The Holistic Approach to Addiction Recovery: Sound Healing and Yin Breathwork at Elemental Wellness

Aki Tuskui

At Counseling Perspective, we understand that addiction is a complex issue that requires a holistic approach to achieve sustainable and lasting recovery. We approach addiction through a compassionate counseling, recognizing it as a nuanced and intricate challenge that touches on various aspects of an individual's life, including psychological, emotional, physical and spiritual dimensions.

 

Our approach is rooted in understanding the underlying emotional and psychological factors contributing to addiction, and we emphasize the importance of holistic healing. As we believe more holistic and spiritually mindful approach to mental health, our dedicated wellness team, Elemental Wellness, offers a wide range of complementary holistic therapies designed to nurture every facet of an individual's life, promoting harmony, inner peace, and a deeper connection to oneself alongside our counselling services. This integrated approach allows us to support our clients more fully, encouraging balanced and fulfilled living achieving the “wholeness”. 

 

At Elemental Wellness, we incorporate sound healing and Yin Breathwork into our holistic approach to enrich physical and emotional healing while fostering spiritual growth and connection. This comprehensive method supports addiction recovery and enhances overall well-being, complementing our counseling services.

 

Sound Healing 

Sound healing is a transformative therapy that harnesses the power of vibrational sound to restore balance and harmony within the body and mind. By using resonant instruments such as singing bowls, gongs, and crystal bowls, sound healing creates deep, harmonious vibrations that penetrate body cells and tissues, facilitating profound relaxation, emotional release, and mental clarity. This holistic practice promotes healing by addressing physical discomfort, reducing stress, and fostering spiritual growth, making it a powerful complement to traditional therapeutic approaches and a catalyst for overall well-being.

 

How does Sound healing help addiction recovery? 

1. Reduces Stress and Anxiety: 

Sound healing induces deep relaxation through soothing vibrations, helping to lower stress and anxiety levels. This relaxation can ease withdrawal symptoms and cravings, making the recovery process less daunting and more manageable.

 

2. Facilitates Emotional Release: 

The resonant frequencies of sound therapy can help individuals access and process suppressed emotions and trauma. This emotional release supports the healing of underlying issues that contribute to addiction, complementing the insights gained through counseling.

 

3. Enhances Mindfulness and Self-Awareness: 

Sound healing encourages mindfulness by bringing focus to the present moment through its rhythmic and harmonic qualities. This enhanced awareness helps individuals stay grounded, making it easier to implement coping strategies and insights from counselingsessions.

 

4. Promotes Spiritual Connection: 

Many people in recovery seek a deeper sense of purpose and connection. Sound healing fosters spiritual growth and a sense of inner peace, providing a meaningful context that can strengthen an individual's commitment to recovery and personal transformation.

 

5. Supports Overall Well-Being: 

By addressing physical and emotional imbalances, sound healing enhances overall well-being. This holistic approach complements counseling by supporting a balanced, integrated recovery process that nurtures both the mind and body.

 

Yin Breathwork

Yin Breathwork, rooted in Rebirthing Breathwork founded by Leonard Orr, utilizes conscious connected breathing to create a profound healing experience. This practice is a gentle style of breathing using only nasal breathing in a circular intentional pattern, inducing deep relaxation and emotional release. Unlike other breathwork styles that are holotropic forceful mouth breathing, Yin Breathwork values the importance of gentleness focusing on the breath’s natural flow thereby you can connect more deeply with your inner self, fostering a greater understanding of your emotions, thought patterns and spiritual well-being. 

 

How does Yin Breathwork help addiction recovery? 

 

1. Activation of the Parasympathetic Nervous System:

Deep, slow breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and counteracting the body’s stress response. Yin Breathwork lowers stress and anxiety levels. This reduction in stress can alleviate withdrawal symptoms and cravings, making the recovery process more manageable.

 

2. Facilitates Emotional Release: 

The conscious connected breathing in Yin Breathwork helps release stored emotions and trauma. This emotional detoxification supports healing from the underlying issues that often contribute to addiction.

