Ojai Grof® Breathwork Workshop

Grof® Breathwork is the brand of holotropic breathwork currently offered by the Grof Legacy Training communities authorized by Stan and Brigitte Grof. Developed by Stan and Christina Grof at the Esalen Institute in 1974, holotropic breathwork is an experiential method of self-exploration and healing designed to induce deep holotropic states of consciousness through a combination of very simple means - accelerated breathing, evocative music, and focused bodywork that helps to release residual bioenergetic and emotional blocks.

By activating the unconscious and mobilizing blocked energies, Grof® Breathwork invites access to all levels of human experience including unfinished issues from our post-natal biography, traumatic physical or emotional events, perinatal memories, death and rebirth sequences, and a variety of transpersonal experiences that can reach mythological, archetypal, and universal realms. 

This non-residential retreat combines two experiences of Grof® Breathwork (one as breather and one as sitter) and is an ideal introduction to our work and our community.

Schedule

Friday, August 21, 6-9pm | Check-in begins at 5pm*

Saturday, August 22, 8:30am - 7:30pm*

Sunday, August 23, 9am - 12:30pm*

*Attendance at all three days required

Facilitators

Colleen Reid

Colleen Reid is a certified Grof® Breathwork Facilitator and Spiritual Emergence Coach®, honored to serve on the faculty of Grof® Legacy Training USA. Colleen holds a B.A. in Psychology from Dartmouth College and a Master of Environmental Studies from Yale University, where she focused on the human dimensions of conservation and the perception of beauty in the natural world. For many years, Colleen devoted herself to a career in environmental conservation—including fieldwork, research, non-profit leadership, and consulting. From 1997 to 2002, she also competed internationally in the sport of skeleton, racing at the World Cup and Olympic levels.

Colleen’s life was profoundly transformed in February 2014 by a spontaneous spiritual awakening—an experience of deep emergence that forever changed her understanding of reality, self, and the sacred. This abiding shift in consciousness brought her into intimate contact with the beauty of interconnectedness and inner peace, and it now informs every aspect of her work and life. Following this awakening, she left her conservation career to focus on integrating this new way of being and to immerse herself in the study of consciousness and

transformation.

Colleen’s personal journey resonated deeply with the holotropic paradigm of healing and self-discovery articulated by Stanislav Grof. She discovered Holotropic Breathwork during her spiritual emergence and credits it not with causing, but with catalyzing her awakening. In 2014, she began intensive training in this lineage, and in 2015, she was certified in Holotropic Breathwork and Transpersonal Psychology through Grof Transpersonal Training®. Colleen’s additional studies of spirituality, consciousness, and mysticism were largely self-guided, but also include a year-long certification in global mysticism with Andrew Harvey and Mirabai Starr, as well as certification in Spiritual Emergence Coaching® through IMHU. She also served on the

Advisory Board of the Foundation for Conscious Evolution. She went on to found BodhiBreath®, which offered teaching, spiritual coaching, psychedelic integration, and breathwork workshops. Most recently, Colleen’s role in the launch of Grof® Legacy Training USA—where she now serves as a teacher, facilitator, and mentor—has become the central focus of her work.

Today, Colleen lives between Ojai, California and Carbondale, Colorado. A facilitator, coach, teacher, writer, poet, naturalist, and mother of two young adults, she brings a lifetime of experience to her work in healing, wellness, and spirituality. In addition to her role with GLT-USA, she continues to support individuals through one-on-one integration and spiritual emergence coaching. Her deepest passion is to make the sacred practices of expanded states of consciousness accessible to all who seek them—and to help others discover the transformative power of their own inner potential.

David Rasch

David Rasch is a certified Grof Legacy Breathwork Facilitator with an interest in the transformative and healing potential of non-ordinary states of consciousness. After experiencing a spontaneous spiritual emergence in 1976, he first experienced Grof’s breathwork in 1982 and has facilitated breathwork sessions since the early 2000’s. He is a graduate of Naropa Institute’s MA Program in Contemplative Psychology and later completed his PhD in Counseling Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies. He was director of the counseling service for faculty and staff at Stanford University for several years and then served as the University Ombuds there until 2018. David is currently employed part-time as an ombuds at UCSB, and he also works as a writing coach for academic writers. He currently resides in Ojai, CA with his wife Ixchel Leigh.

