Dear Friend,

One year ago, on October 20th, 2024, I sat on the floor after our very first Breath by Design session, tears streaming down my face, completely overcome with gratitude and awe. I remember looking around the room at faces glowing with relief, softness, and peace, and knowing in my soul that something extraordinary had begun. We didn’t have all the answers, we didn’t have a blueprint, we just had faith, purpose, and a belief that breath could change lives. And it did.

I can still feel the energy of that night, the way the room hummed with nervous excitement, the way people showed up not quite knowing what to expect but leaving with hearts cracked open. There was a sacred stillness in the air afterward, that quiet moment when you know you’ve touched something divine. We didn’t realize it then, but that was the moment Breath by Design was born, not just as a business, but as a living, breathing movement of people reclaiming their light.

In those early days, I remember loading my car with sound bowls, blankets, and candles, driving to studios and spaces that had never hosted breathwork before, praying people would show up. Sometimes there were five of us, sometimes twenty, sometimes only one. But every time, the energy was the same — pure, intentional, and full of hope. Those small rooms held some of the biggest breakthroughs I’ve ever witnessed. It taught me to focus not on the size of the space, but on the depth of the healing within it.

There were times I doubted myself, times I questioned if people would understand what we were trying to do. But every single person who took that first breath with us was part of the foundation we stand on today. Every tear that fell, every hug shared after a session, every whispered “thank you” reminded me why this work matters. Breath by Design was never about perfection, it was about presence. About showing up in truth and letting the breath do what only the breath can do.

Breath By Design Grand Opening October 20th, 2024

Since that night, Breath by Design has become something far greater than I could have ever imagined. Together, we’ve breathed 3,037 times, shared 834 hours of healing, given 478 free sessions, facilitated 278 workshops, and formed 52 business collaborations. We’ve hosted 4 corporate wellness programs, 3 private retreats, traveled across 2 continents, and celebrated 1 Reclaim Your Light Retreat that reminded us of the power of collective healing.

But these numbers, they aren’t just data on a page. They represent thousands of moments where lives were quietly changed. 3,037 breaths means over three thousand journeys where someone chose to face their pain, their past, or their limiting beliefs head-on. It’s 3,037 times someone said, “I’m ready to heal,” and trusted the process enough to surrender to something greater than themselves. Every one of those breaths carries a story, of courage, tears, laughter, and renewal.

834 hours of healing means that for over a month’s worth of time, non-stop, day and night, we’ve sat in the sacred space of transformation. That’s 834 hours of releasing trauma, rewriting inner narratives, reconnecting with purpose, and remembering that we are not broken, just becoming whole again. For the average person, that’s the equivalent of watching every sunrise and sunset for an entire month, and with each one, being reborn a little more.

478 free sessions means nearly 500 people received healing when they needed it most, not because they could afford it, but because healing should never have a price tag. It’s the single mom who came in after years of carrying everything alone. It’s the veteran who finally exhaled his first full breath in decades. Its the recovery client that has tried everything and walked away with hope. It’s the college student who found peace in the middle of anxiety. That number means inclusion, compassion, and the reminder that breathwork is for everyone, no matter where they are in life.

278 workshops represent hundreds of communities that have opened their doors and hearts to healing. That’s 278 nights of collective energy, tears on yoga mats, laughter during grounding exercises, and hugs that lasted longer than words ever could. It’s 278 rooms filled with souls waking up to the truth that healing isn’t lonely, it’s shared, it’s human, it’s divine.

And 52 business collaborations means 52 local partners who believed in something greater than themselves. That number represents a web of light stretching across North Texas, studios, healers, musicians, artists, and wellness leaders who came together with one intention: to help others remember who they are.

When I see 4 corporate wellness programs, I think of companies beginning to care about their people again, learning that productivity starts with peace. When I see 3 private retreats, I think of those intimate weekends where breakthroughs happened in the middle of nature, where silence spoke louder than words. When I see 2 continents, I remember the moment we realized that this work had no borders. And when I see that 1 Reclaim Your Light Retreat, I think of the hundreds of tears that turned into smiles, a reminder that collective healing is not a dream, it’s happening right here, right now.

But the true magic is not in the numbers, it’s in the stories.

It’s in the couples who found their way back to love after nearly giving up, in the women who conceived new life after releasing trauma that had been held in their bodies for years, and in the souls who found courage to forgive themselves and start again. It’s in the friendships formed, the laughter shared, the tears released, and the peace reclaimed. We’ve seen anxiety dissolve into stillness, grief melt into gratitude, and anger turn into forgiveness.

There were so many unforgettable moments. Like the night the power went out mid-session and the entire room began singing softly in the dark, guided only by breath and trust. Or the day a man who hadn’t cried in 20 years released everything he had been holding, sobbing freely in a circle of strangers who became his family. Or the time we held space for a woman who told us afterward that she finally felt safe in her own body for the first time since she was a little girl. And of course, the laughter, like the session where someone snored so loudly during their healing journey that the whole group giggled until we cried. It was real, raw, human, and beautiful.

