Over the years, since I launched this podcast, I’ve shared countless stories on Rosabel Unscripted—formerly The Life Unscripted with Rosabel—but never one as profoundly life-changing as the conversation I had with breath coach and former paramedic Chris Piva. In this blog post, I’ll take you through highlights from our interview, explain why breathwork truly is a game-changer, and show you how simple conscious breathing exercises can become powerful tools for anyone wrestling with stress, anxiety, or unresolved trauma.
Why I Rebranded—and Why Breathwork Matters More Than Ever
At the very start of our episode, I took a moment to explain why I removed “The Life” from my podcast name. The message remains the same: Rosabel Unscripted is all about honest, unscripted conversations that shine a light on our shared humanity.
That’s why today’s topic—the power of conscious breathing—is so close to my heart. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by life’s demands, felt anxiety spike without warning, or wondered how to find calm in the eye of your personal storm, this post is for you. Breathwork isn’t a new trend; it’s an ancient practice that helped my guest, Chris, survive PTSD, addiction, and suicidal ideation—and it helped me personally overcome my own PTSD trigger just weeks before we recorded.
Meet Chris Piva: From Paramedic to Breath Coach
Chris’s story begins in Muskoka, Ontario, where he and his wife both trained as paramedics. In 2008, his wife received a diagnosis of PTSD after a traumatic call. Chris watched her journey through therapy, slowly regaining her balance—but it took until 2012 for him to realize he, too, was suffering in silence. Years of on-the-job adrenaline, coupled with unprocessed emotions, led to insomnia, anxiety, and substance dependence.
“I struggled to regulate my mood. My anxiety was off the charts. I couldn’t sleep, I was irritable and angry,” Chris shared. “I didn’t know how to manage emotions—my ego told me I was ‘fine.’ But I wasn’t.”
By 2017, Chris’s wife was thriving, thanks to her enrollment in a 200-hour yoga teacher training that emphasized morning breath practice (pranayama). Observing her transformation planted a seed: perhaps breathwork could work the same magic for him.
So in 2019, Chris signed up for the very same yoga training. Each morning, he practiced 30 minutes of pranayama—and for the first time, he experienced a sense of calm without reaching for alcohol, cannabis, or prescription pills.
“I felt calm in my body without having to take an exterior chemical,” he recalled. “It was magical.”
My Personal Connection: Finding Breathwork Through Mind Valley
I won’t lie—I recorded our episode feeling hopeful but also skeptical. Although I was diagnosed with PTSD in 2022 (after one particularly jarring night at work), I hadn’t yet discovered a tool that stuck—until my supervisor recommended I try a 20-minute breathwork session on Mind Valley.
Within 48 hours of that first online session, my anxiety subsided to a level I hadn’t felt in years. My shoulders relaxed, I slept deeper, and I realized I didn’t need to rely on what I had always thought were my only “solutions.” Listening to Chris’s story felt like déjà vu: someone else who’d walked that same rugged path from medical crisis to inner serenity.
How Breathwork Calms the Nervous System
Chris is a master at translating complex physiology into simple, relatable stories. Here are the two key metaphors he shared:
1. The “Puppy on a Leash”
Imagine your mind as a puppy that wants to run all over the park—chasing squirrels, darting into traffic, raising your anxiety. Your breath is the leash. When you tether your busy mind to each inhale and exhale, the “puppy” can’t wander off into fearful thoughts or endless self-criticism. Breath = calm.
2. Gas Pedal vs. Brake Pedal (Right Nostril vs. Left Nostril)
Our right nostril connects to the sympathetic nervous system (the “gas pedal”—fight or flight). Our left nostril connects to the parasympathetic nervous system (the “brake pedal”—rest and digest). By intentionally switching nostrils in a breath cycle, we can tell our body: “Slow down” (parasympathetic) or “Gear up” (sympathetic), depending on what we need in the moment.
Even more fascinating: when we breathe deeply, our lungs’ baroreceptors (pressure-sensing cells) send a message to our brain saying, “Pressure is high here—lower the heart rate.” This in turn drops our blood pressure. When we breathe shallowly, the opposite happens. Every single inhalation and exhalation becomes an opportunity to reset our body’s chemistry.
A Simple Guided Exercise: Ten “Chin-Down, Chin-Up” Breaths
Chris’s go-to demo (also called the Tummo technique) goes like this. Be sure you’re seated (never practice this standing or while driving):
- Exhale fully, chin tucked gently toward your chest.
- Inhale deeply through your nose as you lift your chin toward the ceiling. Feel your lungs expand—fill them completely.
- Repeat exhale-chin-down, inhale-chin-up for ten consecutive breaths.
- On the last inhale, keep your lungs fully inflated, push your belly out, and hold your chin up for 10–15 seconds. Then exhale completely, letting go of any remaining tension.
What you may feel:
- A slight tingle in your fingers and toes (a change in blood pH and chemistry).
- A sudden sense of clarity—mental chatter quiets.
- A light “natural high”—your body has just released anandamide, the so-called “bliss molecule” that floods your nervous system with calm.
When I tried this during our recording, I felt immediate relief in my shoulders and a surge of calm I struggled to describe. Within seconds, I realized exactly why Chris calls breathwork “free medication.”
