Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Esser.
Hi Stephanie, I’m so excited to have you on the platform. Before we ask about your work life, how can you bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
The breath is the first and last thing we do in this world, and never leaves our side. I am Stephanie Esser, MAed., a certified breathing coach, owner, and founder of Balancing Elephants and the creator of BE Buddy®, a multisensory breathing tool designed for children. From the moment I entered this world, the breath played a crucial role in my life. Born a premature twin with Infant Respiratory Distress Syndrome, I grappled with a breathing disorder caused by immature lungs. An incubator became my lifeline for the initial month of my life, providing the oxygen I needed to survive. Though I have no recollection of those early days, I believe the anxiety I experienced surrounding breathing in my youth can be traced back to that experience. But decades later, I discovered the art of breathing well—a revelation that fueled my passion for helping others breathe better. In today’s world, stress and anxiety have become one of the most pressing health concerns, a global epidemic affecting people of all ages. Parents grapple with situations that generate anxiety in their children, leaving them feeling helpless and concerned for their well-being. Determined to make a difference amidst rising anxiety rates, I set out to empower parents with simple yet effective tools to equip their children with the skills to navigate life’s challenges.
Recent discoveries in neuroscience have revealed a direct link between the breath and the nervous system, highlighting its potential to interrupt the stress cycle swiftly, provided it is harnessed correctly. Unfortunately, most people unknowingly breathe in a manner that perpetuates stress: fast, shallow breaths using the muscles in the neck and shoulders. However, the good news is that a change as simple as becoming aware of our breath can profoundly impact our well-being and the well-being of our children. Our breath is fundamental to our existence, accessible anytime, anywhere, and free. With the proper training and awareness, children can wield this superpower throughout their lives.
Having worked as an elementary school teacher for many years, my passion for teaching youth has continually grown. Throughout two and a half decades, I have dedicated myself to fueling both homes and educational environments with innovative tools tailored to meet the needs of today’s children. Now more than ever, we must reimagine our approaches, offering children the tools they need to reach their fullest potential.
As mindfulness expert Jon Kabat-Zinn aptly said, “You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn how to surf.” This quote epitomizes my mission to inspire and empower students with the tools to cultivate focus, strength, and compassion for themselves and others. We know that waves will come, sometimes more extensive than expected. Yet, our purpose is to guide children to discover individualized tools that help them navigate these waves. The intimate connection between breathing and stress underscores the significance of how we breathe. This realization inspired me to create BE Buddy®—a mindful breathing tool and comfort companion that enables children to tap into their internal world, fostering self-awareness and aiding in stress and emotion management. These practices allow children to develop healthy diaphragmatic breathing habits, empowering them to respond effectively to an overwhelming external world.
Mindful breathing equips children with the invaluable tool of awareness, teaching them that while they cannot control everything, they can regulate their attention toward their thoughts, responses, and actions. The inspiration for BE Buddy® and our focus on breathing originated within the walls of a kindergarten classroom. I guided the students through a breathing practice using my kids’ collection of Beanie Babies, designed to instill healthy breathing habits and promote calmness and relaxation. However, we encountered a challenge as their stuffed animals frequently slipped from their bellies, causing distractions. This setback compelled me to develop a “breathing buddy”—a uniquely shaped and weighted tool that ensures comfort and security for children during deep brain and body practices.
We take over 20,000 breaths each day, yet most of us do so in a manner that increases stress and anxiety. Our nervous systems have not fully adapted to the demands of the modern world, tirelessly working to protect us. The ability to influence our nervous system’s response lies at the heart of breathwork. At Balancing Elephants, we offer evidence-based tools and strategies to support parents, teachers, and therapists, enabling them to tap into their inner resources and navigate challenges and stress through breathwork and relaxation. We stand as the only business dedicated to teaching the mechanics of breath with a fun and engaging proprietary tool designed to facilitate these practices.
Breathing is an evidence-based, natural, cost-effective, and drug-free alternative for modifying moods and emotions. It is the only proven real-time tool to shift from stress to calm within minutes. Recognizing the profound connection between breathing and stress compels us to pay closer attention to how we breathe. While breathing is automatic, we can also breathe intentionally, reducing stress and anxiety, improving focus, strengthening our lungs, enhancing sleep quality, and boosting our immunity. My vision encompasses a future where every child learns the art of breathwork and relaxation—a readily accessible and effective tool that promotes their overall health and well-being while instilling invaluable life skills to serve them for a lifetime. The breath is your superpower. Learn how to use it!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story. Has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
As a breathing coach and the inventor of the BE Buddy® diaphragmatic breathing tool for kids, I’ve encountered my fair share of struggles. These challenges have tested my perseverance and creativity, but they’ve also taught me valuable lessons about the power of breath and the complexities of running a business.
- My first struggle was convincing people of the importance of paying attention to their breathing patterns and habits. In a world of distractions and constant busyness, breath often takes a backseat. Many people are unaware of the profound impact that breathing can have on their stress levels and overall health. It was a constant battle to educate others about the benefits of mindful breathing and to convince them to prioritize it in their daily lives.
