Atemtherapeut/Atemtherapeutin

Publications related to this profession include DGSS @ktuell, Forum Logopädie, Logos - Portal and Journal for Academic Speech Therapy and Logopedics, Praxis Sprache, Sprache - Stimme - Gehör, and Speech Promotion and Speech Therapy in School and Practice.

Respiratory therapists usually work in practice and treatment rooms or in classrooms. They may also work at clients' homes or in office environments if needed.

Core competencies fundamentally required for this profession include respiratory therapy, patient care, and voice training. Additional competencies that may be important for practicing this profession include billing, documentation (therapy progress), relaxation techniques, health prevention, logopedics, speech therapy, and physiotherapy (physical therapy).

Respiratory therapists work with healthy and sick people of all ages, mostly in practice rooms. They conduct exercises with individuals or groups. They guide patients to movements with their hands. Administrative and documentation tasks or writing therapy progress and final reports are completed on computers in offices. When determining respiratory and voice therapeutic measures, they consider the diagnoses of doctors, psychologists, and other therapeutic specialists with whom they are also in contact. Respiratory therapists treat dysfunctions and disorders of breathing carefully and responsibly. They approach their patients or clients empathetically and motivate them to cooperate in therapy. Since an intensive relationship of trust develops between therapists and patients during therapies, they must maintain professional distance. During treatment...

Respiratory therapists can become self-employed, for example, by opening their own practice.

Example of a collective gross basic remuneration in the public service tariff area (monthly): 3,538 € to 3,992 €. Source: Collective Agreement for the Public Service (TVöD). Please note: This information is for orientation purposes only. No claims can be derived from it.

They work in the healthcare sector, providing physiotherapeutic services (excluding occupational therapy), for example, in physiotherapy practices offering respiratory therapy, other healthcare services not elsewhere classified, such as respiratory therapy practices, traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine activities, for example, naturopathic practices, and in prevention and rehabilitation clinics.

Employers often expect a respiratory therapy or respiratory pedagogy Ausbildung (vocational training).

Respiratory therapists find employment in practices where respiratory therapy is offered and in rehabilitation clinics.

Respiratory Therapist. Also common job title/synonym: Respiratory Educator. Job title in French: Thérapeute respiratoire (m/f).

An extended police clearance certificate may be required for working with minors. Those wishing to practice healing arts require a permit according to the Heilpraktikergesetz (Naturopath Law) or a medical license (ärztliche Approbation). Employees in community and medical facilities must prove their measles vaccination or immunity according to the Infektionsschutzgesetz (Infection Protection Act) if they were born after 1970.

Respiratory therapists help people, among other things, through breathing and voice exercises, to optimally use their breath.

Job and applicant exchanges: Gesundheit.Jobskliniken.desozialeberufe.de, StaffSanté.fr, therapeutenonline.de.

Associations and organizations: Professional Association for Health Services and Welfare (BGW), German Federal Association of Breath, Speech and Voice Teachers (dba) e.V., United Services Trade Union (ver.di).

Working conditions: Manual work (guiding and instructing patients with hands during movement). Work in medical facilities/practices (e.g., in practice or clinic rooms). Close physical contact with people (e.g., during breathing and posture exercises). Irregular working hours (in private practice, appointments according to patients'/clients' time preferences). Working under the eyes of customers and guests (under the eyes of patients). Dealing with sick and injured people (people with respiratory disorders). Responsibility for individuals (e.g., responsibility for patients when carrying out treatments).

Work objects/tools: A central part of the activity is treating patients with respiratory disorders. Breath therapists use the following tools: Documents (e.g., findings, patient data, treatment plans, therapy progress and final reports). Accessories (e.g., balls, exercise bands, display boards). Office equipment (e.g., PC, internet access, telephone).

Tasks and activities in brief: Breath therapists show people how to use their breath and voice correctly and more consciously. They use toning and posture exercises as well as special gymnastics. With these techniques, they aim to develop breathing techniques so that patients can cope with everyday life. They also create individual treatment plans, discuss therapy, motivate patients, and guide them through exercises. They sometimes also develop therapy suggestions and alternatives for doctors.

Access professions/activities: State-certified breath, speech, and voice teacher.

Adaptation Weiterbildung (vocational adaptation training) helps to keep professional knowledge up-to-date and adapt to new developments (e.g., in the fields of respiratory therapy, care, voice and speech training, health promotion, -training).

Further professional and career opportunities open up through an Aufstiegsweiterbildung (career advancement training) (e.g., as a specialist in health and social services) or an undergraduate Studium (degree program) (e.g., in complementary medicine). Under certain conditions, it is possible to study even without a general higher education entrance qualification. For more information: Access to higher education in the individual Bundesländer (federal states).

Plans and accompanies respiratory therapeutic measures. Creates therapy concepts and treatment plans. Applies respiratory massages as well as breathing and voice exercises in conjunction with articulation exercises and breathing-chest exercises. Treats disorders of the posture and musculoskeletal system. Addresses stress and concentration disorders. Takes on organizational tasks. Exchanges information and collaborates with medical, psychological, pedagogical, and other therapeutic professionals. Develops therapy suggestions and alternatives if necessary. Carries out organizational and administrative tasks, e.g., billing for services, writing reports. Conducts Ausbildung (vocational training) and Weiterbildung (further training) activities.

Law on the professional practice of healing without appointment (Heilpraktikergesetz) from 17.02.1939 (RGBl. S. 251), last amended by Article 17e of the law from 23.12.2016 (BGBl. I S. 3191). Law on the Central Register and the Education Register (Bundeszentralregistergesetz - BZRG) in the version of the announcement from 21.09.1984 (BGBl. I S. 1229), last amended by Article 5 of the law from 19.07.2024 (BGBl. 2024 I Nr. 245).