Real-Life Transformation: From Rock Bottom to Fresh Start
Among all the stories Chris shared, one veteran’s journey stands out:
“He came to rehab after trying everything—rehabilitation programs, therapy, nothing stuck. With this Tummo breath technique, he reported a ‘spiritual high’ similar to his drug of choice—without taking anything. Today, he’s six months sober, living on purpose, and helping other veterans see what’s possible.”
That transformation is powerful precisely because breathwork is accessible to anyone with the willingness to try. As Chris reminds us, you have to want it. If you do, your nervous system is ready for this.
Healing Generational Trauma: Recognizing Unseen Patterns
In our conversation, Chris opened up about his own childhood. He didn’t realize until his mid-30s that:
- Growing up in a home where emotions were suppressed left him unable to identify feelings beyond “happy” or “fear.”
- He coped by seeking adrenaline rushes—driving off-road on his bike, chasing high speeds—to flood his brain with dopamine.
- The phrase “everything you need is already within you” clicked into place only after he learned to sit with his emotions and process trauma through breathwork.
I shared a bit of my own story—from fleeing the Colombian civil unrest of the 1980s to realizing, as a 14-year-old, that my home environment “wasn’t normal.” Though that early awareness saved me from some patterns, I still carry the physical echoes of childhood trauma: the sudden “saddle response” and involuntary jumps anytime someone approaches me from behind.
Breathwork is not a cure-all, but when you pair it with counseling or journaling, it becomes an invitation to process buried emotions (what Chris calls “energy in motion”). By returning to the memory—fully reliving sights, smells, sounds—then breathing through it, you allow your nervous system to re-baseline without resorting to numbing agents.
Beyond Breath: Grounding, Journaling, and Community
While our focus was on breathwork, we also touched on other daily practices that reinforce healing:
1. Grounding (Earthing)
Walking barefoot on grass or using grounding sheets (plugged into the wall) can neutralize harmful electromagnetic frequencies (like 5G) and improve circulation. I place a grounding sheet under my mattress each night and make an effort to sit quietly beneath my century-old oak tree—hugging it, if necessary!
2. Journaling
As a natural-born writer, putting pen to paper has always been my way of sorting through complex emotions. Chris’s process of journaling everything he learned about breathwork ultimately formed the foundation of his book.
3. Community & Conversation
Isolation perpetuates trauma. Just as my guest Chris was “scooped up” by Cadence Health & Wellness in Ontario, we all need at least one trusting relationship where we can share our true selves.
“As soon as I shared my journey vulnerably, barriers dropped—both mine and theirs,” Chris said of working with veterans.
“You’re not your job”—his psychologist reminded him. That simple phrase invites us to let go of identities that no longer serve us (paramedic, caregiver, ‘the strong one’) and rediscover who we truly are.
Where to Go from Here
If anything in this article resonates, take one simple step today:
- Try Chris’s Tummo-style Breath (10 breaths)
Sit in a sturdy chair.
Exhale chin toward chest; inhale chin up, filling your lungs.
Repeat ten times.
On the last inhale, hold your breath, push your belly forward, and keep your chin up for 10–15 seconds—then exhale fully.
Notice the tingling, sense of calm, release of mental chatter.
- Pick Up His Book
On Amazon, search Breathe: How to Transform Your Life One Breath at a Time by Chris Piva. (In the U.S., it’s about $14; in Canada, roughly $20 CAD.) Inside, you’ll find Chris’s own story and step-by-step instructions for multiple breathing practices—perfect for beginners.
- Connect with Chris
Facebook: Chris Piva (look for the globe icon).
Instagram: @chrispivaofficial
TikTok: @breathewithchris
He’s always eager to hear how breathwork is changing lives—so send him a DM, ask questions, or simply say hello.
- Stay Tuned to Rosabel Unscripted Podcast
Visit www.rosabelzohfeld.com to subscribe and never miss an episode.
Hit “Subscribe” wherever you listen to podcasts—your support truly means the world and motivates me to keep creating content that explores the human side of healing.
- Join Our Community
Whether you’re a nurse practitioner, a parent, a first responder, or someone simply curious about breathwork, I invite you to comment below.
Share your own experiences: Have you tried conscious breathing? What did you notice? What other “free medication” practices help you stay centered?
Final Thoughts: Everything You Need Is Already Within You
Today’s conversation with Chris Piva reaffirmed what I’ve long believed: we are far more capable of self-healing than most of us realize. The moment you start to tether your mind to your breath—just like that puppy on a leash—your nervous system begins to “come home.” Simple techniques like the 10-breath Tummo exercise give us immediate proof: our chemistry can change at will.
If you’re reading this and feeling any spark of hope, practice that breath right now. Feel the tension melt out of your shoulders. Notice how your mind becomes quieter—even if it’s only for a few seconds. Then remember: with consistent practice, those seconds will turn into minutes, minutes into hours, and hours into a life you choose instead of a life that chooses you.
Thank you for reading. If you’re inspired to learn more, please connect with Chris Piva on social media, pick up his book Breathe, and let me know how it goes. In the meantime, keep breathing—because life may be unscripted, but we have the power to script our own healing.
