My Story: How Breathwork and Wellness Coaching Helped Me Heal Chronic Pain and Anxiety

“The wound is where the light enters you.” — Rumi ✨✨

My journey through chronic pain, disordered breathing, and PTSD deeply shaped my path. For years, I lived in a body that felt unsafe—my breath was shallow, my chest tight, and for a period of time, panic attacks would strike without warning. I had digestive issues, pelvic tension, chronic low back & hip pain, and a constant, nagging sense that something was wrong with me.

The only way out is through. -Robert Frost

Hi, I’m Coach Erin 👋🏻 In my 20s, spinal imaging revealed what I believed was a congenital deformity. The reports listed a collection of diagnoses: disc degeneration, retrolisthesis, spinal stenosis, herniated discs, flat back syndrome, and lumbar scoliosis. I even underwent back surgery. I clung to my diagnosis—finally, something concrete. An explanation. I thought I was broken, and I lived that way. Always protecting, always at the mercy of my pain.

In 2008, my wounds led me to give up running and high-intensity fitness I had been coaching for the past 3 years and embrace yoga, Pilates, and more holistic practices. The wound opened a door, and the light started to peek in.

But at that time, no one told me that imaging results don’t always tell the full story. No one explained the mind-body approach to healing and how unresolved trauma, chronic stress, and years of emotional suppression could shape the nervous system—and manifest as very real physical symptoms. So I chased mechanical fixes for years, all while my body was crying out for something deeper.

That’s why my healing didn’t begin in a doctor’s office. It began within the intimate space of my breath. 🌬️

When I re-discovered breathwork after the birth of our second child in 2020, everything changed. At that time, my breathing pattern and pace were so dysfunctional. I knew I wasn’t breathing right, but I was dismissed by doctors or pushed to use anxiety and pain medication. But God had something different for me. And I leaned into what I went to graduate school for—physiology and wellness coaching.

I knew there was another path.

I learned that my breathing patterns, my nervous system, and my emotional health were all deeply connected. In fact, all 8 dimensions of my wellness needed to be nurtured: spiritual, physical, emotional, intellectual, social, environmental, occupational, and financial. Not in an overwhelming pursuit, but in a gentle, nurturing, kind, mindful way. Slowly, through healing breathwork, somatic awareness, balanced wellness, and the science of mind-body healing, I began to soften. To feel light again and to trust my body.

Through chronic pain, disordered breathing, and anxiety, I came to recognize a huge gap between conventional medicine—which often centers on symptom management—and a more holistic wellness model that looks at the whole person. A model that values lifestyle change, emotional healing, and nervous system regulation. That shift in perspective not only helped me heal—it changed the way I live and serve today.

Hear me on this: Sometimes, pain, dysfunction, or anxiety that appears in our physical body is actually rooted in deeper imbalances within our lifestyle and emotional well-being.

Now, I help others who have been dismissed, overmedicated, or told there’s no clear reason for their pain, yet continue to suffer. Maybe, like me, you’ve tried everything—surgery, medications, physical therapy—only to have the pain return, shift, or flare up again and again. Maybe you feel frustrated, angry, and exhausted, like I once did.

If your body has been hurting in ways that are hard to explain—if you have a laundry list of symptoms, or if you’ve been told you’re broken and you’re starting to question that story—I want you to know:

✨ You are not broken. You are holding more than anyone ever realized.

This is the work I do now. I guide clients through nervous system regulation, breath retraining, and holistic practices that support healing from the inside out. 🌱

And today, I can honestly say I’m grateful for my wounds—for the pain, the anxiety, the dysfunction that once consumed me.

They were the agents of awareness that forced me to pause… to listen… to continue healing on a deeper level. And to move from feeling fragile to powerful in the face of adversity 🫁💪🏼

That wound and God led me here.

Into the light.

Into purpose.

Into this radiant path where I get to serve others every day. 🤍

Where I get to help other's heal chronic pain and anxiety.

This work is not just what I do—it’s who I am.

Breathe Well,

Coach E

Let's get you connected:

🌐 Email: Erin@breathewellcoaching.com (share your story with me)

📸 IG @breathewellcoaching

🎥 Free Videos on YouTube @ https://www.youtube.com/@breathewellcoaching

🧘🏽‍♀️Coaching Reviews and Packages https://erinwilsoncoaching.com/

Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom. -Viktor Frankl

Blog Disclaimer:

The content in this blog post is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. As a coach, I am not a licensed doctor or mental health professional. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider for any medical or mental health concerns. Your well-being is important, and I encourage you to seek professional guidance when needed.

Medical Disclaimer – Breathe Well Coaching

The information provided by Breathe Well Coaching, including content from Erin Wilson, is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical or mental health condition.

Breathe Well Coaching services—including breathwork, meditation, movement, and wellness coaching—are designed to support stress management, emotional well-being, and lifestyle balance. These practices are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Erin Wilson strongly encourages all individuals experiencing chronic stress, physical symptoms, or emotional distress to seek a comprehensive medical evaluation from a licensed healthcare provider. If you are experiencing mental health challenges, it is recommended that you consult with a licensed therapist, counselor, psychologist, or psychiatrist.

Coaching is meant to be a supplemental tool that works alongside, not in place of, appropriate medical or psychological care.

Always consult with your physician or mental health professional before starting any new wellness program. Your well-being is important, and a collaborative, integrative approach to care is often the most effective.