Breathwork is a therapeutic practice involving controlled breathing techniques to enhance physical, mental and emotional well-being.
The rise in emotional and mental health awareness has unsurprisingly led to a surge in breathwork’s popularity over recent years.
And of course – as more people seek alternative methods for stress relief and personal development, the demand for skilled breathwork facilitators has risen.
If you’re reading this article, you may have thought about becoming a breathwork facilitator and would like to know how much one earns.
So – how much can one realistically earn in this emerging field?
Factors influencing the potential earnings of Breathwork Instructors
The potential earnings of breathwork instructors vary widely based on many key factors. Understanding these factors can help breathwork instructors strategically plan their careers and maximise their potential income.
Strategic planning is important so that they can build a sustainable and profitable career. Working as a breathwork instructor involves working as a self-employed or independent practitioner, in other words, you’re essentially running your own personal business.
Personal branding and a good reputation are key to success as this sets breathwork instructors apart from competitors in the same market, instilling trust and credibility while attracting a loyal client following.
As breathwork instructors, we often have to multi-task—from being an expert in your own field of breathwork to being your business’s marketer and business manager. You are the important decision marker from choosing the right location and obtaining reputable certifications to diversifying service offerings and many important business decisions, each decision can significantly impact earnings and career growth.
This entrepreneurial aspect requires a thoughtful approach therefore careful planning is important.
Here are some factors to consider when working out how much you can potentially earn as a Breathwork Instructor:
1. Geographic Location
Geographical Influence
Working as a breathwork instructor, geographical influence refers to the impact that an instructor’s chosen location has on their earning potential.
Geographic areas with a strong understanding on health and wellness, can provide more opportunities.
- City vs Rural Areas: Breathwork instructors in city areas generally have access to a larger client base willing to pay higher fees due to higher living costs and greater disposable income. On the other hand, those in rural areas might face a smaller client market and may need to adjust their pricing accordingly to demand.
- Area’s Demand: Certain areas may have a higher demand for holistic and wellness services, including breathwork. Locations known for health and wellness background or cities with a strong emphasis on holistic living can provide more opportunities.
- Different Countries and Cultures: In some countries, breathwork and similar holistic practices may be more widely accepted and integrated into everyday life, which can positively impact demand and earning potential.
Economic Factors
Economic factors significantly impact the earning potential of breathwork instructors by affecting clients’ ability and willingness to pay for services.
When the local economy is strong, residents typically have higher disposable incomes and are more likely to invest in wellness services, allowing breathwork instructors to charge premium rates. On the other hand, in economically struggling areas, clients may be more price-sensitive, potentially charging lower fees.
- Local Economy: The economic health of the region can affect how much people are willing to spend on breathwork sessions. Breathwork instructors working in affluent areas are likely to earn more compared to those in economically struggling regions.
- Competition: The level of competition in the area can also influence earnings. High competition might drive prices down, whereas a niche market with fewer practitioners can allow for higher rates. If you are working as an online breathwork instructor, your competition is worldwide and you may need to focus more on who you are targeting as clients as this will also determine how much to charge.
2. Experience and Reputation
For breathwork instructors, experience and reputation can be major factors that influence potential earnings.
Instructors with extensive experience are often perceived as more skilled and knowledgeable, allowing to charge higher fees. A strong reputation creates credibility and attracts more clients and experienced instructors who consistently deliver high-quality sessions can develop a loyal client base willing to pay premium prices.
Length and Amount of Experience
- Experience Level: More experienced facilitators can charge higher rates due to their deeper knowledge, refined techniques, and proven track records. Clients often associate years of practice with higher-quality service.
Reputation
- Client Testimonials and Reviews: Positive client feedback and strong testimonials can significantly enhance an instructor’s reputation, attracting more clients and allowing for premium pricing.
- Professional Network: A well-established professional network can lead to referrals and collaborative opportunities that enhance exposure and credibility, resulting in higher earnings.
Branding
- Personal Branding: Effective personal branding and marketing strategies, such as a professional website, active social media presence, and published content (blogs, books, videos), can increase an instructor’s profile and attract higher-paying clients.
3. Certification and Training
Breathwork Instructors with advanced training or certifications from reputable institutions can often charge more for their services.
Quality and Prestige of Training Programs
- Accreditation: Breathwork instructors who have been trained and certified by reputable institutions are often perceived as more competent and trustworthy, allowing them to charge higher fees.
- Specialised Training: Additional certifications in specialised areas of breathwork (e.g., bodywork, sound healing, reiki) can diversify service offerings and charge higher rates.
Continued Education
- Ongoing Learning: Commitment to ongoing education and staying updated with the latest techniques and trends in breathwork can increase an instructor’s skill set and branding, leading to higher income potential.
