ABOUT the BBEA
Welcome To The Buteyko Breathing Educators
Association.
The Buteyko Breathing Educators Association presents a "High
Standard" of Buteyko Educators
in North America and Worldwide. The Buteyko Breathing Educators
Association vision is to make Buteyko a pillar of good health,
accessible to all and integrated into an overall system of
wellness. BBEA aims to increase awareness of Buteyko and its
benefits by education, stringent standards of training and medical
trials to confirm its effectiveness.
What Is BBEA?
The BBEA is a group of Buteyko Educators committed to formally creating a professional association to support Buteyko Breathing. The members of
BBEA are required to comply with rigorous teaching and
certification standards as well as commit to on-going professional
development. This will ensure that anyone who seeks help from a
BBEA certified Educator receives the safest, highest quality
service and results possible.
Who Can Be A BBEA Educator?
To become a BBEA educator you will be required to undergo training
in the Buteyko Breathing Method from a certified BBEA Buteyko
Trainer. Health professionals and natural therapists are
particularly suited to this technique as well as those with a
medical background. Those without these qualifications will need to
do some prerequisite learning before the training.
The BBEA is currently taking expressions of interests
from certified Buteyko educators who have previously been trained
by a recognized body such as Buteyko Institute of Breathing and
Health or Moscow Clinic. Please contact us for further
information.
WHO WE ARE AND OUR HISTORY
The Buteyko Breathing Educators Association consists of about fifty dedicated and fully trained Buteyko Educators in the United
States, Canada and Mexico who provide courses, support and
education for people learning the Buteyko Breathing Method. We come
from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. Many of us have
had our own health and lives transformed by this powerful tool for
healing. Here is our story.
Buteyko Origins In United States & Canada
Buteyko was first brought from Russia to the western world by
Russian practitioner Alexander Stalmatski. Stalmatski arrived to
Sydney, Australia in 1990 and began teaching friends the Buteyko
Breathing Method from his small apartment.
Dr Buteyko and Alexander kept closely in touch with each other
during the early dissemination of the Buteyko method. In addition
to working in Sydney, Stalmatski made a number of trips to the UK
and USA in the early 1990’s to train groups of patients and
educators. Stalmatski also wrote the first books on the Buteyko
Method in the western world including “Freedom from Asthma” and
“Freedom from Insomnia".
Buteyko Pioneers in North America
The initial Buteyko Pioneers in North America were Susan Neves, Bud
Weiss, Liv Browning and Chris Bauman.
Susan Neves. She first began teaching the Buteyko Breathing
Method in 1998 after she trained as a educator with Russell and Jennifer Stark
through the Buteyko Institute of Breathing and Health (BIBH) an
organization based in Australia and recognized by Dr Konstantin
Buteyko, himself. In 2000, Susan underwent further training with Dr
Buteyko. She now teaches classes in the United States and is based
in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Liv Browning. Liv had had severe asthma most of her life. In 1998 while she was in France she heard about Buteyko and that Alexander Stalmatski was teaching in London. She signed up for the course and in 1999 traveled to New Zealand to become an Educator. In 2003, she organized the first BIBH training in North America. With Jennifer Stark teaching and Liv and Susan Neves assisting, 6 new trainees entered the world of Buteyko Educators. Liv also made the first US produced DIY home education kit in 2005. Liv is currently living the life she loves, asthma free, in Seattle.
Bud Weiss. His first exposure to the method and training was
in 1995 in New York City with Alexander Stalmatski and his protege,
Christopher Drake. In 1998-1999, Bud assisted them in the
organization of Buteyko workshops for the public and the training
of Buteyko Educators at the Fairview Hospital in Great Barrington
Massachusetts. During this time, he assisted with the first
workshop sponsored by Teresa Hale (director of the Hale Clinic in
London, England). Bud did more training with Jennifer and Russell
Stark in 2007 and in 2008, sponsored and organized the first very
successful BIBH educator training in New York City. After working
on the school board for over 25 years, Bud continues to work with
children and parents, teachers and clinicians, now educating them
on Buteyko and healthy breathing. He is regularly featured on local
New York City radio shows.
Christine Bauman.She learned Buteyko for severe asthma and
allergies with Alexander Stalmatski in 1999 in London England. In
2000, she traveled to New Zealand to study with Jennifer and
Russell Stark and became the first Canadian Buteyko Educator. There
are now 14 educators throughout Canada. Until recently she was the only Educator Trainer in North America. She was also a clinician for the
only North American clinical study to date, at the Foothills
Hospital in Calgary Alberta in 2004.
First Clinical Trials Of Buteyko In North America
In 2000, the son of a wealthy Alberta family traveled to New York
to learn the Buteyko Method for severe asthma. The results were so
spectacular that his parents approached the University of Calgary
about funding a major research project on Buteyko. Their donation
of one million dollars led to the first clinical trial in North
America at the Foothills Hospital, Calgary.
Results showed:
- Good Asthma control had increased from 41% to 75%.
- Inhaled Corticosteroids (ICS) reduction was 28%.
- Percentage of subjects who were able to eliminate ICS.
- 18% Percentage of subjects who eliminated the use of long-lasting
relievers 19%.
“ I’ve been astonished and also very pleased with the
excellent result. There is no disruption of their life at all by
their disease (due to Buteyko): normal activities; not waking at
night; not needing to use any reliever medications. It’s just
great...75% control is about as good as anyone has got in any study
of asthma. The neat thing about it is that it has no side effects.
It’s very safe. The Buteyko technique certainly has been shown to
be an important adjunct to treatment.”
Dr Robert Cowie, Chief Respirologist, Foothills Hospital,
Calgary, Alberta.
Calgary CityTV, May 2006.
Typical clinical trial results is 70 - 95% reduction in asthma
symptoms, 85 - 100% reduction in short term reliever medication,
and 50% reduction steroid preventer medication.
NOTE: The British Medical Thoracic Society has approved the Buteyko
Breathing Method as a standard treatment option for Doctors to use
on people with Asthma. It has been proven to be highly effective
treatment for Asthma.
Publications By Members Of BBEA
Members of the BBEA have produced some of the most detailed and
popular publications on the Buteyko Breathing Method.
Patrick McKeown. He has written a number of books including
the best seller "Asthma Free Naturally", (Conari Press 2008) "Close
Your Mouth", "Anxiety Free" and "ABC To Be Asthma Free". Other
works include his extensive instructional materials that includes
"ButeykoDVD".
Dr Artour Rakhimov. He has written two books including
“Normal Breathing; the key to vital health”. This book is without
doubt the most detailed and best researched publication of the
Buteyko Method. His other works include a translation of Dr
Buteyko’s lectures to Moscow state university, and “Oxygenate
yourself: Breathe less” as well as DVD lectures titled “Breathing
Patterns and Tissue Oxygenation”.
Jennifer Stark. She has written “The Carbon Dioxide
Syndrome” (2002) a very comprehensive book on Buteyko for the lay
person. As one of the most experienced Buteyko Educators in the
western world, she has many valuable insights into the power of
this breathing technique.
Buteyko Educator Training In North America
Each year, there are a number of Buteyko Educator training courses
held throughout the USA and Canada. Educator trainers include Chris
Bauman from Canada and Patrick McKeown from Ireland. Chris trained
in New Zealand in 2000 with BIBH. Patrick trained with Moscow
Clinic in 2002 and is accredited by the late Dr Buteyko. Chris and
Patrick have been training new educators since 2005 in over
eleven different countries.
The Buteyko Breathing Method is a medically researched and
scientifically proven breath re-training method that reverses chronic hyperventilation or over-breathing.