- The second struggle was getting people to change their breathing habits, which are often deeply ingrained in their bodies after years of repetition. Habits like shallow chest breathing or breath-holding can be challenging to break, even with awareness and intention. It required patience and persistence to help clients unlearn these habits and retrain their bodies to breathe diaphragmatically, using the total capacity of their lungs.
- The third struggle came with managing a business that entailed both physical product and service-based offerings. Balancing the demands of manufacturing and distributing the BE Buddy® while providing coaching services was no easy feat. It required careful planning, organization, and a willingness to adapt to the ever-changing needs of both aspects of the business. It was a constant juggling act, but I embraced it wholeheartedly to empower children with the tools to thrive.
Despite these struggles, I remained committed to helping others harness the power of breath for better health and well-being. With each challenge, I grew more robust and more resilient, finding innovative solutions and leaning on the support of my team and community. As I navigated the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, I discovered that the journey itself was just as rewarding as the destination.
We’ve been impressed with Balancing Elephants, but for folks who might need to be more familiar, what can you share about what you do and what sets you apart?
Balancing Elephants provides trauma-sensitive, evidence-based tools and strategies for parents, teachers, and therapists to help kids tap into their inner resources to navigate challenges and stress. It uses breathwork, mindfulness, and relaxation to self-regulate and build healthy self-care habits early in life. We are the only business specializing in teaching breathing habits, mechanics, and breath psychology using a patented, fun, and engaging proprietary tool, the BE Buddy®, and STOP and BOP® method to assist in implementing these practices. While teaching kids yoga and breathing exercises, I realized that children experience many stressors that lead to anxiety and other health issues. With anxiety rates on the rise, I was determined to help caregivers teach kids simple yet effective tools to navigate life’s ups and downs proactively. Breath is directly linked to the nervous system and is the quickest way to interrupt the stress cycle (if done correctly).
Unfortunately, most people breathe inefficiently and in a way that fuels the stress cycle. The good news is you can quickly correct this with awareness and practice. Making a simple change to your life can make such a positive difference to your health and well-being. As I began teaching these practices, I saw a void in the market for fun and engaging tools to teach breathing and relaxation techniques. This is why I created the BE Buddy®, a multisensory breathing tool to help kids and families breathe well to be well.
BE Buddy® multisensory breathing pillow for kids provides a fun and interactive tool to help children learn and practice healthy breathing and relaxation techniques early in life. The pillow is designed to be a weighted breathing companion and comforting eye pillow, encouraging kids to use it regularly to build the neural pathways to self-soothe and develop emotional regulation skills. This is the only patented product on the market that provides sensory feedback to help build neural pathways to help kids manage stress via the breath. People with stress and anxiety disorders tend to chronically breathe faster and erratically. Yet, with mindful breathing practice, their respiration rate can gradually decrease, potentially translating into better health and mood and less autonomic activity. “Most people will agree that we are faced with an unprecedented youth mental health crisis, and breathwork has been recently proven to be the fastest way to stop stress in real-time.” – Andrew Huberman, Stanford Neuroscientist.
Breathing isn’t the only solution, but because of its direct influence on the nervous system (via the vagus nerve), it is often considered the lowest-hanging fruit to enhance physical, mental, and emotional health.
My brand offerings and services:
- Speaking & Trainings [see speaker one-sheet]
- Breath Coaching [Breathe 4 Empowerment 12-week breath restoration program]
- BE Buddy® multisensory diaphragmatic breathing tool and eye pillow [for sale on our website, Etsy, Amazon, and Walmart.com]
- Volume Order Opportunities
- Wellness Workshops
What do you think about happiness?
What brings me joy is spending precious moments with my family, whether we’re unwinding at our cabin in Brainerd, MN, or soaking up the beauty of the sunset with a glass of red wine in hand. Those quiet moments by the water, cooking together, watching the birds and lake activity—what makes life feel so rich and meaningful—and hosting our North Long Lake boat parade each year? That’s always a blast—our way of honoring our freedoms and veterans while creating lasting memories together.
Aside from family time, I’m all about getting outdoors for yoga, hiking, or leisurely walks with my girlfriends. The yearly trip to Maui with my mom is my favorite time. Hunting for sea glass, learning about humpback whales, the aloha spirit, and falling asleep to the soothing rhythm of the ocean waves—it’s my happy place.
Oh, and I’ve got this little obsession with breathing—I’ve got shelves stacked with books on the topic! My husband always gets a kick out of it. But you know what truly lights up my world? My 16-month-old grandson, Levi. He’s got Down Syndrome, but that extra chromosome makes him extra unique. His infectious smile and boundless joy remind us to live life fully. So yeah, that’s me—family, nature, good vibes, and much love.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://balancingelephants.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bebuddy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BalancingElephants
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-esser-b7bb2614a/
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BalancingElephants?ref=seller-platform-mcnav
Image Credits
Images of kids with BE Buddy®: Three Crowns Branding (@threecrownsbranding) Images of me: Kate Morris (@katemorriscreative)