Apprentice Facilitators

Sepi Tabai

Sepi Tabai is a guide and facilitator whose work is rooted in presence, compassion, and a deep respect for each person’s inner healing intelligence. Drawing from training in GROF® Breathwork, Integrative Hypnosis, Identity Development (IoPT), meditation, and somatic practices, she supports individuals as they navigate the layers of their psyche, often touching the places that have been unseen, unspoken, or waiting for attention.

Her approach is gentle yet profoundly attuned, creating a space where clients can access their own wisdom, integrate shadow material, and reconnect with the parts of themselves that long for wholeness. In her one-on-one work, Sepi blends trauma-informed methods with intuitive guidance, helping clients explore limiting patterns, emotional imprints, and the deeper questions that shape their lives.

Sepi is currently an apprentice with Grof Legacy Training USA, continuing her multi-year study in non-ordinary states of consciousness and expanded awareness. She brings years of experience as a meditation guide, Integrative Hypnosis practitioner, and Identity Development facilitator, along with a background as an End-of-Life Doula, work that has taught her to meet every human experience with tenderness and dignity.

Whether in group settings or private sessions, Sepi holds a steady, compassionate field that invites people to soften, turn inward, and discover what is longing to emerge. Her work is guided by humility, curiosity, and a deep trust in the human capacity for transformation.

Pablo Nardi

Pablo offers a grounded and compassionate space for inner exploration, healing, and self-discovery through expanded states of consciousness. Rooted in years of Tibetan Buddhist practice, he has facilitated meditation circles that emphasize presence, insight, and embodied awareness as pathways to understanding oneself and finding meaning within the complexity of human existence.

As a Reiki Master and GROF® Holotropic Breathwork apprentice facilitator, his work integrates breath, mindfulness, and subtle energy awareness to support emotional release, inner clarity, and reconnection with one’s innate wisdom. His approach honors the intelligence of the psyche and the healing that becomes possible when individuals are met with steadiness, respect, and non-judgment.

A devoted swimmer, Pablo draws inspiration from the rhythm of breath in water. The kinetic movement of swimming allows him to connect with himself and with life, breath guiding the body, water holding and enveloping him in the very element that sustains existence. This relationship with water subtly informs the way he supports others: with fluidity, depth, and an attunement to the natural intelligence of the body and the breath.

With a calm and attentive presence, Pablo supports participants in navigating their inner landscapes with curiosity and trust, allowing meaningful insights to emerge organically. His work is shaped by a sincere commitment to personal practice, ongoing training, and a deep respect for the transformative potential of non-ordinary states of consciousness.

Brenda Parsons

Brenda is a Doctor of Chiropractic, RN Case Manager, and Death Doula. With over 3 decades of multidisciplinary professional experience and expertise, Brenda’s work is grounded in her strong conviction that true healing happens from within. She is passionate about understanding, supporting and nurturing mind, body and spirit. Her personal journey has included utilizing and practicing multiple alternative medicine modalities, intensive holotropic breathwork, meditation, compassionate inquiry, psychotropic medicines, extensive study of transpersonal psychology, wisdom traditions and shamanic practices. Brenda’s specific areas of interest include integrating and mindfully utilizing expanded states work in improving overall quality of life and performance, making spirituality an integral part of day to day living, and supporting others in their conscious living/conscious-dying journeys. She currently works for Stanford Healthcare Alliance and also provides   support/coaching to private clients.

Contraindications

Grof® Breathwork is a transformative experience designed to facilitate deep self-exploration and healing. Due to the intense physical and emotional nature of the practice, certain health conditions may pose risks during breathwork sessions. To ensure the safety and well-being of all participants, please review our health considerations before registering for a workshop. You may also view our health questionnaire prior to registration.

We strive to create a welcome and inclusive community that engenders a sense of belonging, respect, openness, and safety in order to facilitate a personally meaningful process for each participant.  Our intent is to support all participants in their work of self-exploration and discovery. To support this, we have a limited number of partial scholarships available through an application process. If you feel called to this work but require financial assistance, please inquire directly with Gianna at gianna@grof-legacy-training-usa.com. Applications are due July 1, 2026.