About Us - Breathwork Geneva

About Me

Hello! I am Daphne Polliand, a Breathwork coach in Geneva.

I am a sports coach based in Geneva, a Breathwork Guide, and the founder of Just Breathe in Geneva. I have been recognized as a coach for 30 years, during which I have directed and created fitness and therapeutic centers both independently and for major companies. By combining Breathwork with sports coaching, yoga, mindfulness, and spiritual coaching, I provide the keys to well-being, inner peace, and self-acceptance.Born in Bordeaux, I moved to Geneva in the 80s to pursue my studies. I got married, had children, developed my business, engaged in high-level competition, and expanded my coaching endeavors. In 2018, we decided to sell our businesses to a large investment group. Initially, I was supposed to stay for a year during the transition, but I ended up staying for four years with the group. In 2021, I made the decision to leave as I no longer resonated with the group’s functioning. The original plan was to develop a small structure exclusively for women, but a Geneva-based company approached me with an opportunity to lead the implementation and design of an innovative project related to sports, children, and healthcare. Being fond of challenges, I signed on and spent over 2 years developing this concept. Despite its success, I didn’t feel like I belonged there—powerless, unhappy, stuck in an office with endless meetings, which was a departure from my previous active and client-oriented lifestyle. I couldn’t be MYSELF. Where had “myself” gone?

Was I happy?

To be honest: NO.

And it was time to face reality.
I felt resentment toward the life I had built because it had degraded my healthy values and self-esteem.
My life was taking a direction devoid of joy and peace.
I was overwhelmed with stress, exhausted and deeply unhappy.
I refused to admit this reality, so I buried all my emotions, until the day I finally realized that this couldn’t go on anymore.
I undertook yoga training, explored different methods of personal development, but the Covid came to disrupt my plans.
I was seriously ill, which weakened my body.
I, who trained for hours every day, found myself without energy, in constant chronic pain, short of breath, depressed and dealing with heart problems.

It was real hell.

It became imperative that I escape from this infernal spiral.

Why Just Breathe Geneva?

I created Just Breathe Geneva so that you can practice conscious breathing in a welcoming and safe environment. I teach you not only how to use breath as a tool but also how to pause, reconnect with yourself, and find your life’s path. You don’t need to be a yoga expert or be spiritual, nor do you have to believe in all these things. You don’t even need to have a specific “problem”! You simply want to rediscover yourself, be more aware of who you are, and listen to your body and its needs.

What is conscious breathing?

The term “conscious breathing” refers to any breathing practice in which voluntary control of breathing is believed to influence a person’s mental, emotional, or physical state. Today, there are many forms of conscious breathing, each with its own method. The method I teach, also known as two-stage Pranayama, involves lying on your back and breathing in a controlled and rhythmic manner through the mouth for a period of up to 30 minutes. It combines two inhalations and one exhalation. The first inhalation is done in the belly, the second in the chest, and the exhalation releases the air. This method was developed in the 1960s and 1970s by psychiatrists to reproduce the effects of LSD and induce altered states of consciousness for the release of repressed emotions. In myclasses, I include coaching to define your needs, guided meditations, and uplifting music. Conscious breathing is a self-improvement tool that strengthens the body, soothes and stabilizes the mind, and reduces stress.