In a fresh and exciting development in wellness, sophrology has been integrated in a therapeutic diving method developed by Bathysmed® — a unique approach that invites you to descend beneath the surface of waters and experience new depths of self‐regulation, mindful awareness and embodied tranquillity. Bathysmed® describes itself as an evidence‐based therapeutic approach to scuba diving, in which mindfulness meditation and sophrology techniques are combined with the natural slowing and deepening of the breath that occurs under water. The essence is this: the diving regulator and environment naturally encourage a coherent breathing rhythm, which in turn synchronises body and mind, activating the parasympathetic nervous system. Immersion increases focus and proprioceptive awareness, all acting together to promote a state of meaningful calm. In other words — the underwater world becomes a medium for sophrological exploration and transformation.
This is particularly exciting for us in the sophrology community, because it opens up a playful, immersive, and nature-anchored way to practice the body-mind discipline we cherish. Rather than simply standing or sitting in a safe space, you are gently immersed in water, guided through breath, awareness, and movement, thereby leveraging immersive sensory stimuli (weightlessness, ambient water pressure, marine colours and sounds) alongside sophrology’s own tools of dynamic relaxation, conscious breathing, positive visualisation and mental rehearsal. What’s more, four clinical trials have confirmed the effectiveness of this integrative approach. A newly published qualitative study has been added to the evidence base showing that this combined diving‐and‐mindfulness paradigm can have positive outcomes in adults living with obesity. This new paper (2025) adds evidence to the notion that embodied, nature-rich practices like Bathysmed® can extend sophrology’s reach into therapeutic contexts beyond stress and anxiety into broader health-related quality of life domains.