PAUSE Breathwork Facilitator Training Review (2026)
PAUSE Breathwork facilitator training review. Cost, the six-month curriculum, conscious connected breathing, and how it compares to SOMA and Holotropic.
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PAUSE Breathwork runs a six-month online facilitator training. Founded by Samantha Skelly after she discovered breathwork in Bali, it has trained around 1,000 facilitators across 27 countries.
The technique itself is conscious connected breathing: you breathe in a continuous loop without pausing. It has been around for decades under different names, from Rebirthing to parts of Holotropic and various pranayama practices. PAUSE wraps it in modern wellness language and trauma-informed framing. It is a real training, but not as clinical as the marketing makes it sound.
Pros and Cons
What works well
- Trauma-Aware Framing - Covers nervous system basics and safety considerations
- Accessible Format - Online program that works around a day job
- Community - Active student group and regular mentorship calls
What doesn't
- Heavy Personal Branding - The founder's lifestyle dominates the marketing
- Pricey for What It Is - $4,000-6,000 for conscious connected breathing
- Looser Structure - Less systematic than SOMA or Oxygen Advantage
The Methodology
PAUSE teaches conscious connected breathing. You breathe continuously without pausing between inhale and exhale. The technique can bring on altered states, emotional release, tingling, sometimes intense catharsis. Done well, it helps. Done poorly, it can leave people destabilized.
The training covers polyvagal theory, nervous system regulation, and trauma-informed facilitation over six months. Based on the curriculum and graduate feedback, PAUSE provides solid foundational knowledge for holding space safely: screening participants, recognizing distress, knowing when to slow down. It’s more comprehensive than weekend certifications but less rigorous than programs like Holotropic (which requires years of supervised practice) or clinical breathwork trainings designed for licensed therapists.
PAUSE Breathwork Cost
The PAUSE Breathwork Facilitator Training does not show a price on its page; you get one on a call with the sales team. The figures we have seen are $4,000-$6,000, depending on when you sign up and the payment plan, and higher quotes have been reported. Either way, that is on the higher end for breathwork.
The training includes:
- 6 months online
- Pre-recorded modules, self-paced
- Weekly live calls with Samantha Skelly and her trainers
- Practice sessions with feedback
- Certification at the end
Expect these extra costs:
- Books and materials: $100-200
- Liability insurance: about $150-$170/year in the US (see our insurance guide)
- Optional mentorship after you’re certified
In the first year, expect to spend roughly $4,250 to $6,400 in total, plus any optional mentorship.
SOMA starts at $497 ($4,497 for its full Instructor Certification) with clearer protocols. Holotropic takes years but produces facilitators with real therapeutic chops.
The Brand Reality
PAUSE is built around founder Samantha Skelly’s personal story. Her background as a dancer and stunt performer, her struggles with anxiety and disordered eating, her transformation through breathwork in Bali: this narrative shapes the entire brand, from marketing to curriculum.
The business training emphasizes personal branding and online presence, which works well for coaches and practitioners building their own following. The community skews toward wellness entrepreneurs rather than clinical practitioners.
The curriculum covers:
- Substantial breathwork technique instruction
- Nervous system education and trauma-awareness modules
- Business development focused on personal brand building
- Community support and mentorship calls
If you’re already building a coaching or wellness practice and want to add breathwork as a modality, this approach makes sense. If you’re starting from zero or want clinical credentials, the business-heavy curriculum may feel misaligned.
Safety and Training
PAUSE covers the basics:
- Screening - Checking for heart issues, pregnancy, psychosis
- Reading the room - When to slow down or ground someone
- Trauma responses - Basic freeze/fight/flight awareness
- Boundaries - Consent and ethical practice
Trainers come from coaching, therapy, and wellness backgrounds. The program uses a cohort model with live mentorship calls, so your experience depends partly on your specific cohort’s facilitators and group dynamics.
Remember that “trauma-informed” in wellness usually means awareness of trauma, not the ability to treat it. PAUSE graduates aren’t therapists and shouldn’t position themselves as such.
Who This Is For
- Coaches and wellness practitioners - You want to add breathwork to what you already do.
- Personal-brand builders - The founder's style and marketing approach appeal to you.
- Online business owners - You are comfortable selling through social media and a personal brand.
Who Should Pass
- Clinicians - For real therapeutic training, look at Holotropic or Integrative Breath
- People who want clear protocols - SOMA has more structure.
- Cost-conscious learners - There are cheaper paths to certification; see our cheapest certifications guide.
PAUSE Breathwork FAQ
Did PAUSE Breathwork appear on Shark Tank?
Yes. Samantha Skelly pitched PAUSE Breathwork on Shark Tank Global in a segment that aired in 2026, seeking $350,000 for 5% of the company. The televised pitch is worth reading as marketing in its own right, because the founder and her story are the product’s main selling point on Shark Tank exactly as they are everywhere else PAUSE shows up.
Is PAUSE Breathwork a scam?
No. The question comes up because the marketing leans so heavily on Skelly’s lifestyle and income that it can read as selling a dream rather than a curriculum. The training itself is real, though: a six-month education in conscious connected breathing with genuine trauma-aware content and live mentorship. The fair criticism is the price, not the legitimacy. You are paying $4,000 to $6,000 or more for a technique you can learn more cheaply elsewhere, wrapped in a strong personal brand.
Be careful with the income claims. The training page says that over 70% of graduates recoup the program cost within 90 days, using the business blueprint its “top facilitators use to create $10K+ months.” PAUSE does not say how that figure was measured or who was counted, so treat it as a sales claim, not a typical result. Our facilitator salary guide has more realistic numbers.
How big is PAUSE Breathwork?
By the company’s own account it is an eight-figure business that has trained around 1,000 facilitators across 27 countries. Treat the founder-wealth and revenue figures with the usual caution, since they come from the brand’s own marketing, but PAUSE is a substantial, established company rather than a fly-by-night operation.
Is PAUSE Breathwork Worth It?
PAUSE delivers a legitimate six-month education in conscious connected breathing, a technique with genuine therapeutic potential when facilitated properly. The training covers trauma awareness, nervous system basics, and business development. Graduates leave with real skills for holding breathwork sessions.
The core question is value for money. At $4,000-6,000, you’re paying about what SOMA charges for its Instructor Certification ($4,497, with clearer protocols) while getting less clinical depth than programs like Holotropic or Integrative Breath. The premium buys you Samantha Skelly’s brand ecosystem and business-building framework.
Bottom line: A solid choice for wellness coaches who want to add breathwork to their existing practice and resonate with PAUSE’s personal branding approach. Not the right fit for those seeking clinical rigor, standardized protocols, or the most cost-effective path to certification.
If it sounds like a fit, you can learn more on the PAUSE facilitator training page.
PAUSE runs entirely online, so it is worth comparing against the other online breathwork trainings before you commit.
Still deciding? Take our 2-minute quiz to find the certification that fits your goals and budget.