Sounds have great capacity for calming, healing

Everyone has a favorite song. Songs bring back memories and all kinds of feelings, including feelings of happiness but also feelings of sadness. Somehow, though, most people enjoy listening to songs that bring back both of those emotions, or even other emotions. 

Sound is therapeutic, and feeling happiness or sadness can be therapeutic in the same way. Sounds are incredibly powerful, the ocean sounds can bring sudden calmness, and the sounds of birds can lower blood pressure and anxiety in humans. The sound of rain and thunder can bring you a good night’s sleep, and simple Binaural beats can bring the mind to a space of neutrality much like meditation. 

In recent years, Sound Therapy has become an interesting tool in the battle against Mental Illness issues worldwide. According to healthline.com, there are quite a few types of sound therapy. The various types serve different medical or personal issues, such as anxiety, depression, brain and spinal injuries, sleep disorders, anger management, autism spectrum disorders and many more. 

For example guided meditation is guided by someone speaking their voice and tone, and the patient listens to the voice of the therapist and repeats the mantras or prayers to create a mesmerizing or hypnotic state of meditation that calms and neutralizes negative or racing thoughts, which can be quite a relief for a mind suffering from anxiety.

Another example is neurologic music therapy, a method in which treatment involves creating, listening, singing or moving to music, reducing stress and promoting relaxation. This particular method is special as it is suited for someone’s personal needs, such as brain injuries or pain management. The Bonny method is a method using guided imagery and music, also known as GIM. Using a combination of classical music and imagery to help with personal growth, consciousness and transformation, all of these therapies are considered to be a form of meditation.

There are also sound studios that are devoted to the exploration and understanding of why sound can be such a wellness tool. You can find sound therapy clinics across the United States. In New York City there is a studio called Maha Rose, and in Los Angeles there is the Soundbath Center.These studios are for sound healing and exploration of the mind. Sound bathing helps with things like the body and mind and most importantly spirit. These studios experiment with all kinds of sound, from nature sounds, synthesized compositions meant to provide certain imagery to the mind, as well as classical music, or even classic rock like Queen and Pink Floyd compositions.

Sound therapy can range between $100-300 an hour, and some medical insurance companies find it a viable therapy for mental and medical illness situations. Although you can seek out professional sound therapists, there are also self guided sound therapy sessions that can be found on YouTube  that can be beneficial. One of the simplest ways to let sound guide you and bring better mental health and wellness is to simply get outside and experience all the beautiful sounds in our environment and be mindful of how they make you feel. Take a moment to listen to the birds and their songs, the rain falling and the trees swaying in the wind, you may find serenity.

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.