How Does Sound Healing Work?

Loaded question but here is the short explanation and something you may have heard before… but bare with me!

Everything we experience in the universe is simply our perception of waves. We all know that according to the law of physics everything in the universe vibrates and if it vibrate it has a frequency. Everything, from human beings, the device you are reading this from, your hair, skin, organs all have their own frequency, also known as its natural resonance.


When sound waves reach our ears, they are converted into electrical signals that travel up the auditory nerve into the auditory cortex, the part of the brain that processes sound. But it is not just through our ears that we take in frequency from the environment, it is also through our skin. Once the signal reaches our brain it trigger various responses in our bodies.

Stress, environmental factors, internal dialog, what you eat can all affect the signal but also give their own vibratory signal. This process can altar our emotions, and release hormones. Working with frequencies can bring your body back into healthy vibration. In neurological studies, it has been proven that certain sounds and music can help us be more productive and creative, as well as relieve stress and improve our mental and emotional state. Much of this is due to our brains being flooded with dopamine after a trained Sound Healer/Sound Practitioner have facilitated. These sessions also release oxytocin which is a natural painkiller, and is a hormone that allows us to bond with others.

Sound Healing Practitioners and Therapist use vibratory instruments to induce the relaxation response. When we can support someone in achieving a state of deep relaxation there are a cascade of biological and biological and physiological effects that take place.biological and physiological effects that take place.biological and physiological effects that take place.

There is research on the affects of crystal singing bowls, Himalayan bowls, drums, and gongs in which the findings show they produce a wide range of frequencies, which you not only hear but also experience at a physiological level. Human bodies are 70% water which makes for great conductors of sound, so when you have a sound healing session or a sound bath, the frequencies have the potential to correct imbalances of dense stuck energy deep down at a cellular level.

These highly vibratory instruments promote relaxation and raising consciousness. When your brainwaves are out of balance you will experience corresponding mental, emotional and physical health challenges. Over or under arousal of the brain is linked with problems like anxiety disorders, sleep difficulties, hyper-vigilance, anger, depression, and migraines to name just a few. 

A trained Sound Healing Facilitator uses these highly vibratory instruments to shift brainwaves states from Beta waves, which dominate your waking state and take up a lot of your energy, into Alpha waves, a nice resting state, to Theta waves, where you go deeper into relaxation and meditation, and might access and process subconscious memories or worries, to the low frequency of Delta waves, where profound healing can occur. 

Danielle Hall

Founder and CEO of SoundEmbrace LLC, Danielle Hall is shifting perspectives around empowerment while leading a team of trained Sound Practitioners to elevate the sound healing industry, and serving the mental health and wellness of our communities.

With nearly a decade of experience in the field, Danielle has worked with adults and children transitioning through various traumas including PTSD, depression, sexual abuse, digestive issues, and physical pain, using specific sound tools and techniques to facilitate change in the health and wellbeing of her clients.

Currently working on her Masters in Holistic Health, Danielle has her Certification in Sound Healing Therapy and has worked with Hospitals, Corporate Wellness Programs, Therapy Centers, and Non Profits. As a member of the American Public Health Association, and the Georgia Health Association she has spoken on platforms educating on how sound as a therapy is a non invasive complementary approach to wellness. Danielle is also an advocate for musicians rights as an Associate Member of the Recording Academy.

She has been named a "Pioneer in the Sound Healing Industry" by the Shift Network and interviewed on CNN, Fox 5, and 11Alive.