THE CODE OF ETHICS

The SOULBODY BREATH®’s Code of Ethics (henceforth known as ‘Code’) applies to every certified SOULBODY BREATH® Facilitator and the SOULBODY BREATH® organization. The Code outlines the fundamental ethical principles and values of the organization.

At SOULBODY BREATH® we envision a world in which high quality, trauma-informed breathwork facilitation is accessible for all, and which transforms the way we heal, grow, live and connect on both an individual and collective level. The purpose of the Code and the overall ethical commitment is to uphold the highest ethical standards for the greatest good of all beings.

Integrity and Honesty: All practitioners should conduct themselves with honesty and integrity, ensuring that their actions align with the principles of truthfulness and transparency.

Competence: Practitioners must be adequately trained and certified to lead breathwork sessions and should commit to continuous learning and professional development.

Representation: Accurately represent qualifications, credentials, and the nature of the services offered. Avoid making false or exaggerated claims about the benefits of breathwork.

Boundaries: Maintain professional boundaries with clients, avoiding dual relationships or conflicts of interest that could impair objectivity or professional judgment.

Respect for Other Professionals: Demonstrate respect towards other professionals in the field and avoid disparaging remarks about colleagues or competitors.

Informed Consent: Ensure that participants are fully informed about the nature of breathwork, including the potential risks and benefits, before they engage in any session. Obtain written consent where necessary.

Physical and Emotional Safety: Create and maintain a safe environment that protects participants from harm. Be vigilant in monitoring participants for signs of distress and take appropriate action if necessary.

Confidentiality: Safeguard the privacy of all participants by keeping personal information, session details, and any shared experiences confidential, except when disclosure is required by law or for the protection of the participant or others.

Trauma-Informed Practice: Be aware of the potential for breathwork to trigger unresolved trauma. Facilitators should be trained in trauma-sensitive practices and prepared to handle such situations appropriately.

Emergency Preparedness: Have a plan in place for managing emergencies, including medical issues or intense emotional reactions. Know when to refer participants to medical or psychological professionals.

Fair Advertising: Ensure all marketing and advertising materials are truthful, do not make exaggerated claims, and do not exploit vulnerable individuals.

Transparent Pricing: Provide clear and transparent information about pricing, fees, and any other costs associated with breathwork services. Offer refunds and cancellations policies in a fair and transparent manner.

Non-Discrimination: Offer services without discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, or any other protected characteristic. Ensure that all participants feel welcomed and respected.

Accessibility: Strive to make breathwork sessions accessible to a diverse audience, including considerations for physical accessibility and accommodating different cultural backgrounds.

Duty of Care: Practitioners must prioritize the well-being of their participants at all times, recognizing the power dynamics inherent in the facilitator-participant relationship.

Feedback and Complaints: Establish clear procedures for participants to provide feedback or file complaints. Address all concerns promptly, respectfully, and professionally.

Professional Development: Commit to ongoing education and development to stay current with best practices in breathwork, trauma-informed care, and ethics.

Supervision and Mentorship: Engage in regular supervision or peer support to ensure ethical practices are maintained. Offer or seek mentorship to support professional growth.

Respect for Cultural Practices: Acknowledge and respect the cultural origins of breathwork practices. Avoid cultural appropriation by not misrepresenting or commodifying cultural practices for profit.

Cultural Competence: Strive to understand and respect the cultural backgrounds and practices of participants, adapting sessions to be inclusive and culturally sensitive.

Accurate Information: Provide accurate and comprehensive information during training sessions, ensuring that students have a clear understanding of breathwork practices and their potential effects.

Support for Students: Offer ongoing support and resources for students, including opportunities for supervision, mentorship, and continued learning.

Assessment and Certification: Ensure that certification is awarded based on merit and demonstrated competence, not just attendance or payment. Provide clear criteria for what constitutes successful completion of training.

Confidentiality in Digital Spaces: Safeguard participant privacy in online breathwork sessions, ensuring that any recorded material is stored securely and shared only with explicit consent.

Ethical Social Media Use: Use social media responsibly, maintaining professional boundaries, respecting privacy, and avoiding the dissemination of sensitive information.

Adherence to Laws and Regulations: Ensure that all business practices comply with local, state, and national laws, including those related to health and safety, data protection, and professional licensing.

Insurance: Maintain appropriate insurance coverage to protect against potential liabilities related to breathwork facilitation.

Regular Review of Ethics Code: Commit to reviewing and updating the Code of Ethics regularly to reflect changes in the field, legal requirements, and feedback from participants and peers.

Self-Care: Practitioners should engage in regular self-care to maintain their own well-being, recognizing that their ability to support others is directly related to their own mental, emotional, and physical health.

Personal Accountability: Acknowledge and take responsibility for any mistakes or ethical breaches, seeking to resolve them in a way that prioritizes the well-being of participants.

Collaboration and Support: Foster a spirit of collaboration within the breathwork community, supporting the growth and development of the field as a whole.

Contribution to the Field: Engage in activities that contribute to the advancement of breathwork, such as research, sharing knowledge, and participating in professional organizations.

THE CODE OF CONDUCT

The SOULBODY BREATH®’s Code of Conduct (henceforth known as ‘Code’) applies to every certified SOULBODY BREATH® Facilitator. The Code translates the ethical principles from the SOULBODY BREATH®’s Code of Ethics into actionable rules and standards of behaviour by which Facilitators agree to conduct themselves.

