Sound Healing for Anxiety
credit Sober Flourish
Many people who discover the world of sound healing aren’t aware that there are different types of sound bath. And actually, as a practitioner this is REALLY important for us to make sure people know the differences and why there are different types of sound baths. There’s a belief sometimes that we need to be able to work with all different people with different ailments as sound healers. But the reality of the situation is that our instruments, our style, and our personality will always suit certain issues over others. And that’s ok. We don’t have to be everything to everyone.
So sound healing for anxiety.
What do I need to know?
Sound healing for anxiety is something I’ve developed with a personalised programme called Healing Harmonies™ which uses a series of harmonic intervals between the instruments and the voice to ‘turn down the dimmer switch’ on the brain, if you like.
Healing harmonies are soft, calm, slow and continuous. There’s not lots of chop and change between instruments. There’s nothing loud. There’s nothing that will make you jump or leave you wondering ‘what comes next.’ It’s an incredibly simple yet effective and enjoyable style of sound bath, and personally I prefer to use the Crystal Tones singing bowls (handmade crystal singing bowls) to achieve this, though I do teach various methods in my Healing Harmonies™ CPD for sound healers.
Why does someone suffering with anxiety need a different style of sound bath?
Simply, because anxiety is linked to overstimulation or hyper-arousal, meaning things have just got ‘too much’ for the nervous system to handle. Our cups are overflowing, our brains are trying to keep us safe by working out every possible outcome to the problem we’ve just come up against, no matter how small, and we end up in a spiral of mental business.
Anxiety is from some type of overstimulation. So the worst thing we can do for anxiety is to keep poking the nervous system. To add noises, things that make us jump, uncertainty or intensity within a sound bath. We need to provide simplicity, safety and slowness as an antidote to anxiety specifically.
And this is completely different to depression. Depression sits on the opposite end of the spectrum, in hypoarousal… we’re understimulated in some way. So if you’re suffering with depression you would be better in a more stimulating sound bath with plenty of sounds to explore, and perhaps some singing and chanting too to get involved and moving.
This is why it’s really important both as a participant and a sound healer to understand who you are and where your skills best lie.
There’s not much point in doing a generic one size fits all sound bath, simply because everyone will need different things. It ends up being a diluted form of healing which can work in community settings, but with leave one end of the nervous system spectrum dis-satisfied. And you might not know why without this little nervous system nugget.
To break it down…
If you’re suffering with anxiety, you need calm, slow, quiet, soothing sounds. Lullaby type sound baths (these are my healing harmonies sessions).
If you’re suffering with depression, I would highly recommend a different practitioner. Look for multi-instrumental sound baths, Tibetan bowls and gong baths. Something with more intense sounds and plenty of stimulation. Alternatively, chanting, kirtan and mantra classes would also be suitable.
Sound healing for anxiety is incredibly powerful, WHEN you attend the correct sound bath for what you need. And it all starts with understanding your nervous system and what you do actually need. Whether you’re an attendee or a practitioner, this is the key to understanding, developing and expanding the power of sound in healing.
For those with anxiety, find out more about my private sound healing sessions across the East Midlands, or book a community class here.
For practitioners looking to deepen their sound healing understanding and practice, Healing Harmonies™ CPD is a masterclass for sound and anxiety where we look at healing intervals, harmonics, voice work and instruments to create the most healing environments for those with anxiety using the tools you have.
Becky x