 

3. Enhances Mindfulness and Self-Awareness: 

Yin Breathwork encourages mindfulness through connected breathing. This heightened self-awareness helps individuals recognize and address triggers and patterns associated with addiction.

 

4. Supports Emotional Resilience: 

By fostering a deeper connection to oneself and enhancing emotional balance, Yin Breathwork builds resilience. This inner strength is crucial for navigating the challenges of recovery and maintaining long-term sobriety.

 

5. Promotes Physical Relaxation and Healing:

Conscious breathing techniques enhance oxygen flow to the brain and body, supporting detoxification and improving overall physical health. The practice helps release physical tension and improves overall relaxation. This physical relaxation supports the body’s healing process and recovery from the impacts of addiction.

 

Both sound healing with Yin Breathwork can create a powerful synergy, amplifying the benefits of each practice. Sound vibrations can deepen the breathwork experience, while conscious breathing can enhance the receptivity to sound frequencies. In addition, these therapies can lead to profound spiritual experiences, fostering a deeper connection to oneself and the universe. This spiritual awakening can provide a sense of purpose and meaning, crucial for sustained recovery. Together, they provide a comprehensive approach to healing that addresses the mind, body, and spirit.

 

Holistic therapies like sound healing and Yin Breathwork offer a transformative approach to addiction recovery. By addressing physical, emotional, and spiritual needs, these practices foster deep healing and resilience. As the understanding and acceptance of holistic approaches continue to grow, more individuals can benefit from these powerful, integrative therapies on their journey towards sobriety and overall well-being.


