Breaking Down the Power of Yoga Nidra and Breathwork for Our Rest and Wellness Benefits with Kellie Blinco
If you’re a tired parent who feels like you’re running on fumes, this one’s for you. In a recent episode of Thriving Parenting, host Jen sat down with Kellie Blinco—a trauma-informed facilitator and founder of Feather & Sage Bloom in Joondalup, WA to break down two surprisingly accessible practices that help restore energy and calm: Yoga Nidra (non-sleep deep rest) and breathwork.
Below, you’ll find the distilled wisdom from their conversation—what these practices are, how they work, why they’re so effective for time-poor parents, and gentle ways to get started safely.
Kellie’s path: from dysregulation to breath-led healing
Like many practitioners, Kellie came to this work through necessity. After moving from Queensland to Perth and leaving behind a thriving photography business, she felt unmoored—living at a constant “five out of ten,” never deeply happy or deeply sad. That dull hum of nervous system dysregulation nudged her into study, where a lecture on addiction unexpectedly introduced her to ayahuasca and plant-medicine healing.
While the Amazon experience was both “the best and worst” of her life, the real shift came afterwards: integrating the insights back home through breathwork, a legal and accessible path to similarly profound internal work. Unable to find the approach she needed locally, Kellie trained in methods that balanced depth with safety, consent, and body-led pacing. Today she supports parents and everyday humans to regulate, release, and reset—gently.
What is Yoga Nidra (and why it feels like 3–4 hours of sleep)
Yoga Nidra is a guided, lying-down meditation in Shavasana (corpse pose) where you remain still and follow an instructor’s voice through seven structured stages (preparation and relaxation, resolve/intention, rotation of consciousness, breath awareness, opposites, visualisation, and return).
The big magic? Nidra guides you into theta brainwave activity—the liminal space between waking and sleeping often referred to as non-sleep deep rest (NSDR). In this state, you experience intense mental recovery without needing to cycle through all the depths of night sleep. That’s why 21–30 minutes of Nidra can feel like 3–4 hours of restorative rest.
What you may notice after a session:
A full-system “reset”—less mental chatter, clearer focus, softer reactivity
Increased energy and brightness, like your inner lens has been polished
For some, easier sleep that night thanks to a quieter mind
“You can’t ‘fail’ Yoga Nidra. If you drift off, that’s okay. Come back next time and keep building your stillness muscle.”
Parent-friendly tip: If a studio visit feels impossible, try a recorded Nidra at home. Aim for 21 minutes. Lie completely still, get cosy, and let the voice carry you.
Breathwork 101: from gentle regulation to deep release
“Breathwork” simply means consciously influencing your breath. That umbrella includes everything from slow belly breathing and box breathing to conscious connected breathwork—a deeper practice used to access the subconscious and complete unfinished stress cycles stored in the body.
Gentle diaphragmatic breathing (the best starting point)
Slow, nurturing, and highly accessible
Retrains the body to feel safe with deeper breathing (many of us chest-breathe, hold our breath, or stay very shallow to avoid feeling emotions)
Builds tolerance for stillness and internal sensation—vital before deeper work
Try this micro-reset (2 minutes):
One hand on chest, one on belly.
Inhale through the nose for 4, feel the belly rise.
Exhale through the nose for 6.
Repeat x10 cycles. Notice your shoulders and jaw soften.
Conscious Connected Breathwork (the deep dive)
This specific pattern (often without pauses between inhale and exhale) intentionally shifts oxygen/carbon dioxide balance to access altered or expanded states of consciousness, activating the limbic system. In a safe container, people can meet and move through stored emotions—anger, grief, shame, fear—but also joy, pleasure, aliveness.
Releases may look different for everyone: quiet tears, shaking, heat/cold waves, spontaneous movement, or (as Jen discovered) discovering and using your voice—sometimes literally—when old patterns said “stay small.” The goal isn’t to perform but to allow what arises and complete the body’s stress cycles.
