As I sit in Buteyko Center USA's studio writing this testimonial I cannot explain the pure relief that I now feel. Over the past year I have had two sinus surgeries, a trip to the E.R. and a diagnosis of incurable asthma plus Common Variable Immune Deficiency. My next step was going to be continued surgery, which was not the direction that I wanted to take my life in. Through research I found Buteyko Center USA online, I called and spoke to Thomas on the phone for 20 minutes.

Two days later after a twenty hour drive I arrived at Buteyko Center USA in Woodstock, NY. After three days of training in person, I am now off all inhalers, sleeping through the night with my mouth taped shut! Now try and tell me there is not somebody looking after me and all of us!! I am so impressed with my change in health in a week's time that I am choosing to pursue all avenues of this remarkable practice so that I can help others as I have been helped.

Breathing well and through my nose,


Monty Gamble
Buena Vista, Colorado

I have had asthma and allergic rhinitis since before my teenage years and have struggled with them for over 20 years. I first heard about the Buteyko Method while I was living in Turkey. However, at that time, my opportunity to learn the method properly was limited to; (1) the shared knowledge of a distant relative living in Australia and (2) various reading material on and off the internet. At that time, I was unable to obtain the full benefit of the Buteyko Method because of insufficient instructions. Yet, intuitively, the teachings of the method explained and brought to light the various experiences I was having with my own asthma: why swimming made me feel so much better, why simply taping my mouth at night made my morning attacks literally dissipate, why exercise brought on an attack, why I might be breathless after coming in from the cold to sit still in a warm lecture hall, etc, etc. I knew Buteyko was right, in a way that a regular "healthy" individual may not appreciate.

Since then, with God's help (and those of many dear friends and specialists) my health improved profoundly. Despite this however, the underlying cause that sets off and perpetuates a decline in my health remained: over-breathing. I was aware of this because I continued to experience allergies and allergic rhinitis. I know from past experiences that, for me, nasal decongestants and other available medicines work, at most, for only limited periods of time. I had already had three surgeries to remove nasal polyps and the prospect of having another one was not inviting. I contacted Buteyko Center USA to, once and for all, gain control of my health. The influence of the Buteyko Method in clearing my nasal passage has been profound. Now, whenever I need to, I can restore easy nasal breathing by just applying the Buteyko Method. This is an ability I had been striving to achieve literally for decades! However for me, the influence of the Buteyko Method did not end there. The relaxation and breathing exercises helped me to shift out of the fight-or-flight mode that years of asthma had made me grow accustomed to.

Now, thanks to Buteyko, I am able to spend my days in a more relaxed way. When issues arise, I find that I am able to approach them with greater calm and positivity than I had been able to before. For me this is no small change, and certainly not at all insignificant. That is because; there have been many incidences in my life where I or my family has strongly suspected that a particularly violent or prolonged asthma attack had been triggered by emotional rather than physical causes. I have never desired this kind of sensitivity but have had to manage it just the same. I believe applying the Buteyko method goes a very long way in helping me in this regard. I feel very fortunate to have learned the method properly at Buteyko Center USA. I wish all the best to Thomas and Sasha in there efforts to correctly implement and teach the method. I am very grateful for the relentless work Dr. Buteyko has put into developing his method and to Clinica Buteyko for sharing it with the world. I have much to learn still, and much more progress to make, but I am looking forward to all of it.

Breathe less,


Zeynep Ozkul
Houston, Texas

At 40 years old, I was diagnosed with asthma. My condition progressed from mild episodes of shortness of breath on the tennis court to persistent daily breathing problems that forced me to quit tennis and all forms of exercise. Just walking made me breathless and my chest tight. I literally had no life. I struggled to get the breath to read to my children. My condition actually seemed to get worse in spite of strong prescription medications like symbicort, zopanex and prednisone. I went from an organic, healthy lifestyle to this awful world of asthma. I was even told to stay inside to avoid the humidity, which was a trigger. I didn't want to accept that this was going to be my condition for the rest of my life. I searched the internet regularly for answers. I found Buteyko Center USA and read the entire website. It sounded interesting and made sense to me.

Skeptical, but curious, I called and was fortunate to get Thomas on the phone. My life has been in a constant state of progress ever since. Within 2 1/2 weeks I was able to stop my rescue inhaler (I was taking at least 4-6 puffs per day at that time and taking symbicort). My chest tightness gradually subsided and I was able to stand up straight. My lung capacity continues to improve and I am exercising again and joining my family in their daily activities again. I am so grateful to Thomas and the Buteyko family for bringing this method to the USA. I am currently completing an internship to become a practitioner, along with my 7 year old daughter who has had breathing problems. We hope to bring this method to many others who desire a life free from asthma. Thank you for the much needed support during this time. I am looking forward to reaching my goal of being medication free.


