About me

john main photo
I didn’t arrive at this work through a course or a career plan.
I arrived through necessity.
I studied philosophy at the University of Leuven and psychoanalytic studies at Trinity College Dublin. I spent years inside ideas โ€” trying to understand the mind, how it works, what drives us, what breaks us. It was rich, serious work. And it gave me a foundation I still draw from every day.
But life had other plans.
A life changing event in 2002 led me into addiction and ultimately prison. I spent 10 years following my release in 2010 trying to rebuild.
In 2019 I was involved in a serious motorcycle accident. The recovery was long and hard. And it was breathwork that brought me back โ€” not just physically, but to myself. Something about consciously working with the breath cut through the noise in a way nothing else had. It quieted a mind that had been running at full volume for years.
When I got clean in 2021, breathwork was there again. Not as a cure, but as a practice. Something steady to return to. A way of maintaining what I’d fought so hard to build.
Functional breathing, in particular, did something I hadn’t expected โ€” it quieted the busy mind that recovery leaves behind. The chaos clears, and suddenly you have to learn how to be still. That’s harder than it sounds.
Resistance training has always been part of my life too โ€” and I believe in it deeply. Not just for physical strength, though that matters enormously. But because I’ve noticed something: when struggle ends, ennui can set in. The fight gave us focus, urgency, a reason to push. Without it, we can drift. Resistance training โ€” real, progressive, intentional โ€” gives the body and mind something to work toward. It’s a form of meaning as much as a form of exercise.
All of this โ€” the philosophy, the accident, the recovery, the breath, the body โ€” is what I bring to the work.
When I sit with someone who is stressed, stuck, or struggling, I’m not working from theory alone. I know what dysregulation feels like from the inside. I know what serious addiction costs. And I know what it takes to come back โ€” the grit, the patience, the slow rebuilding of a self that had been pushed to its limits.
That’s why I do this work.ย 

My Approach

I believe that how you breathe shapes how you feel, think, and perform. Most people have never been taught to breathe well โ€” and years of stress, poor posture, and modern lifestyles have left many of us breathing in ways that keep our nervous system in a constant state of alert.

My work is about changing that. I help clients move from stress and shallow breathing into calm, efficient and powerful respiration. Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, recovering from burnout, or looking to perform at your best โ€” it starts with the breath.

As Dublin’s Advanced Certified Oxygen Advantageยฎ Instructor, I use evidence-based methods to assess and retrain your breathing patterns. Combined with my training as an Master Breathwork Teacher through the Blissful Breath Academy, I bring together functional breathing science with transformative breathwork practices.

What makes my approach different is the integration of body, breath, and mind. My academic background in Psychoanalytic Theory and Psychology gives me a deeper understanding of the mental and emotional dimensions of stress, while nearly a decade of hands-on coaching โ€” in resistance training, mobility, boxing, and cold exposure โ€” keeps my work grounded in the physical.

I don’t offer a one-size-fits-all solution. Every client is different, and I tailor programmes to meet your specific needs. I will meet you where you’re at.

Qualifications & Certifications

Oxygen Advantageยฎ Certified Instructor
Level 1 (Functional) + Level 2 (Advanced)
Dublin's Advanced Certified OAยฎ Instructor

Blissful Breath Academy โ€” Master Instructor, Icebath Teacher
Trained by Nรญall O'Murchuยท IPHM globally accredited

M. Phil. - Psychoanalytic Studies

M.A. โ€” Social Psychology

B.A. โ€” Philosophy

FETAC + IBEC certificate โ€” Personal Training

In the Media

John in conversation with Patrick McKeown

Follow the Journey

Breathwork tips, session highlights, and behind-the-scenes content. Follow @pneumatic_movement on Instagram for regular updates.

I’m Not Here To Hurt You

Irish Independent Production ยท Apple Podcasts Series Essential

An award-winning documentary podcast series telling John’s story โ€” from academic promise through crisis to transformation. Produced by the team behind the Indo Daily.

20260110 095540