Breathwork Certification Near Chicago

Breathwork certification near Chicago: 3 days in person in Milwaukee, one train ride north. Starting September 17th, 2027.

Breathwork Training
Dates and Tuition

Three days in person or twelve weeks online. The same surrender-based method and mentorship from Ryan and Shelby either way.

See all dates and locations (6 more)

Every Training Includes

  • Complete course materials and manual
  • Ongoing mentorship from Ryan and Shelby
  • Private graduate community
  • Monthly graduate call on the first Wednesday of every month

Not sure yet? Share your info and we will reach out or Book a Clarity Call.

What You Walk Away With

You leave ready to guide two sessions on your own: our signature Liquid Breathwork session and a Rebirthing session, from the opening and the breath to consent-based touch and the close. You also learn trauma-informed safety.

Ryan and Shelby actively guide multiple sessions every month. We share the exact strategies we use to build community and keep clients coming back, so you can book your first paid clients.

Both formats end with the same certification, taught by Ryan and Shelby in a small cohort. In person is three days in the room, and from 2027 it includes the online cohort at no extra cost. Online on its own is 12 weeks of live group calls plus 60+ video lessons, for less. The graduate community and mentorship stay with you after.

If you can travel, come in person. Breathing in a room with your cohort is the one part a screen can't give you.

Book a Call with Ryan & Shelby

Breathwork Training From Chicago, Two Ways

None of our trainings happen in Illinois. The closest is Milwaukee, September 17-19, and from most of Chicagoland that is a morning on the Hiawatha.

It runs Friday through Sunday. Be in the room by 8:45, we start at 9 and finish about 6. Book Friday and Saturday nights in Milwaukee and ride home Sunday evening.

Rather trade a Chicago March for a warmer one? Atlanta (March 19-21) is a flight from O'Hare or Midway. Same three days, same certification.

In person in Milwaukee

Ride up for three days in the room with Ryan and Shelby. You guide real people, and you get feedback while you are still holding the space.

Next: Sep 17-19 · $1,997

In-person details

Online from home

Twelve weeks of live calls, plus lessons on your own schedule, from your place in Logan Square, Oak Park or wherever home is. Same certification at the end.

Next cohort March 9, 2027 · $1,497

Online details
NCBTMB Approved Provider seal

Massage therapists: Liquid Breathwork is an NCBTMB Approved Provider (#1003401). Our separate massage therapist course earns 24 CE hours. See the CE course

Getting to Milwaukee From Chicago

By train

Take the Amtrak Hiawatha from Union Station. It runs 7 round trips a day (6 on Sunday), and the ride is about 1 hour 29 minutes to Milwaukee Downtown.

North Shore and northern suburbs: board at Glenview and skip the Loop. The train also stops at the Milwaukee Airport station.

Driving works too. We have not timed it, so check a Friday afternoon in your maps app first.

Flying to the other trainings

Atlanta (March 19-21) and Phoenix are flights. The CTA Blue Line runs to O'Hare 24 hours a day, the Orange Line to Midway. United and American hub at O'Hare; Southwest flies from Midway.

September in Milwaukee

Milwaukee in September runs low 70s by day and mid 50s at night, a few degrees under a Chicago September. You know "cooler by the lake" from every Chicago forecast. It holds up the shore too, so pack a layer for evenings on the lakefront.

One calendar note. Summerfest 2027 wraps on July 10, so our September 17-19 weekend is clear of it. Book your room early anyway.

Coming from across the Midwest

Chicago is the hub for most of the Midwest. Here is the short version for the suburbs, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.

From the North Shore, the suburbs and Northwest Indiana

Evanston and the rest of the North Shore: board the Hiawatha at Glenview instead of riding downtown first. Oak Park and the western suburbs: Union Station is the easy start.

Northwest Indiana, the Region: the South Shore Line runs from South Bend through Gary and Hammond into Millennium Station downtown. From there you cross the Loop to Union Station for the Hiawatha. Leave plenty of room between the two trains.

Wherever you live in northern Illinois or the Region, the trip is the same: Milwaukee on September 17-19, then back home with a certification you can teach with.

From Detroit and Ann Arbor

Detroit, Michigan and Ann Arbor ride the Amtrak Wolverine: 3 daily round trips from Pontiac through Detroit and Ann Arbor to Chicago Union Station, about 5 and a half hours from Detroit. The Hiawatha leaves from the same station. Do not count on a same-day connection; plan a night downtown or in Milwaukee and ride up rested.

If September does not work, scroll back up to the cards. Atlanta (March 19-21) is one of the other in-person trainings there, and the online training runs from home.

From Indianapolis and Columbus

Indianapolis, Indiana sits between two of our trainings. Milwaukee (September 17-19) is the drive north; Atlanta (March 19-21) is the flight south. Pick whichever month fits your calendar.

