This Sound Therapy Treatment Will Leave You Feeling Zen AF

We’ve established by now that I’m not very woo-woo.

But that doesn’t mean I’m not willing to try something on the woo-woo side of the healing spectrum.

When Tournesol Wellness reached out asking if I wanted to come in for a Vibroacoustic Sound Therapy session, I figured why not. The worst that could happen is nothing.

As a former musician (fun fact: the only AP I took in high school was music theory!) I’ve always found sound therapy intriguing. I deeply considered going the music therapy route for college. Instead I decided to study theater… but the world of sound and music and vibration for healing has always fascinated me.

Photo Credit: Alexis Damen

Spoiler alert: It left me feeling zen AF and hella grounded. And let’s be honest, zen and grounded are not works I’d EVER use to describe myself.

What is Vibroacoustic Sound Therapy?

Vibroacoustic Sound Therapy or VAT for short uses sound and vibrations to promote cellular healing. All of this happens while you’re lying on a waterbed. Aw yes, you get to go retro and hang out on a water bed!

It all sounds bizarre, but there have been a number of scientific studies backing up VAT. The vibrations correlate with different organs in the body. The idea is that this therapy will bring the organs back to their optimal frequency.

 

What can VAT help with?

• Parkinson’s
• PTSD
• anxiety
• injuries
• brain function
• asthma
• + more

 

My Experience

Tournesol is this magical, wellness hub. I swear you feel like you’re in a house in freaking Cold Spring, it’s so damn cute and quaint. And I mean that in the BEST way. The hustle and bustle of NYC fades away.

I chatted for a while with owner Carey Davidson before my treatment to decide the best frequencies to use on me.

We focused on frequencies that would help with anxiety and jaw tension (I’m blessed with a malformed jaw joint which causes TMJ pain.) Carey also used her intuition to suggest other bits she wanted to focus on. This is where my experience gets real woo-woo.

She mentioned a bunch of things that do align with me and my personality. But there were a few things that I’m still trying to figure out the story behind and if it does relate to my life. Or let’s be honest, if it’s total bull. If you’re not into the woo-woo side of things, you can always skip this bit during pre-treatment and just go based on medical history.

 

What does it feel like?

Like those massage chairs you sit on while getting a pedicure. The sensation is pretty similar, except you’re lying down on a waterbed in the dark. It’s totally non-invasive — I was wearing a dress because it was during one of those heat waves a few weeks back.

My treatment on the bed lasted 30 or so minutes. At first I struggled to quiet my brain. By nature I’m a very fidgety person and CANNOT sit still. Then out of nowhere it hit me and my mind stopped racing. My body started to settle down. It was magical.

 

How did I feel after?

BLISSED OUT. I’m not kidding! It felt like that mucho calm state of being after a really juicy yoga class — which let’s be honest doesn’t ALWAYS happen during class.

I also felt incredibly grounded in my body, the same way I used to feel after doing a TON of acting vocal exercises. My voice was FULL and resonate. All of this after lying on my back.

 

Would I try it again?

Yes. I’m always looking for alternative ways to deal with my anxiety. While working out helps me most of the time, there are times when I need a bit more to get me through. Much like acupuncture, I could really feel the difference afterwards.