Case Study: Emotional Release Through Breathwork + NLP — Transformations From Participants in Kolkata & Los Angeles

Why This Case Study Matters

This is a breathwork case study combined with an NLP case study emotional release. It showcases how breath-led emotional healing and NLP emotional breakthrough processes worked together for participants from two very different cities – Kolkata (India) and Los Angeles (USA).

On paper, their lives looked different. One was a working professional from Kolkata, juggling family and career. The other, a creative professional from Los Angeles, dealing with long-term anxiety and burnout. Yet both discovered something similar: when breathwork trauma release and NLP timeline emotional release were integrated, their emotional landscape changed.

Participant 1 – Kolkata: From Suppressed Grief to Breath-Led Emotional Healing

Our first participant from Kolkata came into the breathwork workshop already familiar with basic emotional intelligence concepts. They had read pages like What Is Emotional Intelligence? and understood triggers from Emotional Triggers. Yet, there was unresolved grief sitting heavy in the chest.

When we started the somatic breathwork case study protocol in the group setting, they reported:

  • A familiar pattern of chest tightness whenever they thought about a past loss.
  • Years of “keeping it together” for the family – classic suppressed emotions and emotional repression.
  • Multiple rounds of talking, but no real emotional release.

Breathwork + Somatic Release Phase

In the first session of this breathwork transformation story, we used:

  • Breath-led emotional healing – guided, connected breathing patterns designed for breathwork trauma release.
  • Somatic awareness – tracking sensations in the chest, throat and jaw as the breath deepened.
  • Gentle somatic shaking and micro-movements as the body began to discharge stored survival energy.

About 20–25 minutes into the breath, they moved into a deep emotional release – shaking, tears and a sense of “something heavy leaving the body”. This is a textbook example of somatic breathwork case study work in action.

NLP Integration Phase

We did not stop at catharsis. After the body had released enough, we moved into an NLP emotional breakthrough process:

  • NLP timeline emotional release – revisiting key memories, not to relive pain but to reframe meaning.
  • Belief change NLP – shifting from “I should have done more” to “I did the best I could with what I knew”.
  • Identity work NLP – anchoring a new sense of self as someone who honours grief and chooses life.

This combination of breathwork trauma release + NLP timeline emotional release led to a noticeable shift in posture, voice and facial expression. In follow-up, they reported improved sleep, lighter energy and more authentic expression with family.

Participant 2 – Los Angeles: From Anxiety Loops to Nervous System Reset

Our second participant, from Los Angeles, had done years of therapy and mindset work. They knew how to question thoughts and understood the logic. Yet, their body still went into anxiety loops – racing heart, shallow breath and shaking before key meetings.

They joined after reading how somatic work complements EI in pages like The Somatic EI Deep-Dive and wanted a more embodied emotional intelligence experience.

Breathwork Workshop Results – Los Angeles

In this part of the NLP breathwork workshop, we used:

  • Breath-led nervous system reset – rhythmic breathing patterns for grounding.
  • Gentle somatic grounding practices – pressing feet into the floor, feeling support.
  • Awareness of body-based signals before anxiety spikes.

As the breath deepened, they reported a sense of “dropping back into the body” – less in the head, more in the present. This is a key marker in breath-led emotional healing and nervous system mapping.

NLP Emotional Breakthrough – Identity Layer

Once the body had shifted, we layered in NLP emotional breakthrough work using:

  • NLP reframing – redefining what high-stakes situations meant.
  • Identity-level change – moving from “I am an anxious person” to “I am someone who can stabilise myself and perform.”
  • Anchor creation – linking a grounded physical gesture with a calm, confident state.

This is an example of NLP somatic integration results – mindset tools becoming far more effective once the nervous system is regulated.

What Both Participants Had in Common

Despite cultural and geographical differences between Kolkata and Los Angeles, both case studies show similar patterns:

  • Talking alone had reached its limit. They needed breath-led emotional healing and somatic emotional release.
  • Once the body released, NLP emotional breakthrough tools became faster and more permanent.
  • They both experienced emotional clarity gains, more honest communication and reduced reactivity.

This is why I often say: for EI transformation India and global emotional intelligence transformations, the deeper work lies in integrating body, breath and mind.

Where This Fits in the Larger Emotional Intelligence Ecosystem

These are not one-off techniques. They sit inside a carefully designed emotional intelligence ecosystem that includes:

This breathwork + NLP case study is simply one doorway into a larger system that you can explore through The Integrated Guide to NLP, ICF Coaching & Emotional Intelligence.

Role of Emotional Fitness Gym® & Jenga EI Model

The methods used in this case study are also part of the Emotional Fitness Gym® methodology. In that ecosystem:

  • You don’t rely on one big workshop; you train emotions like muscles, week after week.
  • You engage in emotional fitness case studies of your own life – noticing patterns, practising tools, getting feedback.
  • You experience breakthroughs using Jenga EI model where emotional patterns become as visible as a stack of blocks.

