237 | Martha Havenith, PhD: The Neuroscience of Breathwork & Expanded Consciousness

In this episode, Dr. Martha Havenith—neuroscientist, Oxford graduate, and one of the world’s leading researchers on Conscious Connected Breathwork—joins Joseph and Richard for a deep exploration of what breathwork actually does to the brain and body. They unpack the science, the lived experience, and the ethics of a rapidly growing field, providing an essential conversation for anyone who wants a grounded, evidence-based understanding of breath-induced transformation.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Why Martha is leading the most important research on Conscious Connected Breathwork
• What her first major study revealed about breath-induced altered states
• The bridge between neuroscience and transformative breathwork experiences
• How laboratory insights connect to real-world breathwork sessions
• Why breathwork lacks regulation — and why that’s dangerous
• The rise of “unfalsifiable explanations” in wellness (e.g., “You were meant to have that psychotic episode”)
• Why blaming clients for negative experiences is unethical and unscientific
• The difference between spiritual framing and scientific accountability
• What researchers are finding about breathwork safety, trauma, and emotional activation
• Why breathwork is not just hyperventilation
• What actually happens in the brain during conscious connected breathing
• The future of breathwork studies: what Martha is working on next
• Why the field desperately needs more evidence-driven voices
• Joseph’s and Richard’s reflections on modern breathwork culture and responsibility

Key Topics & Highlights

• Why she’s leading the most important research on Conscious Connected Breathwork
• What her first major study revealed about breath-induced altered states
• The bridge between neuroscience and transformative breathwork experiences
• How laboratory insights connect to real-world breathwork sessions
• Why breathwork lacks regulation — and why that’s dangerous
• The rise of “unfalsifiable explanations” in wellness (e.g., “You were meant to have that psychotic episode”)
• Why blaming clients for negative experiences is unethical and unscientific
• The difference between spiritual framing and scientific accountability
• What researchers are finding about breathwork safety, trauma, and emotional activation
• Why breathwork is not just hyperventilation
• What actually happens in the brain during conscious connected breathing
• The future of breathwork studies: what Martha is working on next
• Why the field desperately needs more evidence-driven voices
• Joseph’s and Richard’s reflections on modern breathwork culture and responsibility

Dr. Martha Havenith is a neuroscientist and breathwork researcher with an academic background spanning Oxford University, University College London, and the Max Planck Institute. She is one of the leading scientific voices studying Conscious Connected Breathwork, conducting some of the most rigorous and insightful research the field has ever seen. Her work blends neuroscience, physiology, and real-world breathwork experience to bring clarity, nuance, and grounded science to a rapidly expanding — and often misunderstood — domain.

Links:

• The Breathwork Handbook: Understanding, Practicing and Facilitating Breathwork 
• Martha's Instagram
• Martha's Research Studies & Published Papers

Interested in breathwork? Check out The RUNGA 90-