OUR CODE OF ETHICS FOR BREATHWORK STUDENTS, PRACTITIONERS AND TEAM
This code of ethics has been developed to encourage and foster good practice within the profession of Breathwork Facilitation, and as representatives of Seven Directions® Breathwork, Integrative Breath and all sister programs.
It is applicable to all trainees, graduates, mentors and faculty of any part of our Training Programs, and is initiated to support you, your work and your clients in the dynamic practice of breathwork as a healing modality. It is expected that any students trained by us agree to uphold these standards throughout their practice. As representatives of our training, we invite, expect and hold you to a high standard of ethical and safe practice both in your work and in your personal and professional representation.
Integrative Breath/Seven Directions® and all program Students, Graduates and Faculty staff will be professional in attitude and conduct, responsible in relations with clients and colleagues, reliable in agreements and timely in appointment schedules.
Integrative Breath/Seven Directions® Faculty, Students and Graduates certify that we have read and understood the provisions of this Ethical Code. We acknowledge that we represent the standards to which all trainees, graduates and faculty staff aspire, and will abide by to the best of our ability. Further, we agree to be held accountable to the I Integrative Breath/Seven Directions® Directors for any actions that deviate from these standards.
As Practitioners and representatives of Integrative Breath/Seven Directions®, we recognise the importance of consent and choice in all professional interactions with individual clients and groups. At no time shall a client be required or coerced to participate in any activity, event or exercise. We agree to inform and educate clients about their full autonomy, consent and choice, and actively create environments where clients are empowered to exercise those skills in making informed choices.
All Integrative Breath/Seven Directions® faculty, students and other representatives of our schools and trainings will strive to provide a range of framed guidelines and safety protocols which will serve the client’s intended growth in requesting a breathwork session. Members will stay updated on contraindications and modifications to breathwork techniques for identified client conditions and states of being, and at no time practice client discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age or appearance.
Integrative Breath/Seven Directions® trainees, graduates and faculty may use physical touch in a breathwork session if deemed appropriate, and if prior consent from the client has been obtained, assuming the the parameters of conscious physical touch have been adequately and properly framed, and the right to reject touch has been offered. If physical touch is used in a session, it is used with the attitude to ‘do no harm’ and with concern for the client's own growth and/or benefit. A client has the right to refuse touch or change their mind at any time and this decision must be respected.
We agree to honour the agreed boundaries established before any session. If during a session a client changes their mind about touch, we agree to consider and respect the wishes of the client but also to take into account that if the change is made during a high arousal state, informed consent may be compromised. In this case we access our felt sense and always take action with the highest good of the client in mind. This may translate to a choice not to apply physical touch in a particular circumstance. As a facilitator, we stay present and listen to our inner voice. We highly recommend the use of written intake forms where consent to touch is given in writing as best practice.
Integrative Breath/Seven Directions® trainees, graduates and faculty may use other healing modalities in a breathwork session if deemed appropriate, if duly trained in such, and only if prior consent from the client has been obtained and the parameters of such an application are agreed upon.
Integrative Breath/Seven Directions® trainees, graduates and faculty will practice clear and appropriate professional boundaries with clients. We understand the inherent inequality of power we hold relative to our clients in the role of facilitator, and therefore agree not to use this power differential for any form of client exploitation, or to promote our own personal ideology or religious, political, sexual, social or therapeutic agenda.
Integrative Breath/Seven Directions® trainees, graduates and faculty agree that we do not seek to meet our own need to provide a ‘good’ session by overriding the clients’ own intuitive requirements.
Integrative Breath/Seven Directions® trainees, graduates and faculty agree not to have any form of sexual or intimate relationship contact with current clients outside of sessions. If attraction occurs within the professional relationship (either from client towards practitioner or from practitioner towards client) we agree to discuss the attraction within Professional Supervision, with the express aim of maintaining clear professional boundaries and protecting the client’s ability to access the work. In the event of mutual attraction, a period of time no less than six months of not working together in a therapeutic setting should elapse before engaging in any such exploration.
Trainees, graduates and faculty agree to refrain from the exploitation of professional relationships with clients, whether current or past, for personal gain, whether financial, professional, emotional, sexual, or for research purposes.
Trainees, graduates and faculty agree to the consideration of regular and/or specific targeted Supervision as a routine part of what is considered good practice. This could be peer to peer or group supervision and/or expert supervision/mentoring or, optimally, both. Practitioners further agree to request supervision and guidance when experiencing ambiguity or difficulty with interpretation of what constitutes safe and/or ethical behaviour.
