Frequently asked questions
Every answer about Soa, sophrology, breathing and the programmes, gathered on one page.
Soa and the app
Soa is a breathing and relaxation app for iOS, Android and the web. Sessions last 3 to 15 minutes, with AI-personalised programmes for everyday wellbeing. The method combines breathing, gentle muscle relaxation and guided imagery, an approach called sophrology.
Four things. An AI-personalised loop, with quick onboarding and gentle check-ins. Sessions that combine slow breathing, body awareness, and visualisation. Structured programmes for different everyday needs. And a privacy-first circle, where support comes through quiet emojis, with no comments.
Soa brings together paced breathing, gentle muscle relaxation and guided imagery. Research has examined some of these practices using different study designs. Our research page explains the findings and their limits.
A wellbeing method created in 1960 by neuropsychiatrist Alfonso Caycedo. It blends breathing, gentle relaxation, and positive visualisation, drawing on Western science and Eastern traditions like yoga. People practice it to reduce stress, sleep better, build confidence, and handle emotions.
No. Soa supports your wellbeing but doesn’t replace therapy or medical care. In a crisis, contact your local emergency services or a professional helpline (for example Samaritans on 116 123 in the UK, 3114 in France, 988 in the United States).
Share your mood and goals. AI selects and sequences existing guided sessions lasting 3 to 15 minutes. Your feedback informs what it recommends next; it does not generate the session content.
Soa sessions last 3 to 15 minutes. Pick a length that fits the time and energy you have today.
Programmes for stress, anxiety, sleep, focus, confidence, burnout, loneliness, grief, and phobias. More are coming soon.
You get 14 days free to try it. After that, you choose a monthly or annual subscription, cancellable anytime from the App Store or Google Play.
Yes. Soa offers team licences and anonymised insights to support wellbeing at work. Write to us at support@joinsoa.app to talk it through.
Soa is building a partner programme. If you’re a professional and interested, reach out directly to explore how we can work together.
Soa follows GDPR, stores your information securely in Europe, and collects only what’s needed to personalise your experience. Your reflections stay under your control.
Yes. You keep full control and can request an export or deletion from the app (Privacy section) or by writing to support@joinsoa.app.
Anonymised, aggregated data may be used to improve Soa, never your personal notes. You can turn this off in settings.
Only if you want it to be. Spaces like “My Circle” are completely optional, and you choose what you share.
Sophrology
Sophrology is a guided practice combining breathing, muscle relaxation and imagery. In Soa, you explore it through themed programmes with sessions lasting 3 to 15 minutes.
Some meditation practices also involve the body and breath. Sophrology usually combines breathing, relaxation and guided imagery. The choice is about the format you want to explore; this guide does not establish that one works better.
Soa sessions last 3 to 15 minutes. In-person sessions vary by practitioner and format. Choose a quiet place where you can practise comfortably.
Soa includes themes such as stress, sleep, confidence, sport and grief. These are practice themes, not treatment indications. Research into a technique does not establish the effectiveness of each Soa programme.
No. It’s a wellbeing practice that doesn’t replace medical treatment or psychotherapy. It gives you tools for the moments when you’re on your own.
Breathing
The non-negotiable rule first: never hold your breath or hyperventilate in water, under water, or right before getting in, whether it’s a pool, a bath, the sea, or a cold plunge. It can cause a blackout with no warning at all, and drowning, even in shallow water and even for strong swimmers. The gentle holds in box breathing or 4-7-8 stay light, but no breath-holding belongs anywhere near water.
Sit or lie comfortably, never while driving or operating machinery. Do not force the depth of your breath or the holds. Stop the exercise and return to natural breathing if you feel dizzy, tingly or uncomfortable.
If you are pregnant, live with a health condition or are unsure about an exercise, seek advice suited to your circumstances, particularly before breath holds or intense methods. A general guide cannot determine which format is appropriate for you.
The practices can overlap. Some forms of meditation involve observing the natural breath, while breathwork often involves deliberately changing its rhythm. Neither requires an empty mind.
Choose a time and format that fit your day. Soa sessions last 3 to 15 minutes. That describes the product format, not a therapeutic dose or a timeline for results.
Findings vary. Some studies report improvements in self-reported stress; others find no difference between two guided breathing rhythms. The studies on our research page do not evaluate Soa or guarantee individual results.
No, they’re two distinct things. Box breathing follows a 4-4-4-4 rhythm with equal breath-holds after the inhale and after the exhale. Cardiac coherence (coherent breathing) is a slow, continuous breath at about six breaths a minute, with no holds at all. Mixing them up is a common mistake.