“You don’t have to intellectualise everything. Your body can release without a perfect story or explanation.”
Safety first: set, setting, and a consent-led approach
Breath can open powerful doors, which is why facilitator safety matters. Kellie’s sessions are trauma-informed and body-intelligent:
No pushing or forcing through body resistance
Clear options to slow down at any moment
Strong emphasis on trust, consent, and pacing
Post-session check-ins and referrals if deeper support is needed
Mental vs body resistance:
Mental resistance (the “monkey mind” saying “run!”) usually eases as you keep breathing and stay within safety.
Body resistance (pain, panic, overwhelm) is a signal to slow or stop. Your body leads.
Why parents love these practices
Time-efficient rest: 21–30 minutes of Yoga Nidra delivers deep mental recovery when naps aren’t possible.
Regulation on the go: Gentle breathwork settles spikes of stress, overwhelm, or decision paralysis (hello, school drop-off chaos and 87-item to-do lists).
Change at the root: Conscious connected breathwork helps shift the patterns behind people-pleasing, over-productivity, shutdowns, and reactive parenting.
Family ripple: Your nervous system sets the tone. When you regulate, your kids learn regulation by co-regulating with you.
“The attempt to escape from pain is what causes more pain.” — Dr Gabor Maté (shared by Kellie)
Common concerns (and compassionate answers)
“What if I fall asleep during Nidra?”
That’s okay. You’ll still get rest. With practice, you’ll stay in that delicious liminal state longer.
“I can’t sit still—stillness feels unsafe.”
Start smaller. Try gentle belly breathing first. Even 2 minutes counts. You’re building safety, not proving endurance.
“Breathwork sounds intense… what if I’m not ready?”
Begin with gentle breathwork or Yoga Nidra. When you’re ready, a consent-led facilitator can support you in a deeper journey—at your pace.
“Do I need Big-T trauma for this to help?”
No. Many parents arrive because they’re sick of repeating patterns—overthinking, scrolling, shopping, numbing, snapping. Breath meets you where you are.
How to start (choose your doorway)
Yoga Nidra (NSDR) – 21 minutes
Lie down, get warm, and follow a guided recording.
Great for immediate mental reset and clearer focus.
Gentle diaphragmatic breath – 10 minutes
Practice daily to rebuild safety with sensation and breath.
Ideal first step if stillness triggers anxiety.
Conscious Connected Breathwork – 60–90 minutes (with a facilitator)
For when you feel ready to explore and release deeper patterns.
Choose a trauma-informed practitioner who offers clear options and aftercare.
Host reflection: what changed in the room
Jen shares a powerful moment from her own session: the urge to run (“this is too much”) gave way to a deeper truth—using her voice after years of staying small. The release was physical and emotional—shaking, heat, sound—and then came clarity and energy. Different clients express different releases, from quiet crying to laughter to simple stillness. The rule is simple: everything human is welcome.
The bigger picture: finishing stress cycles
Modern life often teaches us to avoid feeling. We chest-breathe, hold our breath, scroll, snack, purchase—anything to sidestep discomfort. Over time those incomplete stress responses lodge in the body. Talk therapy has a place, but when insights aren’t shifting patterns, somatic practices—like Nidra and breathwork—help you complete the cycle and move the energy through.
Quick reference: benefits at a glance
Yoga Nidra (21–30 mins): deep mental rest, clarity, energy, reduced rumination
Gentle breathwork (daily): increased safety with sensation, calm switching, softer reactivity
Conscious connected sessions (as needed): pattern change, emotional completion, authenticity, vitality
Healing is rarely tidy. It can be tender, wobbly, and sometimes loud. But with Yoga Nidra and breathwork, you don’t have to “hold it all together” alone, and you don’t need hours you don’t have. Start with 21 minutes. Start with two minutes. Start where you are. Your nervous system—and your family—will feel the difference.
