Sound Healing for Addiction and Mental Health Recovery

To heal the mind, it’s important to begin by healing the body. With this in mind, there’s great value in treatment that engages all 5 senses. Sound healing is one way to ground yourself during physical and emotional recovery.

Even in the context of rehab, sound healing may refer to several specific therapies. For example, some facilities offer gong baths, while others offer music therapy. In any form, sound therapy is a holistic practice that invites clients to consider their emotions from a new perspective.

What Is Sound Therapy?

Although this practice is ancient, there is some question as to which cultures originally developed the types of sound healing we use today. Because it can induce a meditative state, some associate sound resonance therapy with spiritual healing.² Dr. Mitchell Gaynor, an oncologist, believes that this therapy can restore balance “on the physiological as well as the psychospiritual level.” However, it is not necessarily a spiritual practice and may be beneficial to clients who prefer a secular approach to recovery. This type of therapy has many benefits, and may take a number of different forms.

Sound Baths

Sound baths are arguably the most popular form of sound therapy³ in use today. They are usually a communal experience, in which “a group of people gather, often while lying on a mat, to listen to sounds produced through various instruments.” The community aspect of this modality is an important—although not absolutely necessary—component of sound healing. Clients may find that just sharing physical space with each other, without direct interaction, helps them feel connected to the group. After the session, participants may be able to share their thoughts and reactions with one another. In the context of recovery, this can help you practice articulating your emotions and connecting with the people around you.

During sound baths, healers use “the vibrations of the human voice as well as objects that resonate — tuning forks, gongs, Tibetan singing bowls — to go beyond relaxation and stimulate healing.” These sessions combine the performance of the facilitator with the meditation of the participants. Other sound healing modalities invite you to be more active throughout the process.

Music Therapy

Music therapy invites clients to make music of their own. Like some sound baths, this can be a communal experience, letting you practice both self-expression and interpersonal skills and self-expression. Whitney Armistead, Director of Hospitality at All Points North Lodge, says music therapy opens connections between program peers:

“We have a grand piano in our main living room, which is great for clients who are using music therapy. It’s a really great way for them to express themselves and connect with others.”

Music therapy can be extremely effective in improving mental health;⁴ however, combining these holistic modalities with well-researched Western techniques is important. It can be an effective tool for people healing from addiction, mental illness, and physical injuries. This modality reduces stress, promotes relaxation, and has even “been shown to be more effective than prescription drugs in reducing anxiety levels before surgery. A study published in 2017 found that a 30-minute music therapy session combined with traditional care after spinal surgery reduced pain.”

The Benefits of Sound Therapy

Although sound therapy is an ancient technique, research is still required regarding its efficacy in treating specific diagnoses, including substance use disorders. As its popularity grows, we can hope to see more quantitative data about the efficacy of these techniques.

Some studies have used electroencephalograms (EEGs) to measure electrical activity in the brain during sound healing sessions. One group of researchers found that different sound frequencies “were associated with various energy levels and relaxation states.”⁵ Another study, which examined the effects of singing bowls, “discovered a distinct change in delta brain waves—the brainwave state associated with deepest relaxation.” Based on this information, experts hypothesize that sound therapy may have a direct impact on brain activity.

The physical effects of this technique are particularly interesting. Sound therapy has been shown to help reduce physical pain.⁶ One study found that low-frequency sound stimulation helped reduce pain in patients with fibromyalgia. This may be important for clients undergoing medical detox, people whose substance misuse was influenced by other medical conditions, and those in recovery from opioid addiction.

This modality also promotes feelings of spiritual well-being.⁷ Because it is not necessarily tied to a particular religion, this may be especially helpful for rehab clients who are interested in spirituality without ascribing to a particular faith. Whether or not you consider yourself a religious person, many people find it beneficial to think of addiction recovery as the process of healing the mind, body, and spirit.