cohort available. August 20-24, 2026.
All three formats use the same surrender-based method and lead to the same three NCBTMB-approved certifications. Max 6 students per cohort across every format.
Who Benefits from Breathwork Teacher Training
You do not need to already be a wellness professional to start. But you do need humility, a willingness to receive feedback, and genuine interest in guiding people through real inner work. See all breathwork courses for other learning options if you are not yet ready to train as a facilitator.
What the Training Includes
- Breath physiology and nervous system science Shelby Von Oepen, RN, BSN teaches how breathing affects CO2 and O2 balance, heart rate, the vagus nerve, and the autonomic nervous system. You understand the body before you guide it.
- Contraindications and client screening Learn to screen for pregnancy, epilepsy, uncontrolled high blood pressure, cardiovascular conditions, respiratory instability, active psychosis, and other contraindications. Safety is not optional.
- Facilitation practice and live feedback You cannot learn to hold a room by watching videos. Students practice leading real sessions, get observed, and receive direct feedback on language, presence, timing, and pacing.
- Ethics and scope of practice Understand what you can do, what you cannot do, when to refer out, and how to hold professional boundaries without shrinking your offering.
- Integration support The session does not end when the music stops. Learn grounding, journaling, quiet support, and how to help participants make meaning without directing their experience.
- Business foundations How to fill your first session, price your work, build referral relationships, create consent forms, and grow a sustainable practice from day one.
- Live supervision and mentorship With a max of 6 students, every student gets seen. Ryan and Shelby know your name and your goals before the first session begins.
- 24 in-person hours Online learning is helpful. In-person practice is different. You learn to read bodies, practice timing, and stay grounded when someone is having a big experience. Both matter.
Breathwork Teacher Training FAQ
What is breathwork teacher training?
Breathwork teacher training is a structured education path that teaches you how to guide breathwork sessions for individuals or groups. A good training covers the science of breathing, emotional safety, facilitation structure, trauma awareness, client screening, integration support, and what to do when someone has a strong experience.
How long does breathwork teacher training take?
Breathwork teacher training can range from a weekend workshop to several hundred hours. Liquid Breathwork training includes 284 hours, with 24 in-person hours and a small cohort capped at 6 students. Short trainings can be useful for personal practice but are usually not enough for confident group facilitation.
What is the difference between a breathwork teacher and a breathwork facilitator?
The terms are often used interchangeably. A breathwork teacher often focuses on transmitting technique and instruction. A breathwork facilitator focuses on holding space, guiding an experience, and supporting integration. In real practice you need both. Liquid Breathwork training prepares you to do both.
Can yoga teachers or massage therapists add breathwork to their work?
Yes. Yoga teachers, massage therapists, meditation teachers, sound healing practitioners, counselors, and wellness coaches all benefit from breathwork teacher training. The key is proper training, clear scope of practice, client screening, and ethical facilitation. Our cohorts regularly include people from each of these backgrounds.
Is the training online or in person?
Three formats are available. The online cohort runs 12 weeks with live weekly calls. The Phoenix in-person intensive adds 3 days of hands-on practice before entering the same online curriculum. The Lake Tahoe retreat is a 5-day immersive followed by online curriculum completion. All formats include 24 in-person contact hours and lead to the same breathwork certification.
How much does breathwork teacher training cost?
Liquid Breathwork training starts at $1,497 for the online cohort. The Phoenix in-person intensive is $1,997. The Lake Tahoe retreat is $3,250. All three formats include 284 hours, 3 credentials, NCBTMB-approved continuing education, and direct instruction from Ryan McBurney and Shelby Von Oepen, RN, BSN. Payment plans are available on all three.
Explore the Full Teacher Training Path
Begin Your Breathwork Teacher Training
The online cohort starts October 4, 2026. The Lake Tahoe retreat runs August 20-24, 2026. Both have small cohorts that fill before the deadline. If you have questions before applying, Ryan reads every inquiry personally.