Our Services
Sound Familiar?
You know what you should do. You've read the books. You've talked it through. You've tried to relax. Maybe you've exercised, meditated, gotten massages, or taken a vacation.
And yet ...You still find yourself overthinking. Snapping at the people you love. Feeling anxious for no obvious reason. Lying awake at night. Holding tension in your body. Feeling like you're always "on."
If you've ever wondered, "Why do I keep reacting this way?" you're not alone. Many of our responses happen automatically, long before we're aware of them.
The good news is that awareness can be learned. At The Nervous System Studio, we use nervous system education, breath, movement, and somatic practices to help you better understand what's happening inside so you can respond with greater flexibility, confidence, and choice. Our responses make more sense when we understand how our nervous system responds to the world around us.
Awareness creates choice. Choice creates the opportunity for lasting change.
Our Offerings
.png)
I'm committed to making nervous system education accessible to all. If the investment isn't right for you right now, send me a note, and we'll find a way.
Why I Built The Nervous System Studio
Hi, I'm Karen. Yes, the good kind.
I know what it feels like to live in a body and mind that won't slow down.
To always be thinking. Always anticipating. Always carrying one more thing.
To look capable on the outside while feeling anxious, exhausted, overwhelmed, or disconnected on the inside.
For years, I thought that was just how I was wired.
I built a career helping people navigate high-pressure situations. I advised leaders, taught campaign strategy and democracy around the world, and helped people communicate when the stakes were high.
But I wasn't paying nearly as much attention to what was happening inside my own mind and body.
Breathwork and nervous system science changed that.
I discovered that many of the ways I responded to stress weren't personality traits. They were learned patterns. Once I understood them, everything began to make more sense.
Not because life became easier. Because I finally had awareness. And awareness gave me choice.
Today, I help people understand what their nervous system has been trying to tell them all along. Not by fixing them. By helping them recognize their patterns, understand their responses, and discover they have more influence over how they experience life than they ever imagined.
I'm still practicing what I teach. Still learning. Still human. But I know this:
When you understand your nervous system, you stop fighting yourself.
And that's often where change begins.
Professional Training & Certifications
-
Internationally Certified, Trauma-Informed Conscious Connected Breathwork Facilitator: Breathing Space and Unity Breathwork’s 450-Hour Breathwork Facilitator Certification
-
Oxygen Advantage® Functional Breathing Instructor
-
Certified Restorative Breathwork® Facilitator (IAYT)
-
Certified Pranayama Teacher (YA)
-
TRE® Certification (in progress)
-
IFS-Informed, The IFS Institute
I built this studio because I know what it feels like to carry too much for too long.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Science:
Research shows that your breath isn't just keeping you alive - it could be your most powerful tool for change.
We’re constantly bombarded by wellness trends promising quick fixes. Breathwork sometimes gets lumped in with them. But the research tells a different story. Universities and medical institutions are now validating what practitioners have long observed: breathwork produces measurable physiological and psychological effects, making it a valuable complement to traditional therapy.
Why Breath Matters
According to a 2023 scientific review published in Life, breathing practices may influence stress, emotional regulation, autonomic nervous system function, and overall well-being. The findings highlight the close relationship between the breath and the nervous system and help explain why breathing practices are increasingly studied as tools to support resilience and self-regulation.
Your Breathing Pattern Shapes How You Feel
According to a 2025 study published in Current Biology, researchers identified individuals with nearly 97% accuracy based solely on nasal breathing patterns. The study also found associations between breathing patterns and measures of anxiety, sleep, and behavior, suggesting that how we breathe may be closely linked to both brain function and emotional well-being.
Measurable Brain Changes
Researchers at the Clinical Neuroscience Department of Brighton and Sussex Medical School used advanced brain imaging to observe people during conscious connected breathing. They found that this rhythmic pattern activated regions tied to emotion and memory, supporting natural release and insight.
Deep Emotional Access
Real-time tracking confirmed that participants could safely access and process stored emotion and memory. The deeper the breathwork session, the greater the positive shift. Across studies, participants reported less fear, fewer negative emotions, and no panic reactions.
Psychedelic-Level Benefits Without Substances
In related studies, scientists described breathwork as a “powerful, non-pharmacological tool” capable of producing metabolic and neurological changes comparable to those seen in psychedelic-assisted therapy, yet achieved entirely through breath and music.
Clinical Improvements in PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression
Research from the Ernst Strüngmann Institute for Neuroscience in Berlin and the MIND Foundation in Frankfurt found that participants’ well-being improved within a week of conscious connected breathwork, with reductions in depressive symptoms. Other breathwork studies have shown that:
-
PTSD survivors experience major reductions in trauma symptoms
-
People with anxiety report better sleep and emotional regulation
-
Burned-out healthcare workers show lower stress and fatigue
-
Those with depression report improved mood and vitality
Breathwork Physiology
During conscious connected breathwork, carbon dioxide levels drop and blood pH rises (becoming more alkaline). Low CO2 causes blood vessels to constrict slightly. At the same time, the Bohr Effect means hemoglobin holds oxygen more tightly, temporarily altering oxygen delivery to tissues. These changes can create tingling or muscle tightness while increasing activity in emotional and memory centers of the brain. Meanwhile, the prefrontal cortex (the "thinking mind") quiets, allowing deeper awareness to surface. As normal breathing resumes, the body naturally rebalances.
The Science of TRE®
TRE® (Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises) is based on the observation that neurogenic tremors are a natural physiological response that may help the body recover from stress and reduce chronic muscular tension. Research has reported reductions in perceived stress along with improvements in well-being, self-efficacy, and quality of life among TRE participants. Emerging studies have also identified changes in heart rate variability (HRV), suggesting TRE may influence autonomic nervous system regulation and stress resilience. Although the evidence base continues to develop, current findings support TRE as a promising somatic approach for stress reduction and nervous system health.
What This Means for You
The evidence is clear: breathwork and trauma release changes how the brain functions, how the nervous system regulates stress, and how we experience emotion. These are not placebo effects; they’re measurable biological shifts that support real healing and transformation.