Who is Sound Healing a suitable therapy for?
​Who should avoid sound healing or sound massage?
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Please read the following health precautions before booking any sound healing session with Laura, or a group session. https://www.foundinsound.co.uk/general-precautions-for-classes
Before any one-to-one treatment with Found in Sound, you'll also be asked to complete a Consultation and Medical History Form to give you the opportunity to disclose any important medical information before booking to ensure your health and safety. If you're unsure about anything, arrange a call with Laura first, or speak with your GP or healthcare practitioner.
What is sound healing?
Sound healing is a type of energy medicine, employing sound waves, frequency and vibration to restore the body's energy, and to help the body & mind relax, recover, and heal. "In sound healing, the goal isn't to directly heal the body, but to cultivate conditions within which your body can heal itself. It's about bringing together the entire mind, body, and soul together in balance & harmony." - John Stuart Reid, Acoustic Engineer and Inventor of the Cymascope. This, with the help of a skilled practitioner, can be a catalyst for positive health & wellbeing.
Contrary to some believing this is a new treatment, it is in fact one of the oldest and most natural forms of healing known to man. When we look back at numerous ancient cultures, we find time and time again that sound was used as a healing tool by our global ancestors, from the Greeks, Egyptians and Aborigines, to the American Indians, Tibetan Monks, and Nepalese.
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And in modern day medicine, sound & music therapy is being used increasingly to improve patient outcomes, to relieve pain, and even as an addition to anaesthesia. In neo-natal wards, sound healing is being used to help babies heal and grow, and these are just a few of many examples of how sound can help balance every aspect of one's being.
You can read the many scientific and peer-reviewed studies on sound healing on my blog, which in time, will also include a list of recommended books.
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How does sound healing work?
In sound healing, we use sound waves & frequency to create a shift in your physiology, nervous system & brain wave state, in the same way that breath can be used in meditation or breath work.
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1) When sound waves travel to your ears, up through the auditory nerve into your brain, they start to entrain your mind's brainwaves, slowing them down into a deep meditative state.
In this deep meditative state, also known as an Altered State of Consciousness (ASC for short), our left and right brain hemispheres balance, and we are able to access more insightfulness, creativity, and problem-solving skills. This can be very helpful when we have challenges in life that require a new perspective. The heart rate also slows down, and the body is able to rejuvenate and find peace of mind. This can be very helpful for anyone with an over-active mind, as sound frequencies can quite literally quieten the mind without any trying or work.
2) The vibrational aspect of sound healing is also transformational. As sound waves pass through the body, they vibrate every cell, muscle, and organ, massaging it from the inside, out. This may be stronger if you have a sound massage, where instruments are placed on your body.
This not only helps to remove tension, blockages, and trauma stuck within the body, but it also helps to reduce pain, promote blood flow, circulation.
3) In sound healing, the cranial nerve 'the vagus nerve' - the longest cranial nerve in the body which is linked to every organ and major part of the body, and the nerve which controls the relaxation response, is also massaged via vibration, telling the body to relax, and flooding the body with happy hormones, so we can feel more peace.
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There is also the frequency aspect, how different frequencies re-tune the body back to its original harmonic state, and so much more, meaning sound healing helps to harmonise the body physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. ​Because sound waves are a form of energy in audible form, it can also affect our energy when we are exposed to it.
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What are the benefits of sound healing?
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Alongside accelerating cellular healing and repair, science has shown that sound therapy can help soothe stress, mild anxiety, depression, chronic inflammation, muscle tension, aches and pains, chronic pain, poor sleep, overthinking & mind chatter, poor digestion and immunity.
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However, sound healing does trigger a healing process within the body, and so after a session, some people report feeling sick, tired, amongst other things. This is because the body has been given the space to relax & release anything that has been repressed. Have you ever noticed how you get sick when you go on holiday? This is because you've allowed your body time & space to rest, and it's when we do this that the blockages, toxins, and repressed feelings can bubble up and result in sickness.
It's good to be aware of this before entering into a sound healing session, or a series of session so that you can prepare for that. You will be given extensive aftercare support & information when working with me.
What is a sound bath?
Contrary to the title, a sound bath doesn't involve any water. It is called a sound 'bath' because you bathe in sound healing frequencies, provided by therapeutic instruments, played live by a trained practitioner, as you lie down and rest whilst wrapped in blankets. The point of a sound bath - at least from a practitioner's perspective - is to provide a safe & cosy space in which attendees can rest, relax, and recover from the stress and busyness of life.
There is no work required on your part, all you have to do is come with an open mind, an open heart, and be willing to receive. Attending with an intention is also recommended, to ensure healing outcomes are maximised. Some sound baths are themed, and some involve gentle meditation, breath work, movement, and voice work. It all depends on the session.
Sound baths typically last an hour to 1.5hrs, and take place in groups of 7 up to 60, venue and provider dependent. My sound baths tend to be in group sizes of 7-15, as like the feel of smaller groups. You can see a full list of my sound baths in the explore and book section.