At SOULBODY BREATH® we envision a world in which high quality, trauma-informed breathwork facilitation is accessible for all, and which transforms the way we heal, grow, live and connect on both an individual and collective level. The purpose of the Code and the overall ethical commitment is to foster safe and respectful guidelines, and provide clarity and safety to both Facilitators and Participants.

It focuses on what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour, detailing the specific actions that are required, permitted, or prohibited.

Facilitators must abide by the local and national laws in the locations in which they practice. If the principles in this Code are of a higher standard than those required by law, practitioners should meet the higher standard outlined in this Code.

Facilitators must not intentionally or negligently cause harm to clients, peers, collaborators or other members of the public through any action or inaction. This includes the facilitation of breathwork while under the influence of alcohol, drugs or any other mind-altering substance. The exception is any drugs that have been prescribed to the Facilitator for medical purpose by a licenced medical or mental health professional, providing that the prescribed drugs are not mind-altering or affect their ability to hold safe space. This principle is irrespective of any law and legality of substances.

Facilitators must not discriminate against and should actively include all individuals with appropriate modifications where required for the safety of the client and other students.

A Facilitator is required to:

  • Establish a client’s ability to utilize and integrate the results of a breathwork session, and offer modifications where appropriate, and offer clear expectations to a client based on what techniques are available to them.
  • Not discriminate against clients, students, peers, collaborators or any other public person on the basis of age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, body type, personal appearance, physical or mental ability, socioeconomic status, marital status, political activities, or affiliation.

A Facilitator is required to:

  • Establish and maintain healthy, appropriate and professional boundaries, respecting the rights and dignity of those they serve.
  • Refrain from using influence to exploit or inappropriately exercise power over their clients.
  • Obtain explicit and informed consent before physically touching clients. Explicit and informed consent can be given verbally, in writing, by an unambiguous gesture, or via a consent indicator. Silence or lack of resistance, in and of itself, does not demonstrate consent. Furthermore, Facilitators understand and agree that explicit and informed consent is an ongoing process of communication that can be given or revoked at any moment by the client.
  • Refrain from using breathwork to promote personal religious beliefs.
  • Refrain from all forms of sexual behaviour or harassment with clients, even when client initiates or invites such behaviour. This includes conduct that is verbal and/or physical in nature.
  • Provide clients with information about complementary resources as appropriate.
  • Refer clients to appropriate resources when they present issues beyond my scope of training.
  • Obtain consent to record, photograph or capture any other imagery in any medium, without the express consent of the subject who is included in such photography, video, and imagery. Written consent with explicit details of how the medium will be used is required, and the subjects must sign this agreement.
  • In the event that feelings develop between a Facilitator and Client, and both parties mutually agree to move forward with a romantic and/or sexual relationship, the Facilitator agrees to full transparency of the relationship by informing the Founder within a reasonable timeframe. This is first and foremost to foster transparent communication, and prevent any future misunderstandings.

A Facilitator is required to:

  • Establish clear contracts with clients regarding the number and duration of sessions and financial terms.
  • Establish prior agreement with the client for the utilization of other techniques than breathwork during a session. This includes but is not limited to the application of touch, essential oils, energy work, coaching, hypnosis, reiki.
  • Facilitate a breathwork session with the benefit of the client at the forefront of everything they do.
  • Maintain confidentiality of client information and security of records of a client session.

A Facilitator is required to:

  • Practice within their area of professional competence, training and expertise. Make prospective clients aware of what these are, and refrain from making claims for a service that cannot be substantiated.
  • Continue to develop personally and professionally by practising the technique that they are trained in, while nourishing passion and reverence for the practice, and keeping a healthy balance in work and self care.
  • Seek supervision and consultation where appropriate.
  • Hold appropriate insurance cover.

A Facilitator is required to:

  • Maintain and nurture healthy relationships with other breathworkers.
  • Foster collaboration over competition, and respectfulness towards other breathworkers.
  • Give constructive feedback to other SOULBODY BREATH® practitioners who I believe have failed to follow one or more of the ethical principles. If this does not sufficiently resolve the issue, seek consultation with the most appropriate professional and/or civil authorities within my region for the protection of clients involved.

Facilitators must maintain honesty in all communication and behaviours. This principle includes a duty to both refrain from certain activities, and to proactively make certain disclosures including, but not limited to the following:

  • Facilitators must not falsely represent their experience, training, education or credentials. They must not plagiarise any copyrighted material. All sources must be disclosed, including acknowledgement of their teachers or mentors when sharing a teaching related to that relationship.
  • Facilitators must not make unsupported claims or exaggerated statements in regards to the effects of breathwork.
  • Facilitators must not offer medical advice or provide diagnosis to anyone.
  • Facilitators must not make unsupported claims or exaggerated statements in regards to the effects of breathwork.
  • Facilitators must not offer medical advice or provide diagnosis to anyone.

registering a concern

Every facilitator in the SOULBODY BREATH® community is held to a clear code of ethics and conduct. If your experience with one of our facilitators has fallen short of that standard, in any way, large or small, we want to know.

You can reach me directly at jenni@soulbodybreath.com or use the form below.

Please share what happened, as clearly and fully as you feel able to. Everything you share will be treated with complete confidentiality and genuine care.

If a concern is raised, we follow a process inspired by the Global Professional Breathwork Alliance.  It’s designed to support restorative and corrective action for everyone involved. The aim is never to punish, but to take what happened seriously, address it properly, and ensure the space remains safe for all who enter it.

Every stage of that process is overseen by me personally.

— Jenni

SOULBODY BREATH®

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