AI in Soa
No. Sessions are built on real breathing techniques, prepared in advance. The AI selects and sequences the exercises based on your mood and goals, it doesn’t generate the content.
Yes. Your answers are used only to personalise your sessions. You can delete them at any time.
Your current mood, your goals, and your feedback after each session. The more you practise, the more the plan fits you.
People respond differently, and experiences can change from day to day. Soa does not promise a result within a set time. Your feedback helps adjust the next recommendations.
Programmes
Less Anxiety, More You
See the programme: Less Anxiety, More You →
Mindfulness centres on present experience. Sophrology combines practices such as breathing, relaxation and imagery. Formats vary, and neither is promised to work faster.
You can explore a short practice somewhere safe. If focusing on your breathing makes you more uncomfortable, stop and turn your attention to your surroundings.
There is no guaranteed timetable. The studies on our research page cannot predict your response to Soa.
No. These are wellbeing practices. A healthcare professional can help you understand persistent anxiety and choose appropriate support.
Soften Your Anger
See the programme: Soften Your Anger →
No. You can acknowledge anger and consider your response. Feeling calm at the end is not a requirement.
No. These are wellbeing exercises. If your reactions are causing problems or frightening someone, seek appropriate professional help.
No. Keep your attention on driving. Only follow a guided practice when stopped somewhere safe.
Stop the exercise and take space if the situation allows. A session cannot guarantee control of a reaction or resolution of a conflict.
Flying Calm
See the programme: Flying Calm →
Choose a time when you can explore the instructions without rushing. No number of days or sessions guarantees reduced fear.
We cannot promise that. If fear is limiting travel, a professional can help you find appropriate support.
You can use a familiar cue in your seat if comfortable. Stay available for announcements and crew instructions.
You can notice the support of your seat and breathe at a comfortable pace. This cannot assess flight safety or guarantee that worry eases.
Pauses When You Live with Tinnitus
See the programme: Pauses When You Live with Tinnitus →
No. It does not treat the cause or promise to reduce loudness. It offers relaxation exercises to discuss with your professional.
Moving attention is an exercise instruction, not evidence of a change in tinnitus. The sound may remain present.
We do not have Soa data establishing a lasting effect or a timetable for improvement.
You can try if the instructions and audio feel comfortable. Sleep is not guaranteed; continue appropriate medical or audiological support.
A Pause Before Bed
See the programme: A Pause Before Bed →
Choose a quiet point in your evening that works for you. No particular timing has been established as effective for Soa.
You might, but it is not promised or something to achieve. The practice can simply be a pause before bed.
Ask your prescriber whether the practices suit your situation. Using Soa is not a reason to reduce or stop medication.
You can explore a gentle breathing pause if comfortable. Repeated or disruptive sleep problems deserve medical advice; this programme does not treat insomnia.
A Pause During Burnout
See the programme: A Pause During Burnout →
No. Soa does not diagnose conditions. Significant or persistent exhaustion deserves a conversation with a healthcare professional.
Choose a short session and a comfortable position, or leave the practice for another day. There is nothing to catch up on.
Soa cannot predict recovery. The exercises do not replace care, rest or changes to the circumstances affecting you.
No. It is a wellbeing practice to discuss with the professional supporting you. It does not treat the causes of exhaustion.
Relaxation When You Live with Migraine
See the programme: Relaxation When You Live with Migraine →
We do not have evidence to promise that. The programme offers relaxation rather than migraine prevention or treatment.
A relaxation exercise does not establish a reduction in migraine attacks. The studies cited by Soa do not demonstrate that effect for this programme.
You do not have to. Follow your professional’s advice and stop if the audio, screen or exercise adds discomfort.
Choose according to comfort and your care plan. No frequency is presented as an effective dose for migraine.
Own Your Space
See the programme: Own Your Space →
Breathing can give your attention something to follow during a pause. We do not promise that it changes self-esteem or how others see you.
No. These are body-awareness and imagery exercises. They do not replace communication training or individual professional support.
There is no guaranteed timetable. You can observe your experience without expecting a result after a set number of sessions or weeks.
Yes, during a quiet moment beforehand. Use a familiar practice and leave time to prepare the presentation itself.
Get Your Spark Back
See the programme: Get Your Spark Back →
Soa cannot assess or treat depression. Talk with a healthcare professional about how you feel and the support available.
Begin by noticing your experience without deciding what comes next. A specific project is not required.
No. It offers breathing and imagery exercises rather than task management or a performance promise.
We cannot guarantee that. Picturing a first step is something to explore, not an explanation or solution for every difficulty starting.
