Sound healing

Sound healing is a broad name for practices that use sound to support relaxation and a sense of wellbeing. Familiar tools include singing bowls, gongs, chimes, tuning forks, drums and the human voice, along with recorded music and guided listening. The idea behind it is old and found in many cultures: rhythm and tone can change how we feel, slow our breathing and help the mind settle. A typical session, often called a sound bath, has people lie or sit comfortably while the sounds wash over them, and many report feeling calm, sleepy or lightly emotional afterward. Music therapy is a related but separate field, where a trained therapist uses music in a structured way, and some of that work has been studied in clinical settings. Sound healing itself has less rigorous research behind it, so claims of curing illness should be treated with caution. Many people use it alongside other approaches such as meditation, gentle movement or talking therapy, and it is not a substitute for medical or mental health care. The articles below look at how sound therapy is used, how it relates to music therapy and Reiki, which other practices people combine with it and how often people choose to take part.

Start here

  1. How Can Music Therapy Enhance Emotional Well-being?
  2. What holistic therapies complement sound therapy?
  3. How often should you attend sound healing sessions?

All articles on sound healing

Woman with headphones sitting cross-legged beside a singing bowl, with glowing sound waves behind her

Can sound therapy help with PTSD?

An explanation of how sound therapy is used alongside other support for people living with PTSD, what it can and cannot do, and what to consider first.