Research & Inspiration for our natural methodolgy
Introduction
The Nasya Breath Workshops whilst rooted in nature connection, they have evolved through a combination of lived experience, professional practice and an ongoing commitment to research. The approach is informed by contemporary evidence from pain science, neuroscience, psychoneuroimmunology, the biopsychosocial model, the workshops are trauma-informed and person-centred, following the Five Pathways to Nature Connection.
Rather than relying on a single model, these workshops weave together insights from a range of disciplines to create a holistic approach that supports people living with chronic pain and long-term health conditions. This page highlights some of the key research, authors and theories that have shaped the development of Nasya's work, including the contributions of researchers such as Stephen Porges, whose Polyvagal Theory has advanced our understanding of the relationship between the nervous system, safety, connection and wellbeing.
Nature connection
Richardson, M. (2020). Reconnection: Fixing Our Broken Relationship with Nature. Pelagic Publishing.The 2016
Natural England commissioned research by M. Richardson et al. (University of Derby)
Richardson, M., et al. (2016). Nature Connectedness and Wellbeing – Natural England Commissioned Research.
Richardson, M., Passmore, H.-A., Lumber, R., Thomas, R., & Hunt, A. (2021). Moments, not minutes: The nature-wellbeing relationship. International Journal of Wellbeing.
Roszak, T. (1992). The Voice of the Earth: An Exploration of Ecopsychology. Simon & Schuster.
Roszak, T. (1995). Ecopsychology: Restoring the Earth, Healing the Mind. Sierra Club Books.
Natural academy https://deepernature.uk/the-natural-self-model
Pain science
Moseley, G. L., & Butler, D. S. (2015). Explain Pain (2nd Edition, 2013) by David S. Butler and G. Lorimer Moseley. The definitive, accessible guide for both patients and clinicians detailing the biology and mechanisms of persistent pain.
Fifteen Years of Explaining Pain: The Past, Present, and Future (2015): A highly cited review paper in The Journal of Pain that outlines the evolution, clinical efficacy, and evidence base of explaining pain. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26051220/
Reconceptualising pain according to modern pain science (2007) (Moseley, G. L.): A core framework paper proposing the shift in defining pain as a conscious correlate of implicit tissue threat https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233581683_Reconceptualising_pain_according_to_modern_pain_science
Trauma, psychoneuroimmunology and person centred counselling.
Maté, G. (2023). Transforming Trauma, Podcast Episode 116, approx. 29:00–37:00 and 45:42.
Maté, G. (2019). In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts. North Atlantic Books.
Maté, G. (2021). The Myth of Normal.
Avery.Rogers, C. (1961). On Becoming a Person. Houghton Mifflin.
Van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. New York: Viking.
Polyvagal theory.
Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation. W. W. Norton & Company. APA PsycNet Reference. [1]
Meditation benefits.
Zeidan, F., Grant, J.A., Brown, C.A., McHaffie, J.G. and Coghill, R.C. (2012). 'Mindfulness meditation-related pain relief: evidence for unique brain mechanisms in the regulation of pain', Neuroscience Letters, 520(2), pp. 165–173.
Ganguly, Abhimanyu, et al. ‘Effect of Meditation on Autonomic Function in Healthy Individuals: A Longitudinal Study’. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, vol. 9, no. 8, 2020, p. 3944. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_460_20.
Neuroscience
Leaf, C. (2013). Switch On Your Brain: The Key to Peak Happiness, Thinking and Health. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
Dispenza, J. (2014). You Are the Placebo: Making Your Mind.
Dispenza, J. (2012) Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House.
Merzenich, M.M. (2013). Soft-Wired: How the New Science of Brain Plasticity Can Change Your Life. San Francisco: Parnassus Publishing.
Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB)
Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. is a pioneer in the field called interpersonal neurobiology (The Developing Mind, 1999) Daniel Siegel on the Triangle of Wellbeing. Watched on youtube 28/12/2025 10.30am
Health is defined as integration. https://youtu.be/BGYUbc73JwY?si=AyBjA3Uw6VPRiA-V
Our deepest nature is to be in community, with connection, relationship. How our Relationships Shape Us by Dr. Dan Siegel Watched on youtube 28/12/2025 10.50amhttps://youtu.be/fwmtgrWKQrY?si=tphHoOc3g-X28Ob-
Click here to see an article outlining the importance of this work due to be published in the
British Pain Society - Journal of Pain.
Click here to see some subjective outcome data from our 10 Week Workshop Course
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is increasingly recognized as an effective method for the long-term management of pain and persistent health conditions. Research, including brain imaging studies, indicates that mindfulness practices can soothe brain patterns associated with various types of pain. Regular engagement in mindfulness can lead to structural changes in the brain, resulting in a more manageable pain experience. Additionally, mindfulness has been shown to mitigate some age-related structural changes in the brain. Pain significantly affects cognitive functions, including attention, concentration, and thought processes, as the brain tends to focus intensely on pain signals. This heightened focus can lead to persistent pain when the brain's "zoomed-in" state becomes fixed, creating new neural connections that reinforce the pain experience. Mindfulness practices facilitate the creation of new neural pathways, allowing the brain to "zoom out" from pain sensations.
By increasing the space between pain signals and personal responses, mindfulness helps individuals regain control over their pain and associated thoughts and emotions. Mindfulness exercises encourage a deeper engagement with the present moment, countering the tendency to become overwhelmed by pain and negative thoughts. This enhanced presence can lead to improved quality of life, enabling individuals to make more intentional choices and fully engage with their experiences, even in the context of pain
Paying attention, on purpose, to the present moment, non-judgementally” (Jon Kabat-Zinn, 1990)