4. Service Offerings
Breathwork Instructor’s earnings can be influenced by the variety and scope of services offered, such as individual sessions, group workshops, corporate training and retreats, as well as a range of tailor-made programs and carefully selected partnerships.
Range of Services
- Individual Sessions vs. Workshops: Offering a mix of individual sessions and workshops can diversify income streams. Group sessions can be more profitable per hour due to multiple participants, while individual sessions can command higher rates per client on an ongoing basis.
- Online vs. In-Person: Breathwork instructors who offer online sessions can reach a global audience, potentially increasing their client base and income.
Special Programs
- Retreats: Hosting retreats can provide significant income opportunities due to their higher pricing and profit margins.
- Corporate and Organisational Programs: Partnering with businesses to offer corporate wellness programs can be highly lucrative. Companies often have budgets allocated for employee wellness, making this a valuable market for breathwork instructors. And generally, you can charge a higher rate per hour for corporate workshops.
Customised Programs
- Tailored Made Programs: Customising programs to meet the specific needs of different client groups (e.g., athletes, executives, individuals with special needs) can enhance value perception and allow for premium pricing.
Affiliation and Sponsorship
- Sponsorships involve forming partnerships with brands and companies that align with the instructor’s values and target audience. These partnerships can provide financial sponsorship, free products, or other resources in exchange for promoting the sponsor’s products or services during sessions, workshops, or on social media and websites.
For example, a breathwork instructor might partner with a wellness brand that offers breathwork accessories, essential oils, or health supplements, integrating these products into their practice and endorsing them to their clients and followers. - Affiliation programs offer another income stream by allowing instructors to earn commissions by promoting products or services. Instructors can join affiliate programs related to wellness, health, and clothing wear, and share unique affiliate links or discount codes with their followers. When clients or followers make a purchase through these links, the instructor earns a commission.
This a great way to earn extra financial income if the instructor runs large workshops or has a big online presence, such as a large, email database, popular blog or website, YouTube channel, or large social media following.
What is the income range of a Breathwork Instructor?
Breathwork instructors typically charge per session or workshop.
For individual sessions, rates can range from $60 to $250 per hour.
Group sessions can easily be charged from $25 to $110 per hour per person with groups averaging from 5 to 50 individuals.
Workshops can potentially bring in between $80 to $250 per person with groups up to a thousand people.
Corporate sessions which is increasing popular and are generally charged much higher rates going into the thousands per session. This includes retreats where premium and immersive experiences are offered, each participant can potentially be charged in the thousands.
Calculating potential earnings of a Breathwork Instructor
Ultimately, how much you earn as a breathwork instructor will largely depend on the amount of work you do in any given week or month. So let’s take a look at a few examples below.
How many of the following offerings do you plan to run each month?
- Private Sessions (in person and online):
(# of sessions) x ($ per session) – minus all expenses and tax = Earnings/ month - Group Sessions:
(# of sessions) x ($ per session) – minus all expenses and tax = Earnings/month - Workshops:
(# of workshops) x ($ per person) – minus all expenses and tax = Earnings/month - Retreats:
(# of retreats) x $ per person) – minus all expenses and tax = Earnings/month - Corporate sessions/customised programs:
(# of sessions) x $ per person) – minus all expenses and tax = Earnings/month - Sponsorship and Affiliation Income:
This figure can range from hundreds to tens of thousands depending on your branding and marketing strategies
Can Breathwork Instructors make even more income?
Of course! Many breathwork instructors supplement their income through additional offerings such as:
Online courses
Creating and selling online breathwork courses and webinars can provide a steady passive income opportunity.
Prices for online courses can range from as little as $50 to several hundred dollars, depending on the content and duration.
Books and merchandise
Writing books, creating digital products (e.g., guided breathwork recordings or programs) and selling related merchandise can also add to a facilitator’s income.
In conclusion, how much breathwork instructors can potentially earn are affected by many factors like location, experience and reputation, certification and training, and the diverse and personalised services they offer.
By planning carefully to take up these opportunities, breathwork instructors can build a full time income while building a successful careers by doing something they love.
Thinking about becoming a Breathwork Instructor?
If you’re passionate about helping others achieve better physical, mental and emotional health through breathwork, now is the perfect time to start your journey.
You can read more about how to become a breathwork facilitator in our ultimate guide right here.
You can also consider enrolling into our premier accredited breathwork facilitator training, where you can learn more about transforming your passion into a fulfilling career as a breathwork facilitator through the world’s first research-backed teacher training.
Whatever stage of your breathwork journey you’re on, you’re in the right place with us 😊