As a prominent expert in sound healing, Debbi Walker shares her remarkable journey from working as a district nurse to discovering the transformative power of sound. In her exclusive MysticMag interview, she delves into her personal experiences, the innovative techniques she developed, and the profound impact of sound healing on both humans and animals.
How did you get into sound healing and what sparked your interest in it?
I was working as a district nurse for the NHS in the UK when my life took an unexpected turn. I became seriously ill with ME, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, and was eventually retired on ill health grounds because of it. I was often housebound or bedridden, and I was told by doctors that there was no cure and that I wouldn’t recover. Faced with this bleak outlook, I began searching for alternative ways to heal.
My journey into getting myself well began with something called EFT, the Emotional Freedom Technique, which involves tapping on meridian points on the body whilst getting in touch with an emotion. This was my first introduction to energy and vibrational medicine—something completely foreign to my conventional nursing background. Remarkably, EFT helped me recover about 80% of my health.
Then in 2010, everything changed. I was at a festival when I experienced my first gong bath, and it was the most phenomenal experience I’d ever had. The amazing Tim Wheater who facilitated it was offering a course, and even though it wasn’t on my radar at, I decided to train with him. We worked with gongs, bowls, drums, flutes, percussion, and voice, but it was the tuning forks that truly ignited something deep within my soul. It felt like an activation or an initiation—something primal within my DNA was awakened.
Driven by this profound experience, I immersed myself in research on sound and tuning forks. Back then, in 2010, it was all very complex, so I decided to simplify things by creating my own system called Clear, Cleanse, and Balance. So over the past 14 years, I’m teaching this system to my students through the Suara Sound Academy, which has grown tremendously as more and more people are waking up to the power of sound healing.
What different courses do you offer and how are they structured?
I run an independent academy that is recognized by the British Complementary Medicine Association, which was a critical step for me. It was essential to ensure that everything I teach is certified and insurable for my students, so they can practice with confidence. To achieve this, I also partnered with an insurance company, making sure that all the courses offered are both certified and insurable.
At Suara Sound Academy, I offer a variety of courses tailored to different needs. Some courses are designed for individuals who want to use tuning forks for their personal healing journey. I also offer courses for those who want to work with clients and build a business. These courses are built on strong foundations, combining science, esoteric understanding, and intuitive responses to equip students with the skills they need to practice sound healing professionally. Additionally, I teach sound healing for animals, which has been a remarkable experience. I’ve worked with a wide range of animals—from grizzly bears and wolves to domestic dogs, goats, chickens, and even fish. Students or Ambassadors of Sound as I affectionately call them do the main course first which underpins and brings strong foundations to their journey with Sound Healing and then the Animal Healing with Tuning Forks is an extra module. I also teach as a module how to use singing bowls, crystal bowls, chimes, and percussion and perform a Soundbath for individuals and groups.
Each course is structured to provide a comprehensive understanding of sound healing, ensuring that students are well-prepared to either enhance their own well-being or offer professional services to others, including animals.
How much is animal sound healing different from applying sound healing to humans?
Animals respond beautifully to sound healing because they don’t have preconceived notions; they simply absorb the energy and relax, often showing immediate positive effects. One of the key distinctions is that we don’t need to be physically close to the animals. For example, when I was working with grizzlies and wolves in America, I maintained a considerable distance, allowing the animals to decide how they wanted to engage. Animals are very intuitive; if they’re not interested, they simply walk away, which is something we completely respect.
Interestingly, during the lockdown, I started offering training online, and we discovered that distance healing with tuning forks is incredibly effective. The results are just as powerful as when working in person, whether with humans or animals. For instance, whether we’re working with a dog or cat in person or offering distance healing, the outcomes are remarkably similar. This adaptability is one of the fascinating aspects of sound healing—it works effectively across distances, which is especially beneficial when working with animals who might be more comfortable from afar.
You also offer Mentoring, Guidance & Spiritual Development services. Can you share a few details about that part of your work?
My mentoring, guidance, and spiritual development services often stem from the relationships I build with those who participate in my training. I’m not the type of teacher who just sends students off on their way once they’ve completed their courses. Instead, I remain very hands-on, offering continued support as they progress through their training, complete their case studies, and even as they work on setting up their own businesses if they want me. This mentorship and guidance are particularly valuable for those who have trained with me and seek ongoing support and development as they integrate what they’ve learned into their practices.
What can you tell me about the Cornwall Retreats?
The Cornwall Retreats are a new initiative I started this year with my daughter, Dani. Both of us come from caring professions—she’s a teacher with a significant role, and I was a nurse—so we deeply understand the importance of taking time to pause and recharge. These retreats are intentionally kept small and intimate, with only four participants, allowing for a truly personalized and relaxing experience. We’ve also made sure to keep the investment low to make them accessible. Currently, we run these retreats a couple of times a year, but as demand grows, we plan to expand and offer them more frequently to meet the increasing needs of people seeking a break from their busy lives.
Is there anything else about your work that you’d like to share that we haven’t covered?
One of the most impactful quotes that has guided my journey comes from Edgar Cayce, who said over a hundred years ago, “Sound is the medicine of the future.” What I would say today is that “Sound is the medicine of NOW” because the future has arrived. We’ve witnessed incredible transformations in people as they adjust their vibrations, and that’s exactly what the tuning forks do. They serve as a delivery system, bringing sound, energy, vibration, and frequency into harmony, allowing a person’s energy to shift. This shift brings about homeostasis, enabling the body to potentially naturally heal and balance itself.
To learn more about Debbi’s work, you can visit www.suarasounds.com , www.suarasoundhealing.com and www.cornwallretreats.com