By Praveen Kaur July 1, 2025
“Girl, if you have five real friends after 60, you’ve made some good choices.” said this voice full of wisdom. I remember that taxi ride very clearly. At that moment, I chuckled and started counting my “close” friends using my fingers, toes and maybe even a few rounds in. That sentence stuck with me for over 20 years. I knew deep down someday I will have to recollect that moment. Friendship is beautiful. It is also layered, unpredictable and at times, bittersweet. It grows, withers, surprises us, quietly fades away and sometimes comes back in new form. This is especially true as we transition through life, careers, motherhood, healing and reinvention, our social circles shift with us. Who you needed yesterday may not be who you need today. If you’ve ever caught yourself wondering “Where did everyone go?” or “Why do I feel closer to someone I just met than people I’ve known for years?”, you are not alone. You’re just evolving. And evolution rarely leaves your social circle untouched. What Is Friendship, Really? By definition, friendship is “a person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically one exclusive of sexual or family relations.” But let’s be real, that doesn’t capture the heart of it. To me, friendship is… A soul who supports you without judgement. A person who calls you out with love and cheers you on even louder. Someone who holds space for your becoming. So I’ll ask you, what’s your definition of friendship? Take a breath. Feel into it. You might find your answer has changed. That’s not wrong. It is honest. There’s no shame in evolving, only alignment with your present truth. When You Change, So Do Your Friendships This part can feel tender: when your inner world shifts, your outer circle often reflects that. Some friends will rise with you and celebrate your growth. Some surprise you by meeting you right where you are. Some will resist your change. And some will quietly fade. It’s not about fault; it’s about alignment. That friend who used to be your late-night rant partner might not be your 6 AM hike buddy. And the colleague who didn’t really “get you” five years ago? He / She might be your biggest fan now. Change is inevitable. Clinging to what was can hold you back from what’s possible. What Role Does Energy Play in Friendship? In the Energy Leadership™ framework , we recognize 7 levels of energy. Each representing a way of thinking, feeling and showing up in the world. These levels can also show us how we relate to our friends especially when change enters the picture. Let’s explore: ⚫ Level 1: Victim Energy "No one understands me anymore." This is where disconnection and self-doubt live. You may retreat or feel abandoned. Friendships can feel draining when this is the dominant lens. 🔴 Level 2: Conflict Energy "They don’t support me like I support them." Resentments build. You may find yourself judging, comparing or feeling the urge to prove yourself. Friendships become power plays instead of safe spaces. 🟠 Level 3: Coping Energy "It’s fine. I’ll just adjust to keep the peace." This is the friend who avoids conflict and over-accommodates. It looks harmonious on the outside but often sacrifices authenticity for the sake of connection. 🟡 Level 4: Service Energy "How can I support you through your change?" Here, friendships are built on empathy and care. This friend holds space for your becoming, even if it’s different from their own. 🟢 Level 5: Opportunity Energy "What if this shift brings us closer or introduces new aligned people?" There’s curiosity and collaboration here. You start to see that every change in a friendship opens doors for deeper alignment or necessary redirection. 🔵 Level 6: Flow Energy "I trust the right people will rise with me." At this level, friendships feel effortless, expansive and aligned with your highest values. There’s no grasping, just grace. ⚪ Level 7: Oneness Energy "There’s no separation between giving and receiving love." This is pure connection. Friendships here are soul-level, transcending ego or expectation. Rare, but powerful when experienced. So How Do You Navigate Friendship During Change? Transitions will test your relationships but they’ll also reveal your energetic patterns. Here’s how to move forward consciously: ✅ Get curious, not judgmental – Notice how you're showing up (what level of energy), and how others are too. ✅ Honor mismatches without blame – Some friendships fade. That doesn’t mean they failed. It means the alignment shifted. ✅ Invite new energy – Stay open to friends who match where you are now, not just where you’ve been. ✅ Say thank you loudly or silently – To the ones who stayed. To the ones who couldn’t. To yourself. ✅ Be the kind of energy you want to attract – Every friendship is a mirror. What are you reflecting? Final Thought: You’re Allowed to Outgrow People Outgrowing isn’t betrayal. It’s evolution. You’re allowed to choose friendships that nourish the version of you you’re becoming not just the one you have been. Celebrate this evolution. So go ahead, count your friends on fingers, toes, even add a few imaginary rounds. But more importantly, ask yourself: Are these people reflections of the life I want to live? Because that’s the circle worth nurturing.  If you want to explore coaching with Praveen, get in touch with us: info@counselingperspective.com
By Lilian Lee-Cutts July 1, 2025
In the course of our adult lives, friendships can shift, drift, and sometimes rupture. In the face of busy, divergent lives and priorities, this is a very natural process, but can be one that causes us confusion, pain, and a great sense of loss. Romantic relationships tend to have a clear beginning, middle, and end and we have the tools from young adulthood to understand the expected transitions. Friendships, however, tend to be more fluid and evolve over time with no set rules of engagement. In addition, each person will have a different perspective on what the friendship means to them, and so it’s no surprise that many people can find themselves struggling with questions like: Why does it feel harder to make friends? Why do I feel disconnected from people I used to feel close to? Is it worth my making an effort in this friendship when I feel I get so little from it? If you have found yourself asking these questions, you are definitely not alone. As a psychotherapist, I frequently encounter the deep pain that can come with friendship challenges in adulthood. Despite societal norms pointing us towards focusing our efforts on romantic or familial relationships during adulthood, our friendships are equally crucial to our emotional wellbeing. They offer companionship, shared experience, and a vital sense of belonging. And yet, they’re often forgotten about in conversations about our mental health. So let’s explore how we, as adults, can navigate our friendships with greaterawareness, compassion, and intent. How to navigate friendships 1. Reflect on your needs Start by asking yourself: What does friendship mean to me now? What feels nourishing and good? Your needs are most likely very different to what they were five years ago, and it is OK to acknowledge that. 2. Practice clear communication It’s not always easy, but expressing how you feel - whether it’s hurt at being left out or asking for more time together – will improve the quality of your friendships. Choose a moment when you both feel relaxed enough to be receptive. 