David Elliott Breathwork Healer Training Review (2026)
David Elliott's Healer Training reviewed: five levels in a 9-day, 64-hour retreat, what it costs at Omega and Spirit Camp, and who it suits.
David Elliott is a healer and breathwork teacher with more than 30 years of experience in energy healing, and the author of The Reluctant Healer and Healing. His method is a two-stage pranayama breath practiced as a meditation: in his group sessions, about 40 minutes of active breathing followed by rest. He combines it with energy work and what he describes as intuitive guidance. His Healer Training teaches all five levels of his work in a single 9-day retreat and ends with a certificate.
There are two places to take it: the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York, and Spirit Camp, a retreat center in the redwoods near Mendocino, California. Elliott teaches both himself.
Where we land: as a nine-day immersion in your own healing with a teacher who has done this work for decades, it is well suited. As a professional certification, it is thin. Sixty-four hours, mostly experiential, with no supervised practice afterwards, is a short preparation for guiding other people through emotional release.
How the Training Works
The nine days run through five levels in sequence:
- Level 1: the two-stage breath, intuition exercises with partners, self-love as the base of the work, and ethics.
- Level 2: self-worth, money, and receiving: valuing your work and setting boundaries.
- Level 3: group facilitation. Elliott leads group sessions each day and shows how he runs them, and you practice leading with feedback.
- Level 4: advanced techniques, altars and ritual tools, and handling complex situations with clients and groups.
- Level 5: how emotion and trauma are held in the body, and methods for emotional release.
Each day includes morning and afternoon breathwork sessions, so a large part of the time is your own process. Omega recommends reading three of Elliott’s books beforehand: The Reluctant Healer, Healing, and Men’s Work: Breathwork & Brotherhood. You receive a certificate at the end, with no practicum or supervised sessions required afterwards.
David Elliott Healer Training Cost
| Venue | Dates | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, NY | August 6 to 15, 2027 | $2,295 (Omega members) or $2,395 tuition, plus on-campus housing and meals |
| Spirit Camp, Mendocino, CA | June 11 to 19, 2027 | $3,200 (commuter) to $4,700 (private cabin), including meals |
Omega prices are from its 2027 listing. Spirit Camp’s range is from its 2026 booking page, and the 2027 page lists the same starting price of $3,200. At Spirit Camp, a $1,500 deposit holds your place and is non-refundable, with the balance due 90 days before the start. Spirit Camp caps the group at 35.
At either venue, $2,300 to $4,700 for 64 hours with an experienced teacher, including meals at Spirit Camp, is a reasonable price for a retreat. It is cheaper than most full facilitator trainings because it is much shorter.
Accreditation and Evidence
Spirit Camp’s page calls it an “official certification recognized throughout the breathwork community.” We found no outside accreditation. The certificate is issued by Elliott, and we found no GPBA or other third-party recognition. Our accreditation guide explains what recognized standards look like.
There is no published research on Elliott’s method. Like other active breathing methods, it rests on general research about breathing and the nervous system rather than studies of the method itself (see our research by method guide). The intuitive and energy-healing parts of the work are spiritual practices, and the training presents them that way.
Things to Know
It is a personal retreat first. The venues describe it as a healing journey as much as a training, and the testimonials on their pages mostly describe the personal experience. If that is what you want, the format is a strength.
Nine days is short for this kind of work. The training covers group facilitation and trauma release, but Level 5 is one part of nine days. Plan to keep practicing under supervision, or with a longer training, before you lead emotional-release sessions for paying clients.
Groups can be large. With up to 35 people and one lead teacher, there is limited one-to-one feedback on your facilitation.
Pros and Cons
What works well
- Taught by Elliott himself - More than 30 years of experience, at both venues.
- All five levels at once - The complete program in nine days at a single price.
- Published prices - Clear tuition and lodging options at both venues.
- Deep personal process - Daily sessions in a retreat setting.
What doesn't
- Short for a certification - 64 hours, with no practicum or supervised sessions afterwards.
- No outside accreditation - The certificate is Elliott's own.
- Large groups - Up to 35 participants at Spirit Camp.
- Non-refundable deposit - $1,500 at Spirit Camp.
David Elliott Market Comparisons
David Elliott vs. Breath Mastery
Breath Mastery is Dan Brulé’s year-long practitioner certification at $7,560, with online study, an in-person week, and 25 client sessions. Choose David Elliott for a shorter, cheaper, retreat-based start. Choose Breath Mastery for a certification with documented client practice.
David Elliott vs. Shamanic Breathwork
Shamanic Breathwork trains facilitators over two 14-day trainings for about $5,000 to $7,800 plus travel, within a ceremonial framework. Both put spiritual practice at the center. Choose Shamanic Breathwork for more in-person training time. Choose David Elliott for a single nine-day retreat with a well-known teacher.
David Elliott vs. Liquid Breathwork
Liquid Breathwork certifies facilitators in three days in person, or twelve weeks online, for $1,497 to $2,497, in groups of six to fifteen. Choose Liquid Breathwork for very small groups and a gentle, breather-led method. Choose David Elliott for a longer retreat and a more spiritual approach.
Who This Is For
- Spiritual seekers - You want a deep personal process with an experienced teacher.
- Readers of Elliott's books - You already work with his approach and want the full training.
- Practitioners adding a tool - Healers, yoga teachers, and bodyworkers with existing client experience.
Who Should Pass
- Future full-time facilitators - Look at longer trainings with supervised practice in our best certifications guide.
- Evidence-first practitioners - Energy healing and intuition are central here.
- People who need accreditation - The certificate has no outside recognition.
David Elliott Verdict
David Elliott’s Healer Training is a nine-day immersion with a teacher who has worked with breath and energy healing for three decades. For your own healing, or to add his method to an existing practice, it offers a lot for the price.
As a certification to start a breathwork career, it falls short. Sixty-four hours with no supervised practice afterwards is not enough on its own to guide strangers through emotional release safely, and the certificate carries no outside recognition.
Bottom line: A strong personal retreat and a good first step. If you plan to work with clients, combine it with supervised practice or a longer training.
For more spiritual training options, see our spiritual breathwork training guide, or take our 2-minute quiz to find the certification that fits your goals and budget.