Today we’d like to introduce you to Odette Cressler.
Hi Odette, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My name is Odette Cressler. I was born and raised in Guadalajara, Mexico and I moved to San Diego in 2010, after meeting a boy that is now my husband. I currently live in Chula Vista with my husband, two kids, and many pets!
Entrepreneurship runs in my blood thanks to my parents. My family grew up opening businesses and saying yes to adventure. We were a “build the plane as you fly it” kind of people and I think that has stayed in the essence of who I am today.
Growing up, I searched for worth in achievement, perfection, and external validation. I battled an eating disorder for many years before finding recovery over a decade ago, and later found sobriety. My dad just hit 17 years sober. I like to think that we are the beginning of a change in our family tree. Some people say addiction runs in their family. I like to say recovery runs in mine. Recovery isn’t an easy path but to me, it definitely is the path to a whole life. I very much like who I am when I am living in recovery.
My recovery journey eventually led me to breathwork, which transformed my healing in ways I never expected. I attended a retreat in which we had a big group breathwork session and I was very moved by what the session did for me. I found that even though I had been doing therapy for years, I still needed my body to understand things in a different way. It’s like I knew better but I didn’t necessarily feel better and I found the breath to be the bridge between my mind and my body. Breathwork taught me how to safely reconnect with my body, process emotions I had spent years avoiding, and find peace within myself. “It’s not about feeling better, but about getting better at feeling.”
All of this inspired me to become a certified breathwork facilitator and to create The Harmony House, a space where others can experience that same possibility for healing. I like telling my clients that I want them to create their own safe container within their bodies. So that they can always come back to themselves and find a sense of grounding, even when life gets complicated. I also am always trying to come back to the present moment and remembering to connect with the breath is an excellent tool that has helped with that pursuit.
Running is a big part of my journey too and unexpectedly became one of my greatest teachers. What started as movement turned into a practice of resilience, presence, and trust. To me, miles on the trail in nature mirror recovery —one step at a time, one breath at a time. Through ultrarunning, I’ve learned that we are capable of so much more than we believe, especially when we keep moving forward through discomfort. I am currently training for the biggest race of my life and I am very excited about it. I hope to cross the finish line at Sedona Canyons 125 next May. Running blocks take a lot of time and energy and through my training I also aim to show other busy moms that we can make time for ourselves and our hobbies, that we deserve that.
Today, my mission is simple: to help people remember that they are not broken. Whether I’m guiding someone through breathwork, running mountain trails, raising my children, or sharing my story, I hope people leave believing that transformation is possible for them.
Healing is possible for all of us, and sometimes it begins with a single breath, a single honest conversation, or a single brave step forward.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have been many setbacks and struggles. It has taken me a lot of time to understand and accept that setbacks are part of any journey. That they have value to add and lessons to learn.
I think motherhood is a very wild ride full of ups and downs that can have a direct impact on your mental health. I am always managing my recovery and try to be vigilant of how I am doing, however sometimes there are definitely chapters when I feel like life is becoming too stressful or overwhelming and I hit the pause button on my breathwork practices and attempts at growing my business.
Being a fully functioning human in our modern world comes with a lot of juggling, specially if you are a working parent. Now that my kids are older and they each have their own after school activities, my husband and I really have to strategize to ensure that everything is being done and that we are crossing off all of our to-dos. It is an enormous privilege to be able to raise kids and live in California but also, it is stressful and comes with a lot of responsibility. I am constantly trying to slow down and do less, while living in an environment where it seems like we are being asked to do more. This is why I am so grateful to have found breathwork as it is an antidote to this frazzled state of being that many of us struggle with.
In terms of recovery and sobriety, it is many times tricky to be the person in the room that is choosing not to drink or putting some strong boundaries in place, but it always pays off. I like being a part of the conversation that is helping people notice how their habits may be affecting them and being a resource to anyone who needs it.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Introspective breathwork™ is a therapeutic practice that uses conscious, focused breathing to connect with your subconscious mind. This type of therapy allows you to access deeper states of awareness and potentially uncover insights, emotions, or memories that may be hidden, with the goal of achieving healing, clarity, or guidance in the present moment. Introspective breathwork™ is an invitation to go within, allowing you to reconnect with your most authentic self and heal from the inside out. And embodied practice that guides you back to yourself.
The connection between breath and our body is profound. The breath serves as a bridge between our conscious and unconscious states. Through Introspective Breathwork™, we can access and release deeply held emotions and traumas that might be stored in our bodies. As we breathe deeply and intentionally, we signal to our nervous system that it’s safe to let go, promoting a sense of ease and calm within ourselves.”
I’ve created a safe and welcoming space where you can release trauma, break free from limiting beliefs, and reconnect with your true self. Through breathwork, I guide you to tap into your own wisdom, unlock your potential, and practice embodiment as a way to integrate healing into your everyday life.
Community, compassion, and self-realization are at the heart of what we do. Every breath is a step toward healing, growth, and alignment with your true purpose.
At The Harmony House, we envision a world where people feel free from their past, grounded in the present, and inspired to live authentically. Join us on this journey—your breath is the key to transformation. I offer 1:1 in person or virtual sessions as well as group breathwork sessions.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
As the world keeps moving at a fast pace, I think that the need for practices such as breathwork will continue to grow and expand. We need to learn how to regulate ourselves and adjust to these fast changes and breathwork is a tool that can help us do just that. Breathwork has been growing more and more in the last few years and I see it continuing to grow. I think that therapy is now normalized and pairing it with a practice such as breathwork will be the new normal in a few years. An additional tool that anybody can benefit from, from people dealing with emotional trauma to professionals in a corporate environment trying to show up better at work.
Pricing:
- $75 for 1 hour session of breathwork (1:1 or online)
- Group sessions depend on group size for pricing
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/odettecressler
- Facebook: www.instagram.com/theharmonyhouse.sd
