What is Breathwork?
Breathwork classes, workshops and corporate wellness sessions with Kay Lou, certified breathwork coach and cold water facilitator, based in Preston, Lancashire, with over 6 years in the wellness space.
Trusted by thousands of individuals and hundreds of businesses and brands across the North West of England and online via Zoom.
Bespoke programmes available for workplace teams and studio spaces.
It’s not just breathing.
Breathwork is the conscious control of your breathing to shift your physical, mental and emotional state. The breath is the only system in the body you can both control and leave on autopilot — and that makes it an extraordinary tool.
When you breathe intentionally, you directly influence your autonomic nervous system — the system that governs your stress response, your sleep, your digestion, your mood. There is a breath for every state you want to reach.
I came to breathwork through my own experience of anxiety and panic attacks. Before I was able to effectively manage my anxiety and panic I had to learn to breathe differently. And once I did? Everything changed. Now I combine conscious breathwork both with and without cold water immersion in sessions that work on the nervous system from two directions at once, and the results are something special. Breathwork can help:
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Slow, controlled breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, lowering cortisol levels and reducing the physiological markers of stress and anxiety within minutes.
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Breathwork techniques that extend the exhale stimulate the vagus nerve, shifting the body into a rest state that research links to faster sleep onset and deeper, more restorative sleep.
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Regular breathwork practice trains the nervous system to recover faster from stress, building a genuine tolerance to discomfort that carries over into everyday life.
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Controlled breathing increases oxygen flow to the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for decision-making and concentration, sharpening mental clarity within a single session.
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When panic strikes, a deliberate extended exhale activates the body's brake system, slowing the heart rate and interrupting the fight-or-flight cycle before it takes hold.
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Dynamic breathing techniques increase oxygen availability in the blood and stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, producing a natural boost in alertness, physical energy and mental performance without caffeine or stimulants.
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Breathwork gives you direct, conscious access to your autonomic nervous system, the system that governs your stress response, heart rate and mood, making it one of the most effective self-regulation tools available.
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Breath-based practices are increasingly recognised by trauma specialists as a powerful somatic tool for gently resetting the nervous system and supporting the body's natural process of trauma integration *always alongside appropriate professional support.
3 ways to breathe with Kay Lou
Immersive, In-person
Breathwork Events
Deeper, longer-form breathwork experiences in person — can be combined with cold water immersion for an extraordinary nervous system reset. Kay Lou Klub events bring the community together for something genuinely memorable. Breathwork workshops are where the real breakthroughs happen.
Perfect for those who want to go deeper into breathwork practice. Great for people curious about the breath, or anyone wanting a transformative one-off wellness experience in the North West.
Guided breathwork and meditation workshops — North West England
Combined cold water & breathwork events
Seasonal events and special occasions
Small groups, intimate and safe,
Large community led sessions
Online Breathwork Classes
Join a live, guided breathwork session with Kay Lou from the comfort of your own home or workplace. Online breathwork classes are a brilliant way to build a consistent practice without the barrier of travel — and the group energy on Zoom is genuinely something to experience.
Perfect for anyone across the UK wanting a regular, guided breathwork practice. Great for managing anxiety, stress and building nervous system resilience over time.
Live guided sessions via Zoom — fully present
Suitable for all levels — complete beginners welcome
Techniques for anxiety, stress, energy and focus
Join our class schedule
Book a private online breathwork class tailored to your team, group or clients.
Corporate Wellness
Stress is the biggest cause of workplace absence in the UK and breathwork is one of the fastest, most evidence-backed ways to address it. I deliver bespoke breathwork sessions for corporate teams: in your office, offsite or online. Practical, powerful and genuinely something your team will talk about.
Perfect for HR managers, wellbeing leads, business owners and team managers looking for meaningful employee wellness that goes beyond the usual. Suitable for wellbeing days, team away days, leadership programmes and monthly team sessions.
Bespoke sessions tailored to your team's needs
In-person delivery (North West) or live online for remote teams
Lunchtime sessions, half days & full corporate wellness days
Measurable outcomes: reduced stress, improved focus, team cohesion
Trusted by businesses across the North West
Reduce sick days and improve team productivity
Boost team morale
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'Kay holds an incredible space. Before the breathwork i felt completely wired and anxious, and left feeling like someone had turned the volume down on everything.'
— Carole Kirkby
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'We booked Kay for a team wellbeing day and the feedback was incredible. People who'd never done anything like this were completely converted!'
—Jamie, Head of HR
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'Best thing we have booked this year for the team. Kay Lou has a special way of bringing the whole room together. Our team are buzzing!'
Ivy, Wellness Lead
BRING
BREATHWORK
TO YOUR
WORKPLACE
Mental health is the leading cause of workplace absence in the UK.
Breathwork isn't a trend. It's a practical, science-backed tool that gives your people something they can use every single day. In a 60 minute session, I can shift a room.
The last 6 years i have worked with teams across the North West to deliver corporate breathwork and wellness sessions that are engaging, evidence-based and genuinely effective. No ‘woo-woo’. No wellness-washing. Just real tools that work.
Whether it's a one-off wellbeing day session, a monthly programme or a full corporate wellness partnership, let's talk about what your team actually needs.
Your Questions Answered
New to breathwork? Here are the questions I hear most often. If yours isn't here, just get in touch, I love a good question!
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Not at all. You literally just need to be able to breathe, which, if you're reading this, you're already doing. All of my sessions are suitable for complete beginners and I always explain each technique before we start. The most powerful sessions I've ever run have been with people who had no idea what to expect.
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Sessions start with an introduction to breathwork and an icebreaker exercise. We cover the science behind the technique. Then we breathe together, usually for anywhere between 30–60 minutes depending on the session type. I guide you through the breathing patterns, the pace and the intention to a carefully curated playlist. Afterwards there's always time to just rest and let the practice settle.
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Yes, and this is where I get genuinely passionate. Breathwork was the thing that helped me manage my own anxiety before anything else did. By consciously extending the exhale, you activate the parasympathetic nervous system, the body's rest-and-recovery mode. It works within seconds. With regular practice, it changes your baseline stress response over time.
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Honestly? Less different than you'd think. The online Zoom sessions are live, not pre-recorded and the group energy is still very much there. The main difference is that in-person sessions allow me to read the room more directly and make real-time adjustments. Both are genuinely powerful. Online classes are brilliant as a nice little reset at home or in the office, but in-person are more immersive and there is more connection created in the space.
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Absolutely! Wether you have an office space, a studio, a gym, meeting room or conference planned! I will bring the session to you.
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Absolutely. Breathwork sessions can stand completely on their own or if you're curious about combining breathwork with cold immersion, the breathwork foundation makes the cold water experience incredibley immersive. But that's always your choice, and you'll never be pushed.
Whether you want to try a Zoom class, enquire about corporate sessions or come to your first in-person breathwork workshop, the door's open.
“Sometimes you just have to take a deep breath and remember who you are’
— Kay Lou
