The program was originally developed for adolescents and designed to align with school standards in health, personal development, and other academic areas. The official website also notes that versions of the program exist for both younger and older teens, as well as a separate version for college students and adults.

Learning to BREATHE is based on Jon Kabat-Zinn's Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, but adapted into a shorter format accessible to teens and compatible with a school curriculum. The program is designed for both school and clinical groups, with versions for younger and older teens as well as for college students and adults. The name is organized around the acronym BREATHE, and the content is available in three formats — 6, 12, or 18 sessions — depending on the implementation setting.

The program combines formal mindfulness practice with assignments that help transfer this skill into a teen's everyday life. It teaches teens to recognize and regulate their emotions without suppressing them or becoming overly fixated on them, to reduce stress levels, and to carry mindfulness practice into daily life. It's specifically emphasized that emotion regulation is not about suppressing feelings, but about consciously managing them.

The idea is for teens to learn to notice their state "in the moment" — that is, to train mindfulness as a practical skill through regular practice, rather than as an abstract idea.

The program has been officially recognized by SAMHSA (the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) as one of only three youth mindfulness programs (out of 41 reviewed) noted for a high level of effectiveness.

The program's six thematic units are organized around the acronym BREATHE and can be adapted for different age groups. They can be spread across 6, 12, 18, or more sessions, depending on the implementation format. Each session follows the same structure: a brief introduction to the topic, several group activities and discussions to engage participants, and time for mindfulness practice itself during the session. Workbooks and audio recordings are also available for independent practice at home.

An exact, current figure for the number of children or educational institutions is not listed on the official website.

The official website indicates the program is used in various countries and regions — confirmed examples include Hong Kong (Lok Sin Tong Leung Wai Fong Memorial School and other schools), Tasmania (Friends School), as well as a number of universities and school districts in the U.S. (Pennsylvania, California, Maryland). A complete list of countries is not provided.

The Learning to BREATHE curriculum guide has been published in English (2021, New Harbinger, second edition), Chinese (2016, Acorn Publishers), and Spanish ("Aprende a respirar," 2023); it is used both domestically and abroad.

The program is included in the CASEL Program Guide registry with a status of SEL-Supportive Program.

A quasi-experimental study from the 2011–2012 school year (published in 2013) of 216 students in grades 10–12 at suburban schools in the northeastern United States found a significant improvement in self-reported emotion regulation — lower scores on emotional clarity difficulties and greater access to regulation strategies, 16 weeks after the program began.

A quasi-experimental study, published in 2021, of 251 eleventh-grade students at suburban schools in the northeastern United States found significant improvement in executive functioning — reduced susceptibility to cognitive interference and greater working memory capacity, one month after the program began.