Now based in Dubai, where she has lived for the past decade, Tamara Korstick is a 33-year-old breathwork facilitator originally from Switzerland. Her work today is deeply shaped by her own personal experience with stress, overwhelm, and life inside the corporate world.
Welcome to a brand-new series (Work Life Balance in Dubai) featuring conversations with people in Dubai about how they manage work-life balance.
Dubai is a city of gold and opportunity, and if you’ve been there, you’ll notice a sense of people constantly on the move, working and striving to improve their lives and earn a living.
In this first installment, we speak with Tamara Korstick, a professional 9D breathwork facilitator.
Before breathwork became her profession, it was her support system. At a time when she felt disconnected and constantly operating in survival mode, she began exploring breathwork as a way to regulate her nervous system and regain a sense of control. What started as a practical coping mechanism gradually evolved into a powerful, life-changing practice.
As her understanding deepened, Tamara realised that breathwork was more than a personal tool; it was a calling. She has since built a practice centred on healing, self-connection, and sustainable well-being, helping others access the same clarity and balance that once helped her navigate her own journey.
Before learning from her, it’s important to understand what 9D breathwork is.
According to 9dbreathwork.com, 9D Breathwork combines the ancient power of conscious breathing with cutting-edge sound technology, frequency science, and precision programming, creating the most immersive, effective, and transformative system on the planet.
With that foundation in mind, we asked Tamara to share her perspective on work–life balance, travel, and holding space for others in a fast-paced city like Dubai.
With a career that involves frequent travel and holding space for others through 9D breathwork, how do you personally maintain work-life balance?
This is a great question. I have my own routine that I practice every day to help me feel grounded, focused, and energized. Holding space for others requires me to be in the right mindset, and my routine supports that.
I also have a small ritual that I apply before holding space for others. It involves cleansing the space of negative energies and ensuring I have a layer of protection, so I can maintain an energetic boundary between the participants’ emotional releases and my own aura.
What practices help you stay centered when you’re constantly moving between cities, clients, and environments?
I try to move my body every day—whether that’s a workout or simply going for a walk outside to disconnect. I also follow a daily breathwork routine.
Sleep is extremely important for restoring the body and cells, so I make sure I get enough quality sleep every night. Consistency has always been key for me.
Does conducting 9D breathwork sessions impact your own self-care routine—and if so, how?
As mentioned earlier, the ritual that I apply before holding space for others not only declutters negative energies but also provides a layer of protection so I can keep an energetic distance between the participants’ emotional releases and my own energy field.
It’s a process of learning how to empathetically hold space without becoming too emotionally involved or absorbing what the client experiences.
What boundaries do you put in place to ensure your energy is protected, especially when facilitating deep emotional work?
As mentioned above, energetic boundaries and preparation rituals are essential. They allow me to be fully present while still protecting my own energy.
How do you create a sense of “home” or stability while traveling frequently for work?
For me, it’s all about consistency. I try to maintain my daily routines whether I’m at home, traveling for work, or traveling for pleasure.
That said, I’ve also learned to accept that sometimes things get hectic. I may not be able to complete my full routine or go on as long a walk as I planned—and that’s okay. I used to be very hard on myself, trying to make everything perfect, but that mindset often leads to burnout rather than balance.
Has living in or spending time in Dubai or the UAE influenced your approach to wellness, mindfulness, or balance?
My approach has always been to stay fully authentic and be myself. I don’t follow trends or try to be someone I’m not. I genuinely want to help people improve their quality of life.
If you look too much left and right, especially in the wellness industry, it can become overwhelming and lead you away from authenticity. I’m very intentional about where I go and who I spend time with.
Dubai is a fast-paced city, and that alone can be overwhelming. Living here has taught me that slowing down is often a better solution than constantly pushing forward. The city constantly bustles and hustles, but you don’t have to.
How do you manage your schedule so that personal travel remains enjoyable rather than feeling like an extension of work?
The regions I cover for work don’t necessarily excite me from a personal travel perspective, so I’m able to keep work and leisure quite separate.
When I go on holiday, I choose places I truly enjoy, where I can relax, feel free, and swap my suit and heels for shorts and sandals.
Can you share a time when you had to intentionally slow down or recalibrate due to travel or energetic demands?
In 2022, I experienced a very impactful and pivotal panic attack after a series of smaller ones. My body completely shut down and mimicked the symptoms of a heart attack. I was rushed to A&E by my father, and it was terrifying.
At the time, I felt embarrassed. I believed that only someone “weak” could have a panic attack, and I refused to see myself that way. Later, I realized I had it completely wrong. It wasn’t weakness; it was a sign of a severely dysregulated nervous system.
Opening up about my experience led others to share their own struggles with me, which helped me deeply in my healing journey. It also led me to discover my passion for breathwork.
What advice would you give to other professionals juggling travel, wellness work, and personal life?
Allow yourself to rest. Without rest, burnout is inevitable—and holding space for others becomes increasingly difficult. People can feel it when you’re depleted.
Allocate specific blocks of time to focus on travel, wellness work, or a full-time job. Don’t try to do everything at once—multitasking rarely helps and often slows you down.
Be yourself. Authenticity is essential when building something of your own. It won’t please everyone, and that’s okay. Surround yourself with people who support you, especially when you’re building from scratch.
