Forms of sound therapy have been used to facilitate healing for thousands of years around the world. Chanting, drumming, singing, and instrumentation can all create change in the body and mind. The ancient Greek mathematics mystic Pythagoras even developed a mathematically based musical scale that had such profound effects that it was brought to the Christian Church by St Ambrose. Playing Mozart to children has been hypothesized to encourage cognitive ability, and encouraging them to play an instrument has been shown to raise scores on proficiency exams. Some clinical studies suggest that low frequency sound can reduce fibromyalgia pain. Other studies support the use of binaural beats (a specific form of sound therapy) as part of the treatment for attention and learning deficit disorders.

How does it work? Sound can creates shifts through synchronizing brainwave patterns, by providing a stable frequency for the brain to attune to. Rhythm and frequency can raise (speed up) or lower (slow down) brainwave patterns to enhance cognition, induce a meditative state, and even prompt the body to repair itself. During stage four sleep, the body is repairing itself. This is when the brain is producing a high percentage of delta brainwaves. By using specific frequencies and tones, those same patterns can be induced, thereby fostering the healing process. Some doctors encourage the use of sound therapy alongside allopathic medicine, arguing that it lowers stress hormones and strengthens immune systems.

During the pandemic, I have been offering Sound Baths on the Twitch platform every Saturday evening. Sound Baths, or singing bowl meditations, are a powerful way to bring your body into a state of calm, using brass and crystal singing bowls as the conduit. The tones have been shown to balance out the brainwaves, enabling people to have a deeper, more healing, meditative experience. In addition to promoting overall relaxation, increasing resistance to stress, boosting energy levels, alleviating many forms of pain, lessening depression and improving digestion, this practice re-balances the autonomic nervous system, and brings the body, mind and spirit to a state of equilibrium.

Through my work in addiction treatment, I have been developing a modality of sound therapy that helps the client both increase their self control and reduce disordered thinking by teaching them to redirect their attention, which is helpful with moving through and releasing trauma. In addition to the primary benefits, I am finding that it resets sleep patterns and reduces the symptoms of ADD/ADHD and anxiety. I intend to partner with a research team for clinical studies on this. In the meantime, the last Saturday of the month, the Sound Bath will be this more therapeutic form of Sound Therapy.

Please join us!