Columbus, Ohio is a true tossup between the Midwest and the East Coast. Milwaukee (September 17-19) or Washington, D.C. (May 21-23). Our East Coast page lays out D.C. and Atlanta side by side.

Check your own drive time, then pick the weekend that fits.

What Our Graduates Say

Matthew Seibert, Liquid Breathwork certification graduate

Matthew Seibert - Healing practitioner, LBW graduate

“One of the things that really stood out for me during the training was a lot of the hands-on practice that we got, all the reps. It helped me feel more prepared and more confident in my ability to facilitate Breathwork on my own.”

He chose Liquid Breathwork after comparing several certification programs, and now brings Breathwork into the healing work he already does.

Sisily Chevalier, Liquid Breathwork facilitator

Sisily Chevalier - Owner of Body by Sisily, LBW facilitator

“So grateful for both of you, Ryan and Shelby. You’re changing my life right as we speak ... the ladies both booked for next week for paid sessions.”

After getting certified she had paid one-on-ones and a group session booked in Santa Clarita.

Krystal, Liquid Breathwork facilitator

Krystal - Realtor, nurse, LBW facilitator

“I was really looking for something that was more gentle, more supportive ... and Liquid Breathwork delivered just that.”

She arrived a beginner, after one Breathwork class elsewhere that felt like a lot. She left certain that everything we need is already within us.

Students speaking about the Liquid Breathwork certification training

Inside the Liquid Breathwork room - June 2025 training highlights

Hear from past students as they went through our June 2025 training.

A short look at what a full Liquid Breathwork session actually looks like from the inside.

Shelby holding space at a Liquid Breathwork sound session

Shelby - Registered nurse, LBW facilitator

Sells out a women’s only class every month.

Fourteen years a registered nurse, and Ryan’s star student. She has kept those classes full for over two years.

Nigel, therapist and Liquid Breathwork facilitator

Nigel - Therapist and LBW facilitator

“I felt like that one session of Breathwork was more impactful than multiple sessions of EMDR that I received in therapy.”

He now guides Liquid Breathwork along with practicing as a clinical psychologist.

Kat McGill guiding a Breathwork session at a music festival

Kat McGill - Chef and LBW facilitator, owner of Breath and Blossom

Leads Breathwork at music festivals.

Gem & Jam and Peak State in Austin, 20+ people on the grass.

Joseph Norris, Liquid Breathwork facilitator in Flagstaff

Joseph Norris - LBW facilitator and dad, owner of TranceSENDent Breathwork, Flagstaff, Arizona

“The training gave me the confidence to speak with knowledge about breathwork ... the experiencer is put more at ease and able to go deeper knowing that what is happening is normal and ok.”

He has run a class or two every month since April under his own brand.

Brittany Prince guiding a Breathwork class

Brittany Prince - LBW facilitator, owner of Awakened Prana

“The group calls are supportive and range from business growth to breaking down student’s teachings for feedback.”

Weekly classes, held so consistently that three of her breathers came and got certified in Liquid Breathwork too.

Swipe →

Meet more graduatesRead every review

What the Training Covers

Chicago already moves outdoors: the Lakefront Trail, about 18 miles from Edgewater to South Shore, and the 606 above Wicker Park and Logan Square. What we teach is the room: guiding one person, then a full circle, through a Liquid Breathwork session. Liquid Breathwork is a surrender-based inward journey: still powerful, but not as intense as some styles like Holotropic Breathwork, so you can actually go deeper through surrender. See the full curriculum on the certification page.

The pace is trauma-informed. The person on the mat sets the depth, and you learn who should not breathe this way and how to bring someone back slowly.

Safety gets its own block: contraindications, waivers, consent around touch. Then the business side. If you plan to teach back home, we cover pricing and filling your first rooms, Andersonville to Oak Park. Mentorship continues after the weekend. 73 students have enrolled so far.

Want to try a class first? Our Breathwork classes near Chicago page lists what is running around the city. Searched for a Breathwork certification near Chicago? The short answer is Milwaukee, one train north.

Teach yoga? See yoga continuing education near Chicago.

Breathwork Certification Curriculum

Self & Breath Mastery

23 lessons

Self Mastery 5 lessons

  • How the Members Area Works (platform tour)
  • Welcome to Liquid Breathwork
  • Consciousness, Authenticity & the L.I.Q.U.I.D. Method
  • Lenses, Maps of Consciousness, Letting Go & Parts Work
  • Intention Setting & Integration Prompts

Breath Mastery 18 lessons

  • What Is Breathwork? The Breath Spectrum
  • History of Breathwork: The Source and the Streams
  • Understanding Liquid Breathwork
  • The Transformational Breath Formula
  • Nose vs Mouth: When to Use Each
See all 18 lessons

The Art of Facilitation

20 lessons

  • Goal Setting & Vision
  • Your Role: Objective & Subjective Safety
  • Trauma-Informed Facilitation
  • The Keys to the Art of Facilitation
  • Physical Touch: Consent & Techniques
  • Vocal Cueing
  • Opening a Session & the Breathwork Script
  • Structuring a Session: The Energetic Arc
  • Session Planner Walkthrough
See all 20 lessons

Includes two full narrated live sessions, close-up touch demos and a practice assignment.

