Training as a respiratory therapist: Experience report by Camilla Ryffel - as a respiratory therapist, I am committed to helping patients with lung diseases

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Camilla Ryffel. I spent the first 20 years of my life in Denmark. When I came to Switzerland for love, I first completed a commercial apprenticeship. After the birth of my daughter, I started to develop in the health sector, following a long-held wish. To this end, I trained as a nutrition coach, Nordic walking instructor and mental coach. Now I have also completed my breathing therapy training and work as a breathing therapist. During the start-up phase of the practice, I was still employed part-time at Spitex after completing a Red Cross course. For a while I also worked as a respiratory therapist in a Medbase health center and was able to gain some experience there. Today, my practice focuses on people with lung diseases.

Why respiratory therapy?

However, I felt the need to do something that could also help people with illnesses officially recognized by health insurance companies. When I studied the EMR list, I was immediately fascinated by respiratory therapy and respiratory therapists. After all, the breath is omnipresent and reacts to every emotion. As soon as I read about this form of therapy, I felt very drawn to it. Breath therapy aroused my interest and I wanted to find out more about it.

Why did you choose LIKA as your school?

I looked at various schools and quickly discovered LIKA. I was convinced by the location in the countryside and the inclusion of Dr. Glaser's meridian teachings in the breathing therapy training. These two aspects made my decision easy.

How did you experience the respiratory therapy training?

For me, the three years of breathing therapy training were very enriching. I was very curious about the theoretical knowledge and read a lot about this area. In the end, however, I realized that it was the practical experience in particular that led me to understand respiratory therapy properly. Reading up on it gave me confidence. But experiencing the feeling of being connected to the breath was the aha moment for me. This also showed me the importance of teaching theory and practice in breath therapy training. At the beginning, I found the exercise groups rather time-consuming and questioned their necessity. But in retrospect, this was very valuable and really necessary, especially for me. It was the experience of the theoretical content through practical exercises that triggered the learning process.

What convinced you about the LIKA School?

The treatment of the meridian theory according to Dr. Glaser really convinced me at LIKA. The whole meridian process and the psychosomatic concepts were dealt with in great depth during the training in breathing therapy. This was very exciting. The theoretical knowledge, practical experience and meridian knowledge gave me a good foundation to start working as a respiratory therapist. This gave me a good level of confidence and made it easier for me to start working as a respiratory therapist.

How does the knowledge acquired in respiratory therapy support the professional activity?

The knowledge I gained in breathing therapy formed the foundation of my professional activity. I was able to start working with it and build up my own practice. I collected my 150 hours for EMR recognition. This was a bit of a struggle. Then came the challenge of filling my respiratory therapy practice and keeping it busy. This requires networking and exchange with the breathing association. I joined a trauma network group in Basel-Land. There I came into contact with specialists and got to know a pulmonologist who runs a practice in the same town. I then showed him my respiratory therapy practice and gave him an insight into my work as a respiratory therapist. This resulted in a collaboration. This resulted in more patients for my practice and has certainly influenced my future career, as I now treat several patients with COPD, lymphoedema and asthma.

Have you completed any other more specific training courses?

My additional training in reflexive breathing massage resulted from the new patient group. This was very well received by my patients and has led to a turning point in my respiratory therapy practice. Because now even more lung patients are being referred to me. This great method involves working on the skin - which was new for me, but I really appreciate it. It immediately gives patients more room to breathe and more space. It also relieves a lot of tension and makes it easier to breathe again. I then learned about a breathing method for the long-term regulation of hyperventilation, which helps to calm breathing disorders caused by rapid, shallow, frequent or superficial breathing. This allows asthma patients in my respiratory therapy practice to manage with less medication.

Have you passed the higher professional examination to become a federally certified respiratory therapist?

After completing 36 hours of supervision in group and individual treatments, I took the higher professional examination to become a federally certified respiratory therapist in order to obtain the federal diploma and thus achieve optimal conditions on the job market. Today, when I do a relaxation exercise with a patient or teach meditation, I can draw on the foundation of my breathing therapy training and the interlinking of theoretical and practical knowledge. I can call this up automatically through the numerous intensive practical exercises and apply it directly.

Did you face any challenges during your breathing therapy training?

The challenge for me during the breathing therapy training was getting involved in practical exercises. However, the more I did this, the easier it became. Another challenge was to perceive and feel things from the therapist's perspective. As I had never worked physically before, it was new for me to feel what was happening with the other person.

Has further training in respiratory therapy increased your satisfaction?

The respiratory therapy training has greatly increased my satisfaction. I have taken a big step forward in my professional life. I can now do what I love doing. After a few years of building up my practice, I now have a busy practice. Today I can reap the rewards of the experience I have gained and the networks I have built up. I feel richly blessed by the many wonderful encounters that I am able to experience in my breathing therapy practice. Being able to live from this fills me with joy.

What learning content did you find particularly useful?

What has shaped me so much through the breath therapy training is the perception of the body, being able to interpret and understand the breath. Being able to explore and discover the breath together with the client in order to find a good solution for the person concerned. This is what the LIKA Institute ultimately gave me and made possible. During the journey of discovery at the school, everything came together in the end. However, you only really discover and understand this coherent unit after the breathing therapy training.

Where would you be today without your training in respiratory therapy?

If I hadn't completed the training in respiratory therapy, I would now be employed in the commercial sector or in Spitex or nursing. Instead, I am now my own boss, I can make my own decisions and do what I want to do. This is a huge enrichment in my life and I am grateful for it.

Who would you recommend the respiratory therapy training course to?

I would recommend the breathing therapy training to people who are ready to open up to new possibilities and learn something about themselves. You need a desire to go on a journey of discovery. This leads to your own breath and to yourself. It leads to inner growth. It should be borne in mind that a build-up phase is necessary before you can really earn your living through breathing therapy alone.

What was the atmosphere like at LIKA?

The atmosphere at LIKA was always very informal and pleasant. Even today - years later - I am still in contact with other participants. There are still regular meetings.

What did the training do for you personally?

The training in breathing therapy has taken me on a journey of personal discovery. I got to know myself better and gained more confidence. This has clearly moved me forward in my personal process. I was also asked to take on a mentoring role at LIKA to support students who want to take the higher professional examination.

Overview of respiratory therapy training to become a respiratory therapist