Home > Health Articles > Somato Respiratory Integration: A Journey Toward Healing


By Barbara, LMT
Licensed Massage Therapist at Peaceful Spirit Massage & Wellness Centers

Somato Respiratory Integration (SRI) is a tool used to bring an increased awareness to your physical and emotional body. The intention is not to change anything, but to find out where you are and acknowledge that place. By placing your hands on your body and breathing into specific areas, moving your body and using specific declarations, you open the door for growth and healing. By combining these elements, the cerebral cortex or higher brain is engaged to allow a greater connection with yourself, creating space for healing. Not only may one experience a reduction in tension and increased ease of movement, it is also common to experience emotional shifts that take you from suffering to ecstasy, helplessness to empowerment, and separation to community. You may also experience physical sensations such as heat, vibration, and energy. These exercises are gentle, easy to learn, and are accessible to you at any time.

Donald Epstein, DC, developer of the Network Spinal Analysis, has observed the spontaneous breathing patterns and body movements that occur during entrainment. From his observations, he has identified twelve rhythms or stages of consciousness common to all people, and he has developed a series of exercises that integrate breath, body movement, and touch.

“Breath, touch, and movement are always true,” Dr. Epstein says, “and they never occur randomly. By directing them, we can rediscover the consciousness of each of the twelve healing stages. When we combine them in a form consistent with the appropriate state of healing, we encounter powerful and specific experiences of consciousness. As this happens, the rhythms within us assume control of our physiology, and insight and healing spontaneously occur.”

SRI is a dynamic clinical method that can be incorporated into a variety of healing professions including energy and bodywork, as well as chiropractic and psychotherapy. Individuals may also adopt this discipline to facilitate their own healing, providing a gateway to consciousness and wholeness.