Got bubbles? Then: JUST BREATHE

I retired from Hospice & Palliative Care the end of May 2013 after nine years of working in various counseling and social work capacities.  During that time I became known as the Social Worker who always had bubbles available and just might be kicked back in my chair blowing bubbles and breathing.  Yes, breathing.  Here's how I became that bubbly, breathing social worker - and it definitely required a leap of faith!

The patient was a 36 year old mother of two young sons.  She was nearing death.  I was at their house and decided they needed a grief counselor right then.  So I called Sheryl to inform her, with my supposed superior knowledge, that she needed to get to the house right away and counsel them.  She was asking appropriate questions regarding the situation and I was frustrated that she didn't seem to be hearing me when I said that they needed her Now!  I would not stop talking because I wanted to get my point across.  And then she said it..."JUST BREATHE!" and my immediate response was..."I don't need to breathe."  This required a leap of faith - really.  To suggest that I might need to slow down, begin to pay attention to my breathing without speaking was a new concept to me.  But it worked and we had a collaborative conversation (the goal all along).

A year and a half later I was working with Sheryl as a grief counselor.  I loved to tell my clients to breathe, especially in groups.  Children were responsive often wanting to stop group to take five deep breaths.  They would even go home and teach their families how to breathe.

Ahhhhh - just breathe!

Adults, on the other hand, were not so easy.  They often refused to practice deep or controlled breathing with me laughing or saying they already knew how to do that.  One of the tools I had used with children in many groups was blowing bubbles.  Let's face it, bubbles make us happy.  So I decided to give clients bubbles and suggest that we blow bubbles just for fun.  Acting surprised, I would say "Look at that - you are doing deep and controlled breathing - aren't bubbles wonderful."

And they were and still are!  Take a leap of faith - the next time you feel stressed, the kids or someone else is driving you crazy, or you just want to relax a little - blow bubbles.  And notice how you begin to calm down.  Get others to blow with you! 


I teach two Social Work classes at the University of Kentucky.  The attached video is from "The Levity Project".   Brenda, also an instructor, shared this with me.  And now the day I teach my social work students to breathe - I bring bubbles and show this video.