These formats are explained in more detail inside the solutions pages on EI training formats and Jenga EI:

Programs Where Breathwork + NLP Are Used Systematically

If this breathwork transformation story resonates with you, and you’re wondering where you can experience similar participant breakthroughs India and internationally, explore:

About the Facilitator – Why This Work Is Different

These results come from a practitioner who doesn’t see breathwork, NLP, coaching and emotional intelligence as random tools, but as parts of a single, integrated system. I am Anil Dagia – NLP Master Trainer, ICF PCC Coach, creator of Emotional Fitness Gym® and the Jenga EI model.

Many participants describe me as a top emotional intelligence trainer India and a best breathwork coach India not because of marketing labels, but because of transformational coaching evidence that shows up in real people’s lives across Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune and global cities like Los Angeles, New York, London, Singapore.

To know more about my background and approach, you can explore:

Your Next Step

If you see yourself in any part of this case study emotional breakthroughs Kolkata Los Angeles, your next step is simple:

  • Acknowledge that you may now need more than “just talking” or “just thinking differently”.
  • Recognise that breath-led emotional healing and NLP somatic integration can open doors that mindset alone could not.
  • Choose one program or path from above and commit to experiencing this work directly.

Whether you are in Kolkata, Los Angeles, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad, London, New York, Singapore, Dubai, Sydney, Melbourne or any other city, the combination of breathwork + NLP can help you move from “I know what my issue is” to “I can finally feel and live differently.”

Frequently Asked Questions – Case Study: Emotional Release Through Breathwork + NLP

How did breathwork help participants from Kolkata and Los Angeles release emotions?

Participants from Kolkata and Los Angeles experienced deep emotional release because breathwork activates the nervous system’s natural mechanisms for processing stored tension, grief and anxiety. Breath-led emotional healing bypasses overthinking and allows the body to discharge patterns through shaking, tears and relaxation.

Why was NLP added after breathwork in this case study?

After breathwork reduced emotional pressure in the body, NLP processes like reframing, timeline work and identity-level change became more effective. This combination helped participants from Kolkata and Los Angeles internalise new beliefs, strengthen confidence and integrate emotional shifts more permanently.

Can breathwork and NLP help with anxiety, grief or emotional numbness?

Yes. Breathwork supports the nervous system in releasing stored tension, while NLP helps reframe emotional memories and shift identity-level patterns. Participants from Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and global cities like Los Angeles, New York and Singapore report relief from anxiety loops, grief suppression and emotional numbness using this combination.

Is this method effective across different cultures and cities?

These case studies show that breathwork + NLP works across cultural backgrounds and cities. Whether someone is from Kolkata, Los Angeles, Mumbai, Delhi, London, New York, Singapore or Dubai, the nervous system responds similarly to breath, safety and somatic release, making this work universally applicable.

Where can I experience similar breathwork + NLP emotional release programs?

You can experience these methods in the Somatic Emotional Mastery Program, Emotional Fitness Gym® Deep-Dive and Jenga + NLP + Somatic Emotional Intelligence programs, accessible to participants across India—including Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune—and global hubs such as Los Angeles, New York, London, Singapore and Dubai.

Meet Anil Dagia



I am a well-recognized ICF credentialed coach (PCC), a strategic consultant and a trainer with long list of clients, and protégés who freely credit me for their upward growth in career and in life. As an established NLP Trainer. I am also an ICF credentialed mentor coach.

Pathbreaking Leadership



I achieved global recognition when I got my NLP Practitioner/Master Practitioner Accredited by ICF in 2014. Many global leaders in the world of NLP recognized and acknowledged this as an unprecedented accomplishment not just for myself but for the world of NLP. Subsequently, this created a huge wave of followers around the globe, replicating the phenomenon. I have conducted trainings around the globe having trained/coached over 50,000 people across 26 nationalities.

Unconventional, No Box Thinker



I have been given the title of Unconventional, No Box Thinker and I am probably one of the most innovative NLP trainer. Over the course of my journey I have incorporated the best practices from coaching, behavioral economics, psycho-linguistics, philosophy, mainstream psychology, neuroscience & even from the ancient field of Tantra along with many more advanced methodologies & fields of study. You will find that my workshops & coaching will always include principles and meditation techniques from the field of Tantra leading to profound transformations.

Highly Acclaimed



- Interview published on Front Page in Times of India - Pune Times dated 18-Oct-2013, India's most widely read English newspaper with an average issue readership of 76.5 lakh (7.65 million) !!
- Interview published 27-Sep-2013 & a 2nd Interview published 10-Jul-2014 in Mid-Day, the most popular daily for the Young Urban Mobile Professionals across India
- Interview aired on Radio One 94.3 FM on 27-Nov-2013, the most popular FM radio station across India