These are the memories that make me smile through tears. Because Breath by Design didn’t just change other people’s lives, it changed mine.

This year, I healed in ways I never expected. Breathwork reconnected me to my sense of self, to God, and to the divine intelligence of the universe. It softened the walls around my heart and taught me that surrender is strength. It helped me feel safe inside my body again, reminding me that healing doesn’t mean becoming someone new, it means remembering who we already are. Watching each of you find your own peace has been the greatest accomplishment of my life.

This journey has taken us around the world, including to Peru, where a brave group of souls joined us for a life-changing retreat surrounded by the spirit of the jungle. Through ayahuasca ceremonies, breathwork under the stars, deep release, and profound connection, we learned what it means to truly let go. It was sacred, humbling, and unforgettable. That experience has now inspired three more retreats next year, each one for souls ready to step even deeper into their freedom and truth.

None of this could have happened without the spaces that believed in us. To Yoga on Main in Frisco, our very first home, thank you for giving us the chance to grow. To Exhale 817, More Than Yoga, Fort Worth Float Factory, Altered State Wellness, Se7ven Waves, Gallery DeFi, Hall Park Hotel, JW Marriott, and Vann Wellness Group, your openness, belief, and trust in this mission allowed us to bring breathwork into every corner of this city and beyond. You’ve helped us prove that healing belongs everywhere, from sacred studios to corporate offices to the hearts of those who didn’t even know they were searching for it.

Brittney Witt, Dr. Rachel Sims, Lisa Young

To Brittney Witt, my soul sister, my sound, and the frequency behind every transformation, there are not enough words to express my gratitude. I’ll never forget the first time I attended your floating sound bath. Something in me whispered that night, You need to meet her. And I am so deeply thankful I listened. From that moment, you became an essential part of Breath by Design. You are the sound that carries every breath, the vibration that holds every release, and the calm before and after every storm. You’ve been a pillar of love, creativity, and alignment through this entire year. Your ability to create harmony between sound and spirit continues to elevate everything we do. Your presence has grounded me, your faith has inspired me, and your friendship has blessed my life in ways that words can never fully capture. You were never just a collaborator, Brittney, you were and are a divine connection sent right on time.

And to Mama Lisa, my mother, my partner, and the heart of this mission, thank you for being the embodiment of unconditional love. You have been the quiet strength behind every idea, the laughter in every challenge, and the comfort in every storm. You somehow manage to show up as Mama Lisa for everyone who walks through our doors, offering hugs that heal and words that soften even the hardest days. Your nurturing spirit, your faith, and your unwavering belief in what we’re doing have touched thousands of lives. You’ve taught me that love can be both soft and fierce, that healing can be playful, and that laughter truly is medicine. You are the heartbeat of this entire journey, and none of this would have been possible without you.

To our community, you are the reason for it all. You have built something sacred, a space where strangers become family and healing becomes contagious. Watching you show up for yourselves, breathe through pain, and share your light with others has been the most inspiring experience of my life. Some of you have gone on to start your own healing businesses, others have taken what you learned here and carried it into your homes, relationships, and workplaces. You’ve proven that breathwork is not just a practice, it’s a lifestyle, a way of returning home to love again.

I thank God and the Universe every single day for guiding me here, for showing me that miracles are real when we lead with faith, humanity, love, and forgiveness. This year has reminded me that we can be the humanity we’re all searching for if we simply open our hearts, breathe together, and remember that love heals everything.

So now, it’s time to celebrate.
This Thursday, October 24th, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Hall Park Hotel in Frisco, we honor one year of Breath by Design, one year of courage, one year of healing, and one year of you. Come celebrate this journey of breath, community, and rebirth. Bring a friend for free “BREATHFRIEND” and join us in reconnecting to the purest part of who we are, our inner child.

We would love to hear how Breath by Design has touched your life. If you cannot join us for Thursday’s celebration, we’d be so grateful if you would share your experience on our Facebook reviews, letting others know how breathwork has helped you, healed you, or shifted your life in any way. Or, if you feel inspired, invite 1–2 of your friends to your next class and share the gift of healing with someone you care about. If financial considerations are a barrier, please don’t hesitate to reach out, we want everyone to have the opportunity to experience breathwork and be part of this community.

Because you, our community, have helped heal mine. Let’s come together this Thursday to laugh, breathe, and celebrate how far we’ve come. Let’s honor the light within each of us and continue to grow as the family that healing built. We cannot wait to hug you thursday!

With my whole heart and endless gratitude,
Dr. Rachel Sims

Happy One Year Anniversary Breath By Design

Healing the Little One Inside You 💛

🌍 World Mental Health Day