Trainees, graduates and faculty will consider the limits of their skills and experience before accepting requests for, or providing educational, instructional or other therapeutic services or interventions to clients and potential clients. Practitioners should avoid recommendations or the offering of modalities for which we are insufficiently qualified to render. In such cases, we may refer the client to other qualified and trained providers.
Integrative Breath/Seven Directions® representatives maintain an awareness that personal and professional development is on a continuum. We remain open to updating our practice, techniques and refining our skills whilst offering our work to others.
Trainees, graduates and faculty will terminate professional relationships with clients when such services are no longer required or no longer serve the needs and interests of the clients. We may unilaterally terminate services on just and reasonable grounds and after careful consideration of all situational factors and any possible adverse effects, ensuring care is taken for both client & practitioner wellbeing.
Trainees, graduates and faculty will refrain from providing breathwork, training sessions and/or presenting any instructional material while either the practitioner or the client is under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs, or in any other ways incapacitated from providing exemplary, clear and professional service delivery.
Trainees, graduates and faculty will establish clear contracts, boundaries and guidelines with clients regarding the number and duration of sessions and fee for such services. Practitioners will keep records and respect, defend, and preserve the privacy of all information gained from clients, and will preserve the anonymity of clients when using information for purposes of teaching, research, and supervision.
Any public representation by a trainee, graduate or faculty of the profession of breathwork, and the reputation of Integrative Breath/Seven Directions® shall be respectful, work in integrity within this Code of Ethics and shall have the intention of furthering the profession.
Students still in training must not offer and charge for connected breathwork sessions until certified and approved to do so. Should the student have training and certification from another school of breathwork in the same modality (CCB), an exception may be made with approval from the Directors.
Students providing sessions as part of their case studies must not charge for these sessions, nor request donations of any kind.
Should conflict arise amongst any Integrative Breath/Seven Directions® trainee students or colleagues, whether as part of a training session or within a personal context, all parties agree to seek resolution to their conflict, including but not limited to mediation, and in such a way that the conflict and the resolution thereof does not adversely effect clients, the group, the profession or the representation of our business reputation. If and where grievances are raised, the person/people involved must be willing to engage in a face to face meeting with the clear intention to seek resolution.
Trainees, graduates and faculty may (and are advised to) directly contact, in a constructive and transparent manner, any member whom they believe may have acted outside of the ethical guidelines set forth in this document. If the ethical concern persists or is beyond the scope of the members ability to address, direct contact with a senior member of the Integrative Breath faculty team should be consulted.
Trainees, graduates and faculty will aid Integrative Breath/Seven Directions® in the upholding this Code of Ethics and co-operate fully with any investigation of possible violations. Any complaints must be filed by email only and email records will be kept for all communications in the event of any disagreement.
Trainees, graduates and faculty will refrain from solicitation of their colleagues’ or peers clients.
Trainees, graduates and faculty agree not to use the words, images or copy of other Practitioners of Integrative Breath/Seven Directions® in their events, websites and marketing without their express consent.
Trainees, graduates and faculty will encourage appropriate communication between clients and their current or recent therapists. In particular practitioners will advise clients to seek prior agreement from their GPs or healthcare providers in the event of known contra- indications for this practice.
Use of Integrative Breath/Seven Directions® Program names and branding:
Practitioners are permitted to show/use the official Integrative Breath/Seven Directions® name or logo only when training is complete, and official final certification has been received from either Steph Magenta or Dr Rae Riedel.
Integrative Breath/Seven Directions® branding and name must NOT be used to advertise courses, events or other promotional offers, which would give the impression that the member was acting as a representative of, or under the direction of Integrative Breath/Seven Directions® without certification or express consent and written permission. Your own work should be offered in your own name and can be endorsed by our logo when certified.
This code of ethics has been developed to encourage and foster good practice within the profession of Breathwork Facilitation, and as representatives of Integrative Breath/Seven Directions® . It applies to all trainees, graduates and faculty staff and of Integrative Breath/Seven Directions®, and is initiated to support you, your work and your clients in the dynamic practice of breathwork as a healing modality.
It is expected that any students trained by us agree to uphold these standards throughout their practice. As representatives of our training, we invite, expect and hold you to a high standard of ethical and safe practice both in your work and in your personal and professional representation.
We are proud to be certified by the Global Professional Breathwork Alliance (GPBA) and organisational members of the International Breathwork Foundation (IBF) and Breathwork UK for our training program.
©Integrative Breath & Seven Directions® 2023
