Hello, I’m Erin Kay.

In 2007, I began a mindful breathing and meditation practice in response to a TMJ disorder that left me with debilitating jaw pain and partial hearing loss—symptoms that were deeply rooted in stress. What started as a personal attempt to heal physical discomfort quickly became a path of transformation. That path has led me to dedicate my life’s work to understanding the nervous system, practicing mindfulness, and exploring a wide range of breathwork modalities that support emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being.

But before I found breath, I spent over two decades searching for ways to escape myself.

From a young age, I battled anxiety, depression, and self-destructive behaviors. I longed to feel different—to be different—and I tried everything: self-help books, therapy, dieting, meditation, extreme exercise. While each offered temporary relief, none reached the root of my suffering. I kept cycling through pain, stuck in unconscious patterns, unable to access or express what I was truly feeling.

Childhood trauma taught me that it was dangerous to feel, let alone speak. I was shamed for my emotions. In the silence, I learned to numb—to drink my feelings, just like those around me. I became a master of shutting down: no one came in, nothing got out. It was safe that way.

Then, in 2012, I hit rock bottom.

That collapse became my awakening.

Through the principles of recovery, I began to peel back layers of anger, sadness, and fear. I came face-to-face with the painful truth: I wasn’t just reacting to the world—I was recreating my own suffering. I was the one holding the walls in place. And it was time to tear them down.

The Journey of Awakening

After years of searching outside myself, I turned inward and asked the question that changed everything: What’s happening underneath?

In the fall of 2013, I enrolled in the Awakenings program at Inspiration Consciousness School. It was there I began to feel—truly feel—without fear. I learned to experience emotion without shame, to sense my body without guilt, and to connect with parts of myself I had long buried. My guiding intention was simple but profound: to find self-love.

Through conscious breathwork and emotional excavation, I met the shadows I once ran from. I uncovered trauma stored deep in my nervous system, explored self-sabotaging patterns, and confronted the mental stories that kept me small. Breath by breath, I began to rise.

This journey wasn’t easy—it was a sacred reckoning. A 72-hour solo vision quest became the turning point. It was raw, uncomfortable, and transformative: a blur of tears, surrender, ego dissolution, and a thousand whispered prayers. And in that liminal space between breakdown and breakthrough, a vision emerged.

A Breath of Wellness was born.

At first, it was just a whisper—an idea scribbled on a napkin, a quiet website built on hope. Then, in 2015, after losing my corporate job, I took the leap. I turned my pain into purpose and began sharing the gift of breathwork and integrative coaching with others—people like me who were ready to come home to themselves.

What I discovered wasn’t just a method for healing—it was a movement. A path. A breath at a time.

Education and Experience

For 11 years, I built a career in corporate human resources—navigating policies, people, and performance. In 2015, that chapter came to a sudden close when I was fired. Yes, fired—and it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me.

For years, I had ignored my intuition and stayed in an unhealthy work environment that mirrored old patterns of self-abandonment. Losing that job didn’t break me—it freed me. That summer became the gateway to a new way of living, leading, and serving.

Even in my final five years in HR, my role had already begun to shift. I was coaching employees and executives on emotional wellness, happiness at work, and how to achieve balance without burning out. It was clear my true calling wasn’t in enforcing policy—it was in supporting people.

In 2014, I enrolled in the Master of Arts in Health & Wellness Coaching program at the Maryland University of Integrative Health, graduating in April 2017. This gave me the language, tools, and credibility to support others more deeply.

My path then led me into the transformative world of breathwork and embodied healing:

  • April 2018: Completed a 22-day immersive training at Baja BioSana and became a Certified Breath Therapist through Breath Mastery.

  • November 2018: After five years of deep personal work and a two-year apprenticeship, became a Certified Psycho-Spiritual Facilitator (Integrative Breathwork Practitioner) through Inspiration Consciousness School.

Both certifications are accredited by the Global Professional Breathwork Alliance and the International Breathwork Foundation.

My learning never stops. I’ve spent over a decade in mindfulness and meditation practice, more than five years in monthly Integrative Breathwork sessions, and countless hours refining my skills through continuing education.

In 2020, I expanded my work to the mat, completing my RYT-200 Yoga Teacher Training with True Moon Yoga—uniting breath, body, and spirit into one integrative path.

Today, my work blends science, soul, and somatics—helping people release old patterns, connect with their inner wisdom, and create lives rooted in presence, purpose, and vitality.

The Art of Lifestyle Architecture

My work is the integration of science, soul, and somatics—what I call Lifestyle Architecture. It’s about intentionally designing the way you live, lead, and show up in the world so that your daily life aligns with your deepest values and long-term vision.

I draw from:

  • Corporate Leadership & HR Expertise: 11 years navigating organizational systems, team dynamics, and high-stakes decision-making.

  • Academic Credentials: Master of Arts in Health & Wellness Coaching (MUIH) with a focus on behavioral change, emotional intelligence, and sustainable habit formation.

  • Specialized Healing Arts Training: Certifications in Breath Therapy, Integrative Breathwork, and Yoga, each rooted in trauma-informed and embodiment practices.

  • Personal Healing Journey: Over a decade of dedicated mindfulness, meditation, and integrative practices that inform my empathy and real-world understanding.

This unique combination allows me to guide people through nervous system regulation, emotional mastery, and the practical steps of building a life they don’t need a vacation from—one that is both functional and deeply fulfilling.

Ready to create a life you don’t need to escape from?
Let’s connect and start building your personalized Lifestyle Architecture plan—rooted in breath, movement, and mindset.