Champion Mindset
See the programme: Champion Mindset →
No. You can explore the practices in recreational sport or competition preparation, without a guaranteed effect on results.
No. Imagining a movement does not replace technique, physical training or coaching.
Choose a familiar instruction when you can stay still. There is no need to change your breathing at the start or during exertion.
The programme does not replace sports psychology or healthcare. Discuss persistent difficulties with your coach or an appropriate professional.
ADHD, teaming up with your brain
See the programme: ADHD, teaming up with your brain →
Not to explore wellbeing exercises. Recognising yourself here is not a diagnosis; a professional can assess persistent attention difficulties.
Ask your treating professional whether these practices suit you. Soa does not replace medication or recommend changes to it.
The programme uses breathing, grounding and imagery. Meditation takes many forms and does not always involve an empty mind or sitting still.
You can try a pause if it feels comfortable. Soa does not promise to reduce ADHD-related emotional difficulties; discuss them with your professional if they are affecting you.
Through Grief, Toward Light
See the programme: Through Grief, Toward Light →
There is no need to start immediately. If you want to try, choose a time when you can stop freely. Seek support if the experience is too difficult.
No. You may want a pause after different kinds of loss. The programme does not decide what you should feel.
Stop and seek a familiar point of support or someone’s company. Intense emotion is not proof that an exercise is working, and you do not have to push through it.
Yes. They can help you decide whether the exercises fit your support. Soa does not promise to improve therapy outcomes.
After the storm
See the programme: After the storm →
No. These exercises focus on the present. This does not imply that discussing an event within professional therapy is unhelpful or should be avoided.
No. The programme is not a trauma treatment. Ask the professional supporting you whether the practices are suitable.
Stop the practice. Look around if that helps, and contact someone you trust or your professional support. Continuing through distress is not required.
We cannot guarantee that these exercises will suit you. Discuss them with your professional first; an external point of focus, or no exercise, may be preferable for you.
Addiction, Step by Step
See the programme: Addiction, Step by Step →
No. The programme does not replace appropriate professional support or manage withdrawal. A qualified professional can help you choose the care you need.
Soa does not recommend a particular stage of recovery. Discuss these practices with your support team, especially during withdrawal or an unstable period.
A session is not a substitute for support at that point. Contact your professional or support network rather than relying on the programme to manage the situation.
We do not have evidence to guarantee that. The programme offers breathing and attention exercises rather than treatment for a specific addiction.
Eating in Peace
See the programme: Eating in Peace →
No. It does not treat binge eating or restriction. Ask the professional supporting you whether these exercises have a place in your care.
No. There are no meal plans, calorie counts or weight targets. Weight change is not an expected outcome.
No. An exercise is not a test that gives permission to eat. Do not use it to delay or replace meals in your daily routine or care plan.
Soa cannot guarantee that. Binge eating or distress around food deserves appropriate care; a breathing practice does not replace it.
Finding Your People
See the programme: Finding Your People →
No. The practices do not replace professional support for persistent or significant social difficulties.
You can explore it if you want a guided pause. Company and practical support outside the app remain important.
No. It focuses on breathing, sensation and imagery, rather than conversation skills or a promise of social ease.
This page cannot determine the reasons for your experience. Consider talking with someone you trust or a professional, without blaming yourself for the feeling.
Reinventing your relationship
See the programme: Reinventing your relationship →
Choose a comfortable place to listen to the guidance together. Each person can adapt the instructions without copying the other’s breathing.
Respect that choice. You can revisit the idea another time, but shared practice should not become an obligation.
Choose a rhythm that suits you both. Soa does not establish an optimal frequency or guarantee an improvement in your relationship.
No. It offers a shared pause, not crisis support. It is not a way to resolve violence or coercion within a relationship.
Family Harmony
See the programme: Family Harmony →
No. This is an individual wellbeing practice, not family therapy.
Each person can explore the exercises at their own pace. We do not claim that practising together multiplies effects on the household.
The instructions focus on your own experience. They are not an age-specific parenting method and do not promise to change children’s behaviour.
If the situation allows and anyone in your care is safe, you can suggest a pause. Returning later or seeking support may still be needed.
Introduction to Sophrology
See the programme: Introduction to Sophrology →
No. The guidance explains the steps. Adapt them to your comfort and stop an exercise whenever you need to.
Explore the other themes according to your interests. Personalised recommendations use the mood, goals and feedback you share.
Meditation has many forms. This introduction combines breathing, body awareness and imagery; there can be overlap between practices.
Yes. Curiosity is enough. You do not need a particular result in mind or a problem to solve.