Rachel Clawson
Cartersville, Georgia

As a young child I witnessed an asthma attack when I was visiting my cousin; her younger sister came into the room wheezing, gasping for breath, and tears pouring down her red face as she begged for help. The severity, the fear, and the almost violent attack on her young body held me in shock and apprehension as arrangements were made for her to be taken to the hospital. I realize that vicariously, this was my introduction into the world of an asthmatic. I never imagined that the episode I witnessed would evolve into my own life story. I vividly remember the day in July when the Dr. diagnosed my symptoms as asthma. I took care of my aging father in law and when he was settled for the afternoon, I decided to shop, then spent a peaceful evening before retiring early. I woke up at around 3AM gasping for breath and coughing; I decided to drive myself to the hospital which was close to our home.

The ER Dr. spent little time with me before he declared that I was experiencing an asthma attack, and upon further review, he declared that I also had bronchitis and wrote a prescription for antibiotics, and introduced me to the world of inhalers and steroids at the age of 29. The next 29 years of my life spiraled downward into an existence of asthma attacks, medications, nebulizers, ER visits, asthma specialists,and allergy shots, coupled with small periods of relief from the hectic frightening world of asthma. Unfortunately, the effects of this debilitating disease affected the people I loved as deeply as it affected me. After visiting friends who owned cats, my daughters would make their first stop home in the laundry room to remove any clothing which might contain cat hairs and promptly take showers before coming close to me; they spent many anxious times when I was hospitalized worrying about my recovery; they would pound their little fists on my back to break up the phlegm when I could not breathe; they worried when I got a cold that I would become quite ill, and they said "good bye " wistfully as they left the house to attend events which were unavailable for me due to my health status.

The asthma continued to occur particularly when certain pollen was in the air or occasionally at other instances when the etiology was unknown. Approximately two years ago, the asthma become chronic. I lived in a box-my house and the boxes that contained twice daily inhalers, rescue inhalers, daily pills, nebulizers, antibiotics, or steroids. My weekly outing consisted of venturing to the asthma clinic to receive shots or to the Dr. office.l My husband shopped for groceries or we had take home food due to both of our fears that I would be vulnerable to germs and yet again, return to the hospital. During this two year isolation, my husband read about the Buteyko method of breathing for asthma, and encouraged me to read some material. I was quite skeptical about this breathing method which sounded like "hocus pocus" to me. I was referred to a pulmonary specialist for more intense testing and my husband asked if the specialist had ever heard of the Buteyko method. The answer was "no"!

I actually experienced a two month reprieve from asthma during the summer of 2010 and was excited about being able to live life in a new way. However in August, I exhibited signs of recurring asthma, and I decided that I was sick and tired of being sick and tired!! I informed my precious husband that I was willing to do anything to lessen the pain. My husband communicated with Thomas from the Buteyko Center, and they devised a way for us to take the session together via Skype. This method of breathing has changed my life!!!! I have been asthma free for approximately two months., and the changes in my life have been both physical and spiritual with this incredible method. I am eternally grateful for the work that Thomas and Sasha are doing at the center. My life is beginning to be what God intended as I am able to both receive and give back to others for this incredible life. Thank you seems too bland an expression for my gratitude and appreciation, but I cannot think of adequate words to express my thanks for this 'GIFT"!
(written by Mary Lou Street)



I first heard of the Buteyko Breathing Method through the article in the New York Times, and at first, my wife who was having increasingly acute and frequent asthma attacks thought it sounded too "hoakie" and seemed tedious to learn. Months later, after a string of days of her being "house bound" by respiratory distress I went on-line to Buteyko Center USA and found that two training week-ends were close at hand. I told her, "We're going to New York. It can't hurt and it might help." She agreed, but when I called the Center for logistical information, Thomas suggested that we might be better served by training in the Buteyko Lifestyle and Wellness Method via Skype, so we "signed up". From the very first session we were blessed by the compassionate, knowledgeable, and encouraging presentation of the method. After only the second session my wife reduced her preventive inhaler use from twice a day to once a day (her history included having to use a nebulizer and get steroid shots when the asthma attacks were especially severe).

And by the end of the fifth session she was not using the inhaler at all. We signed up for a second set of five sessions--after initial resistance, thinking we knew the technique what more was there to learn--and found them to be as helpful as the first five, "fine tuning" in ways we would not have come to on our own. It has now been 8 weeks without a single sign of asthma! Thank you. Oh, by the way, in learning/practicing the Buteyko breathing method myself in order to support my wife, it has made a significant contribution to my dealing with occasional bouts of anxiety; and I am optomistic that it will also lead to my discontinuation of high blood pressure medications. Last reading was 100/65, lowest in my history.
(written by Malcolm Street)

Mary Lou and Malcolm Street
Fort Worth, Texas

So I postponed Daniel’s surgery in order to try the Buteyko Method and see if it would work. We soon started working with Jesse Steinberg at Buteyko Center USA’s office in Woodstock, NY.  Jesse connected with us right away and explained the theory of the Buteyko Method then led Daniel and I through some breathing exercises.  On the ride home from the first session I noticed that Daniel’s breathing was not as noisy as usual, and he said that he had fun learning with Jesse.

Kathy, age 6