Welcome to today’s Mystic Mag interview, where we have the pleasure of sitting down with Joanne Dusatko, a highly skilled Vibration Sound Therapy Certified Practitioner. With her profound knowledge and expertise in the realm of sound healing, Joanne has been transforming lives through the power of vibrations. From her profound understanding of various sound frequencies to her unique approach in harmonizing the mind, body, and spirit, Joanne is paving the way for a new wave of holistic healing. Join us as we delve into the depths of sound therapy and uncover the incredible benefits it brings to our overall well-being.
Can you explain to our audience how a sound bath works and how it can help anyone?
Group sound baths (also called sound meditations) use sound frequencies to affect the brain and the parasympathetic nervous system. These frequencies help to calm the “fight or flight” response resulting in relaxation, stress relief, and a time of “resting and repairing”.
Participants lie on the floor or sit while fully clothed and experience a variety of sounds such as crystal and Himalayan singing bowls, chimes, gongs, and percussion which “bathes” listeners bringing them into a place of deep listening. The sound bath often begins with a brief explanation of what to expect followed by a short guided meditation. The meditation may be based on a theme like gratitude, courage or abundance. Or, it might focus on the body and breathing as a way for participants to relax and be best prepared to experience the sounds during the rest of the session. Unlike music, which is repetitive in rhythm or melody, the listener must stay tuned in and in the moment and follow each expression of frequency. This act encourages a change of brainwave state from the everyday task oriented beta brainwave range down to alpha which is in the almost asleep range and sometimes even down to theta which is a deep meditative state. Some sound bath participants comment that time goes by very quickly. Others find themselves receiving creative ideas or solutions to problems. Some feel they can hear more clearly in the spirit world or have experiences with the divine. Yet others are joyful to simply leave behind the racing thoughts and cares of everyday life and experience peace, relaxation and stress relief.
Another type of sound therapy/sound bath for individuals that I do is called Vibrational Sound Therapy. One to three Himalayan singing bowls are placed on the body and are struck in rhythm. The combination of vibration and tones induce and almost immediate relaxed state. The technique shares some of the benefits of traditional massage but its unique in that a person stays clothed, they are not touched by a stranger, and they are not left feeling sore.
As a VST facilitator, I can use singing bowls to help identify parts of the body that need attention. If a bowl rings weakly when struck or the vibration of the bowl feels a little erratic, it is a signal that that particular area may be weakened, ill, or experienced trauma.
In sound therapy, there is a principle called “entertainment.” One system’s motion or frequency signal impacts the frequency of another system. For example, pendulum clocks or metronomes that are ticking in different time patterns will, after a few minutes, synchronize and tick in unison. In the same way, the frequency of the bowl can impact the frequency of a body part/area. Thus, the vibration of the bowl can help to bring positive change to a part of the body.
I would also like to mention that be it a group or individual session, I believe the person running the session is just the facilitator and that it is the person themself that is bringing about any positive change or effect. The facilitator is setting the atmosphere for the positive outcome to occur.
Another thing I would like to address in INTENT. If a person comes with a curious mind, or is expecting to receive something from a sound bath or individual session, they are much more likely to find that they do. If people come with a closed mind or feeling doubtful or negative about what they will experience they are much more likely to find that to be true.
The same is true for the practitioner. For a sound bath, I come with the intent to release peace, rest and divine love through the sounds I create.
When did you discover the power and healing aspects of sound? How was the process of learning that and starting to have clients?
My journey into sound started with my development as a musician. My first instrument was the clarinet and I enjoyed learning how instruments sounded individually and when combined in quartet, band and orchestra formats. I enjoyed learning to listen to each instrument and seeing how each part fit into the piece and joined to make a powerful expression.
The next stage came when I learned to play guitar and grew in songwriting. I learned to express myself through songwriting and it was very therapeutic and instructive on both creative and emotional levels.
