Sounds Heal Podcast: Sound Healing & Wellness

As sound healing and sound therapy continue to grow around the world, how do we ensure the field evolves with integrity, discernment, and a strong foundation of knowledge and practice? In this special panel discussion, moderated by Natalie Brown, four influential voices in the field come together to explore the current landscape of sound therapy, the responsibilities of teaching and practicing sound work, and the future of the field. Audio and video recorded live at the ISTA 20th Anniversary Conference by Nick Rhodes and Gustav Wilde, October 3, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia. Meet the Panelists Christine Stevens is a music therapist, author, educator, and founder of UpBeat Drum Circles. She has trained facilitators in more than 25 countries and is the author of The Nature Sutras, Music Medicine, The Healing Drum Kit, and The Art and Heart of Drum Circles. Her work brings rhythm, drumming, and music into community, educational, and wellness settings. Website: https://ubdrumcircles.com/ Jeralyn Glass is an internationally acclaimed singer, musician, and educator, and founder of Crystal Cadence Sound Healing Studio and The Sacred Science of Sound. A former Broadway performer, she combines her background in classical music with her work in crystal singing bowls and sound education. She is the author of Sacred Vibrations: The Transformative Power of Crystalline Sound and Music and creator of the Crystal Sound Healing Oracle. Website: https://www.jeralynglass.com/ Website: https://www.crystalcadence.com/ Joshua Leeds is a sound researcher, music producer, educator, and author specializing in psychoacoustics and bioacoustics. His work explores the effects of music and sound on the human nervous system, as well as the relationship between sound and animals. His books include The Power of Sound, Through a Dog's Ear, and his 2026 release, Sound & Breath for Autonomic Balance. He is also the creator of the Sound Breath Toolkit. Website: https://www.joshualeeds.com/ Mandara Cromwell is an entrepreneur, inventor, and founder of the International Sound Therapy Association (ISTA), as well as CEO and President of Cyma Technologies. Her work focuses on cymatics, sound technology, and vibrational medicine. She is the author of Soundflower: The Journey to Marry Science and Spirit and her 2026 book, Miracles at Bretforton, exploring the origins and development of cymatherapy. Website: https://cymatechnologies.com/ In this conversation, we explore: Where the sound therapy field stands today and how it is evolving. Integrity and discernment in distinguishing experience, knowledge, belief, and ongoing investigation. The responsibilities of teaching and passing sound practices on to others. Personal practice, self-awareness, and professional boundaries. What we hope to cultivate and carry forward as the field grows. What we are still learning about sound and its role in human wellbeing, and where further research is needed. Natalie Brown, host of Sounds Heal Podcast, founder of Sounds Heal Studio, Sound Healing Academy Lead Teacher for North America: http://www.soundshealstudio.com http://www.facebook.com/soundshealstudio http://www.instagram.com/nataliebrownsoundsheal http://www.youtube.com/soundshealstudio Email: [email protected] Music by Natalie Brown, Hope & Heart http://www.youtu.be/hZPx6zJX6yA

Thomas Orr Anderson was the very first guest on the Sounds Heal Podcast when it launched in 2019, and he’s returned a couple of times since. An author, musician, physicist, and sound researcher, Thomas brings together science, contemplative practice, music, and the study of attention. In this conversation, Thomas shares the journey behind his two latest books, Silent Center: Zero Lessons on Zen and Living Tao Te Ching. We explore how the Tao entered his life and how his understanding has evolved through nature, personal adventures, and the teachers who have influenced him. We discuss Taoist concepts such as Wu Wei, often understood as not-doing or effortless action, and the difference between understanding something intellectually and living it through direct experience. We also explore how these teachings relate to sound healing, including the importance of listening, silence, stillness, and allowing rather than forcing an outcome. Thomas reflects on the challenge of putting the Tao into words when its essential nature cannot truly be expressed through language alone. His books offer different invitations to explore this mystery: Silent Center through playful koans and observations, and Living Tao Te Ching through a contemporary English translation of Lao Tzu’s classic text. A conversation about living what we learn, listening more deeply, and bringing the wisdom of practice into our work and everyday lives. https://thomasorranderson.com/ Thomas’s books: Silent Center: Zero Lessons on Zen https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G193TDNL?lv=shuf&language=he&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback Living Tao Te Ching https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HHKV7P6C?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback Natalie Brown, host of Sounds Heal Podcast, founder of Sounds Heal Studio, Sound Healing Academy Lead Teacher for North America: http://www.soundshealstudio.com http://www.facebook.com/soundshealstudio http://www.instagram.com/nataliebrownsoundsheal http://www.youtube.com/soundshealstudio Email: [email protected] Music by Natalie Brown, Hope & Heart http://www.youtu.be/hZPx6zJX6yA