Breathwork Marketing

17 lessons

Marketing Channels 10 lessons

  • Keys to Success & Creating More Impact
  • Marketing Principles: The General Notes
  • Organic, Referrals & Grassroots
  • Social Media
  • Email Marketing
See all 10 lessons

Business Setup & Resources 7 lessons

  • Session Rates & Pricing
  • Requirements for Certification & the Practicum
  • Insurance, Waivers & Contraindications
  • Music & Playlists: Building the Energy Arc
  • Events, Booking & Payments
See all 7 lessons

Beyond our method. You'll study how Holotropic Breathwork®, the Wim Hof Method®, transformational Breathwork and Rebirthing work, so you know where each one comes from and how ours differs. You'll also learn both ends of the breath: when to breathe more than the body needs (hyperventilation), when to breathe less (hypoventilation), and how to guide people safely through either.

Holotropic Breathwork and the Wim Hof Method are registered trademarks of their owners. Liquid Breathwork is not affiliated with them, and your certification is in the Liquid Breathwork method.

The In-Person Immersive

Three days in the room, Friday through Sunday. Ryan McBurney and Shelby Von Oepen, RN BSN, co-lead every training. You receive sessions yourself, then guide your classmates while Ryan and Shelby give you feedback in the moment.

Cohorts are small, so everyone gets real reps guiding full Breathwork sessions. You graduate with the Liquid Breathwork Facilitator Certification.

2027 tuition is $1,997 early bird while early-bird seats last, then $2,497, with monthly payment plans, and the full 12-week online cohort is included at no extra cost. We email the exact address before the training.

The 12-Week Live Online Cohort

The same curriculum, run from home. Our 2027 in-person immersives include it at no extra cost, or take it on its own for less. Each week pairs one live group call with Ryan and Shelby and a video module you watch on your own schedule.

The calls are where the work happens: teaching, live breakout practice, feedback on your facilitation, and business coaching. In small breakout rooms you guide a classmate and are guided in return.

The next cohort starts March 9, 2027. Tuition is $1,497 early bird through January 1, 2027, then $1,797, with monthly payment plans.

Meet Your Guides

Ryan McBurney, founder of Liquid Breathwork and lead breathwork facilitator training instructor in Arizona

Ryan McBurney

Founder & Lead Facilitator

8 years guiding Breathwork, 7 breath programs behind him including 4 full certifications, and a 21-day Breath Mastery Retreat in the Baja desert with Dan Brulé. He has guided hundreds of one-on-one sessions and led groups for thousands of people. Ryan created the surrender-based method this training is built on.

Shelby Von Oepen, co-founder of Liquid Breathwork and breathwork teacher training instructor specializing in somatic support

Shelby Von Oepen

Co-Founder & Lead Facilitator

A registered nurse of fourteen years, and the graduate Ryan still calls his “Star Student”. She has been selling out women’s only classes almost every month for more than two years. Shelby brings an intuitive & nurturing energy into sessions and the training, which is the part of facilitation nobody learns from a video.

Ryan McBurney guiding a live Liquid Breathwork class in Phoenix

Feel our style first

Get a free recording of one of our live Breathwork classes.

Get My Free Recording

Chicago Breathwork Certification FAQ

Where is the closest Breathwork certification to Chicago?

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, September 17-19, 2027, about 1 hour 29 minutes north of Union Station on the Amtrak Hiawatha. Your deposit transfers to another training date. Refunds are available up to 30 days before the training starts. Atlanta (March 19-21) is the next closest in-person training, and the online training runs from home.

Can I take the train from Chicago to the Milwaukee training?

Yes. The Amtrak Hiawatha runs 7 round trips a day (6 on Sunday) between Chicago Union Station and Milwaukee Downtown, about 1 hour 29 minutes each way, with a stop at Glenview for the North Shore and one at Milwaukee Airport. We start at 9 each morning, so most people stay in Milwaukee Friday and Saturday nights instead of riding up and back each day.

How much does the Breathwork certification cost?

The September 17-19 Milwaukee training is $1,997, not including lodging or meals. Online is $1,497 early bird through January 1, 2027, then $1,797. Deposits and monthly payment plans are available. Questions: inhale@liquidbreathwork.com or 480-660-9890.

Get Details or Book a Call

Get the details, or book a Clarity Call first. We will talk through the trip up and whether this training fits.

Book a Call
Clarity Call