EP328: Gina Hoots – Respiratory Therapy and Coaching

Gina Hoots joins Cathy to explore where respiratory therapy meets health coaching, especially for people living with chronic lung conditions such as COPD, asthma, bronchiectasis, and more. With over 30 years’ experience in both clinical and community settings, Gina shares how she combines science and compassion in her work. We dive into practical breathing techniques, the importance of proper inhaler use, integrating nutrition and lifestyle, and coaching strategies that empower clients beyond traditional medicine. The episode also highlights Gina’s work with BluZone.Health, her leadership in respiratory care, and how health coaches and respiratory therapists can collaborate to improve outcomes. Expect both deeply technical takeaways and inspiring mindset shifts.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• How Gina’s dual roles as a respiratory therapist and health coach allow her to bridge gaps in patient education, care, and quality of life.
• Specific breathing practices (nose inhalation, lip‑pursed exhalation, huff coughs, etc.) that help reduce breathlessness, move mucus, and calm anxiety.
• How to assess if someone is on the “right” inhaler(s) vs. just using rescue inhalers, and what coaches should know about various inhaler classes.
• Ways health coaches can help clients being proactive in doctor visits—preparing questions, reviewing action plans, and improving collaboration.
• The role of nutrition, exercise, and reducing environmental/inflammatory exposures in lung health, not just “medication + oxygen.”
• The gaps in care Gina sees—where patients often don’t get enough time, education, or follow‑up—and how health coaches and RTs can fill those gaps.
• Practical mindset shifts: turning directives into partnership, helping clients find personal “why,” and using breathing as a tool for anxiety and agency.

Memorable Quotes:

• “If you have breathing problems, you're going to get an inhaler. Nobody tests for the breathing like they should.”
• “Many people think just with breathing problems, oxygen is the answer … But exercise can help that. Breath work … all of that really helps.”
• “The numbers don't really matter, but just the mindful breathing that you can control your breath.”

Bio:
Gina Hoots is a nationally recognized respiratory therapist and health coach with over 30 years of clinical and community experience, specializing in chronic lung conditions. As a Health Coach for BluZone.Health, Gina helps individuals live well with COPD, asthma, and other chronic respiratory illnesses through education, behavior change, and lifestyle optimization.

She is the co‑creator and co‑host of The Cozy Lung Lounge Podcast, a compassionate, patient‑centered show offering real‑talk and resources for people with chronic lung disease and their caregivers. Whether it’s unpacking new science or exploring the emotional side of illness, Gina’s podcast makes space for the full experience of breathing and healing.

Gina currently serves as the President of the Illinois Society for Respiratory Care, where she champions professional excellence and advocacy for the respiratory therapy field. She is also a COPD Foundation Captain, leading awareness efforts and community‑based support across Central and Southern Illinois.

Rooted in both science and spirit, Gina is a proud member of the American Association for Respiratory Care and the Holistic Nurses Association, weaving a whole‑person approach into everything she does. From pulmonary testing labs to health coaching sessions, her mission is simple: to help people breathe easier and live more fully.

Connect with Gina and explore her programs at hootenannyjoy.com.

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Hootenanny Joy
• Recharge Your Day
• The Cozy Lung Lounge Podcast
• BluZone.Health
• Illinois Society for Respiratory Care
• COPD Foundation
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