Meet Dr Courtney 

Dr Rosalba Courtney is an osteopath and naturopath with more than four decades of clinical experience and a PhD in dysfunctional breathing and breathing therapy. She is the developer of Integrative Breathing Therapy and an internationally recognised leader in the field of breathing assessment and treatment.

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Rosalba has incorporated intermittent hypoxic–hyperoxic training (IHHT) into her work since 2001, bringing a long view of both its potential and its limitations. Her clinical approach to adaptive oxygen training is grounded in careful assessment and a nuanced understanding of each person’s breathing patterns, physiology, adaptive capacity, and goals. Rather than relying on standardised machine protocols, she integrates IHHT within broader, individualized treatment pathways.

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Philosophy and clinical approach

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Central to Rosalba’s philosophy is the belief that effective healing must be evidence-informed, personalised, and directed at the key factors that truly support recovery, not just symptom suppression. She is particularly interested in how the mechanisms that cause and perpetuate illness can be addressed through both physiological and psychological pathways.

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Her work emphasises:

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• Identifying and addressing dysfunctional breathing and respiratory dysregulation

• Supporting nervous system regulation and resilience

• Using adaptive oxygen training within safe, appropriate adaptive ranges

• Integrating mind–body and behavioural strategies, including pacing and graded exposure

 

Rosalba aims to help patients achieve deep and durable change rather than short-term “band-aid” solutions. She is committed to pacing interventions so they are sustainable, respecting each person’s adaptive capacity, and adjusting programs as their physiology and function change over time.

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Areas of focus and who she works with

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Rosalba works with a broad range of clients, but has particular expertise in:

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• Athletes seeking performance gains with sustainable recovery and long-term resilience

• People with complex chronic illnesses, including ME/CFS and overlapping syndromes

• Individuals with dysautonomia, including POTS and related conditions

• Clients experiencing chronic fatigue, breathlessness, or respiratory dysfunction

• People with healthspan and longevity-focused goals who need carefully regulated, evidence-informed interventions

 

Her process differs from standard IHHT-only delivery through the precision of her assessments, the individualisation of treatment pathways, and a strong commitment to integrating adaptive oxygen training into multi-disciplinary care when needed.

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Research, teaching, and professional contributions

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Rosalba has published widely on breathing, respiratory dysfunction, and breathing therapy, contributing to the scientific and clinical understanding of how breathing patterns affect health and performance. Her work has appeared in peer-reviewed journals, and she has contributed to the development of assessment tools and frameworks used by practitioners internationally.

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She is the founder and principal developer of Integrative Breathing Therapy, an approach that combines respiratory physiology, manual therapy, behavioural change, and mind–body principles. Rosalba regularly teaches and trains healthcare practitioners, including osteopaths, physiotherapists, naturopaths, and other clinicians, offering workshops, courses, and supervision in breathing assessment, treatment, and integrative approaches to care.

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Through this combination of clinical practice, research, and education, Rosalba continues to refine evidence-informed, patient-centred ways of working with breathing, adaptive oxygen training, and nervous system regulation to support meaningful, long-term change.