3. Embrace flexibility As life happens around us, some friends can go quiet for months. Babies, burnout - it’s all very real. Whilst this can be confusing or hurtful, a bit of grace and compassion goes a long way and gives the friendship opportunity to evolve to a place of greater understanding and depth. 4. Make the time Adult friendship isn’t sustained by chance. It’s easy to get wrapped up in life’s demands while time continues passing by. It becomes a necessity to be intentional about making time for your friends. Some ways to do this are by scheduling regular check-ins as you would in work. Dedicate some time out of your busy schedule to call or message a friend as often as you can. 5. Recognise your patterns Whether you realise it or not, the way you respond to friendships has a lot to do with your attachment style. For example, a person with a secure attachment style is capable of forming nurturing friendships and working through any conflicts that may arise. However, those with more insecure attachment styles may find it harder to let go of friendships that are no longer working and will tend to take any perceived hurt personally. Final note We also need to recognise that not all friendships are formed - or maintained - on equal footing. If you’re LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, disabled, or from a minoritised background, your social landscape may look very different. You may have spent years finding your people, or building a chosen family to replace what blood ties could not offer. Those friendships carry a different kind of emotional weight and often, a depth that comes from shared survival. Similarly, if you struggle with anxiety, depression, or trauma, then the energy that goes in to maintaining friendships can feel daunting. You might feel the need to disappear for a while, or struggle to reply to messages. That doesn’t make you a bad friend, it makes you human and in need of a self compassion practice. If you are finding adult friendships difficult, and want to speak to Lili: info@counselingperspective.com 
By Aki Tsukui June 2, 2025
What does it mean to truly know who you are? During Pride Month, we celebrate the beauty of diverse identities and the courage it takes to live authentically. But beyond the labels and roles, there is a deeper essence waiting to be seen—a core self that exists beneath the surface. At Elemental Wellness, we believe that reconnecting with this essence is both a sacred and scientific journey. And breath is the bridge. The Breath: A Portal to the Subconscious Yin Breathwork, rooted in Leonard Orr’s Rebirthing Breathwork, offers a gentle yet profound way to access inner truth: not through thinking, but through feeling and presence. This form of conscious, connected breathing helps shift our awareness from the everyday, thinking mind (conscious) to the deeper, quieter terrain of the subconscious. Why does this matter? Because the subconscious holds the stories, emotional imprints, and beliefs we’ve absorbed, often unconsciously, from culture, family, and lived experience. These inner patterns shape how we see ourselves and how freely we live out our identities. Through slow, circular breath, Yin Breathwork helps bypass habitual thought loops and opens the door to neuroplasticity: the brain’s natural ability to rewire. When we breathe with intention and softness, we create a relaxed yet alert state, similar to light meditation or REM sleep, where old emotional imprints can surface and be gently released. Science Meets Soul: The Nervous System and Breath From a physiological perspective, breath is one of the few automatic functions we can consciously control. When we slow and deepen our breathing, we signal safety to the brain through the vagus nerve, activating the parasympathetic nervous system, our body’s natural state of rest and repair. This matters deeply for identity work. If we've lived in fight-or-flight, bracing against judgment, discrimination, or internalized shame, our nervous system may associate authenticity with risk. But breath offers another way. It teaches the body that it is safe to soften, to open, to be seen. Over time, regular Yin Breathwork can help regulate the nervous system, reduce anxiety, and increase emotional resilience. It becomes a quiet revolution within: an unlearning of fear and a return to inner freedom. Identity: A Living, Breathing Process We often think of identity as something to define or declare. But what if identity is not fixed, but fluid? What if it’s something we remember , layer by layer, breath by breath? In a Yin Breathwork session, there is no need to force answers. We simply lie back and breathe, allowing what wants to emerge to rise. The experience can feel meditative, emotional, or quietly powerful. As tension releases from the body, insight often follows about who we are beneath the roles, the expectations, the old stories. Rather than striving for authenticity, we relax into it . This isn’t a quick fix. It’s a return to the self—a remembering of what has always been there. And in that remembering, healing happens Pride as a Return to Wholeness Whether you're navigating your gender, sexuality, cultural heritage, or your evolving sense of self, Yin Breathwork offers a sanctuary—a space to return to your body and your truth. There’s no performance. No pressure. Just breath. Just presence. Just you. This Pride, instead of stepping out, we invite you to step in. To soften. To listen. To discover who you are beneath the noise gently, fully, and unapologetically. Yin Breathwork isn’t about changing yourself; it’s about remembering who you’ve always been. Join us for a Yin Breathwork session and reconnect with who you truly are. For booking: info@counselingperspective.com