Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Sound Healing and Reiki?

Sound Healing is ideal if you're feeling stressed, overwhelmed, anxious, mentally exhausted, or simply need to relax. The soothing sounds and vibrations create a meditative experience that helps calm and regulate the nervous system, allowing your body and mind to rest and reset. Many clients say they leave feeling the same deep relaxation they experience after a massage.

Reiki is often chosen when you have a specific area of your body that you'd like extra attention given to. For example, you may be experiencing tension, discomfort, tightness, or simply feel that one area needs additional support. During the session, gentle hands-on (over clothing) or hands-above-body techniques are used to focus Reiki energy on those areas, while still supporting your body as a whole.

What are the benefits of a Sound Healing? 

On the physical level - Sound works with the body; it can cleanse the organs of toxins and help to regulate their functions as each has its own frequency.  Benefits include improved circulation, digestion, and respiration.  Additionally, it helps with lowering inflammation,  stimulating the immune system and helping get better sleep.  It can also help to relieve constipation, headaches, throat problems, stomach-aches, reduces muscle tension and aches in the joints and bones.

On a mental level - sound can assist in relieving stress which is often held in the head area, particularly tension headaches or migraines.  It also helps to quiet repetitive thought patterns from a busy mind and relaxes one into a meditative state where deep inner silence and stillness is experienced.

On an emotional level – Calms and regulates the nervous system.  Sound Healing combines soothing frequencies with deep relaxation, creating a meditative experience that helps shift the body out of a chronic stress and anxiety response into a calmer state of ease.  This can help reduce stress, anxiety, metal overwhelm, and emotional tension. 

Sound also helps to move and release emotions which are stored in the body.  Through this process old patterns and behaviors which are no longer serving one’s highest good are released.  The release of these emotions allows for a greater flow of energy throughout the body by clearing energy blockages and releasing stagnant energy.  This flow of energy also strengthens and balances each chakra, bringing about greater emotional stability.

On a spiritual level - sound can clear negative energies or entities that may be attached to one’s aura or any other part of one’s being.  It also helps to align your chakras and getting your Chi (life force) flowing.

What is a Sound Healing? 

Sound healing, Vibrational Therapy, Sound Energy Medicine use sound, vibration and frequencies. During your session, I play a variety of instruments.  Some of the instruments I play are for the sole purpose to get you into a nice relaxed meditative state, other instruments have deep penetrative qualities that go down to a cellular level, these instruments will get your cells and energy centers vibrating at the frequency they were designed to, which enhances overall health and well-being. 

Why is it important for your energy centers to be vibrating at a specific frequency?

Because when your energy centers (aka Chakras) aren’t vibrating the way they’re supposed to, your body will communicate to you that it’s not feeling well.  For example, when your throat chakra isn’t vibrating the way it should, you could experience a persistent cough, clearing of your throat, or any ear, nose or throat issues.  You might go to the doctor and they could dismiss it as “allergies”.  A few other examples of ways your body communicates that it’s not in alignment are pain, exhaustion or depression.

How do you get your energy centers to change vibration?

Through a process called entrainment.  The way it works is while playing certain frequencies, your cells will mimic the vibrations that come from those frequencies. Entrainment can apply to your cells, your heartbeat, even your brainwaves.  When they start vibrating in harmony with external rhythm, they synchronize their behavior and attune themselves to the stronger more powerful vibration. 

What happens during a Sound Healing? 

All Sound Healings are different.  During one of my sessions, you will lay down, close your eyes, and listen to a variety of different instruments being played. 

What is Meditation?

A meditative state stated simply, is the process of quieting your mind.  When we find ourselves in a quiet place, our mind tends to disrupt that silence by thinking of tasks we need to complete, or wondering if we remembered to do something, or things that irritated us.  Meditation is a state where you are able to quiet the thoughts and simply be.  In the case of sound healing, you focus on the sound you are hearing or vibrations you are feeling and you enter a state of relaxation.

In order to meditate you must be fully present and quiet your mind, specifically your lower voice.  Your lower voice is when you are thinking thoughts (distractions, worry, stress).  When you meditate you listen for your higher voice.  Your higher voice is when you are receiving thoughts (subtle thoughts) from your higher self.

Do I have to lay down during the Sound Healing?

Some people prefer to lay down, some people prefer to sit in a meditation pose (Lotus pose or Seiza position aka Kneeling position), others prefer to sit in a chair. Whatever is the most comfortable for you to relax in for the length of the session.   

What should I wear?

Anything that you feel relaxed and comfortable wearing.  For example, sweatpants and shirts, yoga clothing, pajamas, etc.  We recommend layers. Some people’s body temperature fluctuates, and they tend to get warm or chilly during meditation.  It is said that when you get cold, that is old unwanted energy being released from the body, and when you get warm it is your chakras opening.

What should I bring?

A comfy cot, sheets, soft pillow, warm blanket, ear plugs in case of any hearing sensitivity, bottles of water will be provided.  The room will be dark and only the soft glow from electric candles, so you shouldn’t need an eye mask/light shield but you are free to bring one if you prefer complete darkness during meditation.     

As a Sound Healing Facilitator, are you licensed to practice medicine? 

No. I am not a licensed health professional. As such, I will not diagnose, prescribe substances, perform medical treatment, or interfere with the treatment of qualified physician or other licensed medical professional.  Sound healing is not a replacement for medical or psychological treatment.  The services I offer are considered complimentary to traditional Western medical practices.

Are there any negative effects of a Sound Healing? 

During the sound healing your body might get very cold, which is a result of your body releasing old unwanted energy.  You might feel somewhat tired, you may feel hungry or thirsty, or you might experience an emotional release, you may also feel a range of emotions, such as feeling agitated or uncomfortable.

If you have a sound sensitivity, it is recommended that you bring and wear ear plugs. The crystal sound bowls give off a deep reverberating sound that some people find to be loud. The vibrations will still enter your body and work on your cells.

Please consult with your healthcare provider prior to a sound healing if you have a pacemaker, implanted pumps/devices, epilepsy, if you are pregnant, or if you have any medical concerns.  

** Sound healings are not recommended if you have a pacemaker.

Why shouldn’t people who have pacemakers attend a Sound Healing?

Because the session may interfere with the pacemaker.

Loud sounds are everywhere in our modern environment. Pacemakers will not malfunction due to loud noises or music.

Here’s what you need to understand: Your pacemaker’s ability to speed up your heartrate as needed works by sensing vibration. Usually that means the vibration produced by movement. But as you know, sound is also vibration. Ordinarily, it isn’t strong enough to affect the pacemaker’s accelerometer. But occasionally, particularly with very low frequencies that resonate in your chest, if you are close to the sound source, the pacemaker will speed up your heart a little in response, and you may feel a little flutter.

The same thing can happen in a car on a bumpy road. In that case the vibration is caused by bumping up and down.

In either cases, there is no danger. The sound or bumping will not cause the pacemaker to runaway. In a fraction of a second, as soon as the vibration stops or goes below threshold, the rate will return to normal. Speeding up for a second or two will not harm your heart. Hearts are intended to speed up and slow down.

So will the sound “interfere” with your pacemaker? Only in the same way and for the same reason that the vibration caused by performing the yoga postures “interferes”.