Belisa Vranich

Vranich has practiced clinical psychology privately since 2000, specializing in a broad range of disciplines revolving around health and fitness, including stress reduction, nutrition, sexual health, relationships, trauma, and addiction. She previously served as the Director of Public Education at the Mental Health Association of NYC,[3] and has consulted for the National Mental Health Association in Washington, DC. She has also served as a school psychologist in the South Bronx and worked with parolees and their families as part of the Brooklyn Aids Task Force. Vranich began developing educational campaigns, presenting, and lecturing nationwide on health and mental health in 2004.[1] She eventually launched The Breathing Class as a summary solution to many of the underlying problems she witnessed. She is currently on Philosophy’s Hope and Grace campaign advisory board[4] and regularly serves as an expert witness or psychologist for a variety of prominent media outlets.

The Breathing Class is a nationwide training program founded by Belisa Vranich to address physical and psychological problems related to oxygenation deficiency through anatomically congruous breathing techniques. Practices are taught with personal responsibility and mindfulness as the core, using measurements to demonstrate stress problems and poor physical function around a variety of well studied methods which vary in focus depending on the goals of the class. The program promotes breath training as a means to increased focus, better physical performance, and improved mental health.

Vranich, the class, and Vranich's techniques have been featured in articles and interviews by French Vogue,[5] Shape magazine,[6] Details Magazine,[7] Jiu-Jitsu magazine,[8] W Magazine,[9] The New York Observer,[10] The Wall Street Journal,[11] and The Lisa Oz Show,[12] among others.

Collaborators include women's self-defense expert Steve Kardian and his Defend University and jiu-jutsu instructor Henry Akins, through Breathing for Warriors, a special version of the class tailored to professional athletes. A third version of the class is focused on breath techniques for metabolism, stress management, and healthier eating. Dr. Vranich teaches the class regularly in New York and Los Angeles, with additional locations including corporations, military bases, hospitals, and other service organizations throughout the US (ex. Coty Inc, NYC Health and Hospitals, UCLA, Young Presidents Organization, Wenner Media, The US Department of Justice).[13][14]

In addition to her work for Huffington Post, Belisa served as the health and sex editor at Men’s Fitness magazine[15] and has served as a columnist for the New York Post, New York Daily News,[16] Foxnews.com,[17] Spin magazine, XOJane,[18] and The Fix.[19] She has also served as an advisor for the Golds Gym Fitness Institute[20] and Shape magazine.[21] She was the Director of Public Education at the Mental Health Association of NYC