We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jon Paul Crimi. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jon Paul below.

Jon Paul, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How’s you first get into your field – what was your first job in this field?

I was working as a Personal Trainer when Breathwork first entered my life, completely out of left field. My close friend Matthew Perry — yes, that Matthew Perry — bought me a session with a Breathwork Healer. I went in curious, maybe a little skeptical, and walked out completely changed. It hit me on a level I didn’t even know was possible.

From that moment, I went down the rabbit hole. I tried every method, trained with different teachers, and immersed myself in the work. It wasn’t casual exploration — it was an obsession. Something in me knew I had to understand this fully.

And while I was changing internally, the people around me noticed. Friends, family, clients — they all saw a difference. They started asking what I was doing, and I found myself sharing Breathwork almost accidentally.

Truthfully, I didn’t want to be a Breathwork Teacher. That was never the plan. But once I started guiding people through sessions, everything shifted. I saw the impact — real, visible transformation right in front of me. People were releasing emotional weight they’d carried for decades. That kind of change is undeniable.

And here’s the part I didn’t expect: it gave me something too — a sense of purpose and fulfillment I’d never felt before. Breathwork didn’t just change my life. It handed me the work I was meant to do.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’ve been leading breathwork classes for 14 years, and I do it very differently from most teachers. When I first discovered this work, I was blown away…not just by the impact, but by the fact that almost no one outside of new-age circles had even heard of it. Of course someone from South Boston wasn’t going to stumble into a breathwork circle. Neither was a firefighter, or a stressed-out parent just trying to get through the day.

It hit me: breathwork wasn’t reaching the people who needed it most because it was wrapped in language and settings that alienated them. So I decided to flip the script. I brought an East Coast attitude …direct, funny, grounded, no fluff…and I combined it with my personal training background. I coached people while they breathed. I pushed them when they needed it. I used great music, intensity, and structure. I modernized everything around an ancient technique.

People say, “Breathwork is like 20 years of therapy without saying a word.” They’re not wrong.

It worked. Within a couple years, my classes in Los Angeles were completely sold out. Celebrities were sending assistants trying to get spots.

From there, I took breathwork online before anyone else… long before it became common… because I knew people around the world needed access, not just the lucky ones in a studio in LA.

About eight years ago, I started training others to teach breathwork the same way I do. It’s the fastest way to spread this work: train people who can lead it with clarity, impact, and heart. I was also the first to bring breathwork teacher trainings online, and I’ve rebuilt them since to keep them the best and most comprehensive available.

Now I teach breathwork classes every Sunday on Zoom, with a five-day replay. I lead in-person teacher trainings twice a year. And for anyone who wants to learn at their own pace, I offer online teacher trainings and several self-guided breathwork courses.

This work changes lives… and I’ve made it my mission to get it to the people who never would’ve found it otherwise.

Have you ever had to pivot?

When COVID hit and the world shut down, I had six in-person trainings sold out, a retreat in Iceland sold out, and classes in four different cities sold out. I refunded every single one. It was brutal.

Luckily, I had already been teaching breathwork online for years. I had live Zoom classes, online teacher trainings, and multiple digital courses ready to go. I didn’t have to scramble. I just kept showing up.

Before that, plenty of old-school breathwork teachers told me I shouldn’t be teaching this online. They insisted it wasn’t “real” breathwork unless it happened in person. I didn’t agree. I knew this work was powerful enough to reach people anywhere.

And here’s the irony. When the world shut down, every one of them moved online too. Only they were just figuring it out while I already had the experience, the systems, and the results in place.

It was a clear lesson. The people who claim authority are often just protecting their own position. If I had listened to them, none of this would exist. Following my gut, and knowing I could help people all over the world, is what kept this work alive when everything else stopped.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

My approach is real and no-nonsense. People like to call it authenticity, but honestly, I think that’s just a buzzword. It’s really the only way I know how to be. I’ve spent a lot of time getting comfortable in my own skin, figuring out who I am, and I can’t live any other way.

Sometimes I’m vulnerable. Sometimes I’m a bit edgy. But it’s always real. Most people’s biggest regret at the end of their lives is wishing they had lived more for themselves and cared less about what other people thought. When you can let go of that, you can say and do almost anything.

Being yourself fully will naturally magnetize some people to you and turn others away. You can’t authentically have opinions, show up as yourself, and have everybody like you. You have to choose.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://breathewithjp.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonpaulcrimi/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/breathewithjp/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-paul-crimi-967b80208
• Twitter: https://www.yelp.com/biz/breathe-with-jon-paul-breathwork-santa-monica-3
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoo2rpt8qhu_-U1jj76BVDA
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/breathe-with-jon-paul-breathwork-santa-monica-3