I went deeper into my sound journey when I deepened my relationship with sound on a spiritual level. Music as an expression of love for the divine is a very moving and potentially life changing experience. I found myself finding one of my core purposes as a human as I used music and especially spontaneous music to release my heart of love for the divine.
Another outlet that developed my growth into the spontaneous use of sound though instruments came through group prayer meetings. As a person prayed for a need, I found I had a sense of an instrument, maybe a shaker or a roll of a drum, etc. that complemented the words that were being prayed. What I played sometimes enabled people to pray more effectively. In a sense, this was the beginning of my sound healing journey-sensing what should be played in the moment.
I continued that journey by studying at the Globe School of Sound Healing where I did 186 hours of study and received certification in sound healing and therapy. I later trained at the Sound Healing Association where I learned the Vibrational Sound Therapy technique and how to perform sound baths.
I currently run a monthly sound bath/meditation with Jen Aldrich in Oak Park, IL as well as do sound baths in other local areas. I see clients for individual sound sessions at Restoration Center Chicago.
What do you see as the main benefits of your treatments/therapies?
I have already mentioned quite a few benefits of both of my therapies. One reason sound baths and sound therapy are effective is because our bodies are about 60% water and water is an excellent conductor of sound. Again, both sound baths and individual vibrational sound therapy sessions affect the parasympathetic nervous system which controls involuntary processes of the body such as heartbeat, digestion and respiration. Sound therapies can slow and calm these processes and bring the body into a more positive state. Sound therapy can be helpful in releasing stress, tension and anxiety. Nevertheless, each person has an individual experience.
What kind of feedback have you received from your clients? Has someone told you your treatment helped with an issue that you didn’t expect?
People often see various colors or pictures in their minds as they listen. A few people have mentioned that they felt like they left their bodies! Others have gotten insight or creative ideas. Many feel refreshed.
One woman after attending one of my sound baths reported she had range of motion in one arm that was not present before she came. Recently, a woman got revelation and answers to prayers she had been asking God about.
I did a Vibrational Sound Therapy (VST) session for a woman with a knot in her shoulder. At the end of the session the knot was gone. She said that previous traditional massage had not been as effective for her as the VST session.
I had a woman come for a VST session a few months ago and a bowl was ringing very weakly on the bottom of her left foot. After a few minutes of striking a consistent pattern, the quality of the sound improved.
After the session, I asked her about her left foot. She explained when she was a child she had a lawn mower accident involving her left foot. I believe the bowl, along with my intent to see healing and wholeness come to my client, assisted her in releasing trauma from that area of her body.
Each person is a unique individual and may have different responses to sound therapy. After a recent VST session, a client reported it was the most powerful experience she has ever had in her entire life! In the same week, another client shared they simply felt more relaxed. Each session is truly a unique and individual experience.
Is it possible that other sounds and even music can have similar effects like reducing anxiety and stress?
Music had been proven scientifically to have a therapeutic effect. A John Hopkins article titled “Keep Your Brain Young on Music” states that “research has shown that listening to music can reduce anxiety, blood pressure, and pain as well as improve sleep quality, mood, mental alertness, and memory.”
Let’s talk for a moment about sound. Sound is part of our world and different sounds can affect us positively or negatively. Being out in nature, hearing birds or the waves of the ocean have a positive effect on our mental, physical and emotional states, be it calming, satisfying, or restorative. Other sounds like the pounding of a jackhammer, the wail of a siren or someone crying can affect us negatively. We can have a reaction to a sound based on how we have experienced that sound before and if it is connected to an event, person or memory. Or, the sound may simply be irritating.
On another level, sounds cause a reaction based on their character which in musical terms is called timbre. A bright, sharp high sound like a metal bell or a small gong tends to be activating for humans. Conversely, warm, round or low sounds tend to be more soothing. Going back to sound baths, a sound therapist can use different sounds and instruments based on their character to bring about a desired result.