Sophia Wisdom is a harpist, music therapist, teacher, and founder of Wisdom Harps, a community and online learning platform created to make the harp more accessible to people around the world. Her relationship with the harp began in Ireland and has grown through years of musical study, music therapy, teaching, spiritual practice, and therapeutic work. Sophia shares how her understanding of the harp evolved through her music therapy training and her experiences bringing the instrument into therapeutic and bedside settings, including working with people who have experienced trauma. She explores the particular qualities of the harp that make it such a distinctive instrument for therapeutic work and what music can offer when words aren't enough. Our conversation also explores the relationship between what we can understand about music through neuroscience and music therapy and the aspects of musical experience that are more difficult to measure, including presence, beauty, emotion, and connection. Sophia talks about creating Wisdom Harps to make the instrument more accessible, building an online community for people learning to play, and the different ways people are drawn to the harp beyond performance. We also talk about her experiences sharing music across cultures and her understanding of the relationship between music, spirituality, prayer, and healing. Throughout our conversation, Sophia plays the harp and demonstrates several different styles, giving us an opportunity to experience the instrument as well as hear her speak about it. A thoughtful conversation about the healing harp, sound healing, music therapy, spirituality, and the many ways music can connect us with ourselves and one another. https://www.wisdomharps.com/ https://www.instagram.com/sophiawisdomharps/ Natalie Brown, host of Sounds Heal Podcast, founder of Sounds Heal Studio, Sound Healing Academy Lead Teacher for North America: http://www.soundshealstudio.com http://www.facebook.com/soundshealstudio http://www.instagram.com/nataliebrownsoundsheal http://www.youtube.com/soundshealstudio Email: [email protected] Music by Natalie Brown, Hope & Heart http://www.youtu.be/hZPx6zJX6yA

Layla Minoui is an acclaimed film and television composer whose work has included projects with Disney, DreamWorks, Netflix, and other major productions. Following a cancer diagnosis, her relationship with music shifted in profound ways. During treatment, she began improvising at the piano, creating music as a way to process her experience and navigate her own healing journey. Those improvisations eventually became Journey to Rebirth, an immersive musical experience inviting listeners into reflection, journaling, embodied practices, and intentional listening. Layla shares how moving from composing for other people's stories to creating from her own lived experience changed her relationship with music and creativity. She explores the role music played during treatment, the evolution of those intimate piano improvisations into Journey to Rebirth, and her understanding of healing as an ongoing practice rather than a destination. The conversation also explores what music can offer that words sometimes cannot, the importance of slowing down and creating space for stillness and deep listening, and the ways our cultural backgrounds can shape how we experience and create music. Layla discusses her Iranian-American heritage, her studies in Expressive Arts Coaching and Community Building, and her vision for bringing music and creative experiences into hospitals, schools, and wellness settings. A thoughtful conversation about music, creativity, healing, transformation, and the power of listening. https://www.journeytorebirthmusic.com/ Natalie Brown, host of Sounds Heal Podcast, founder of Sounds Heal Studio, Sound Healing Academy Lead Teacher for North America: http://www.soundshealstudio.com http://www.facebook.com/soundshealstudio http://www.instagram.com/nataliebrownsoundsheal http://www.youtube.com/soundshealstudio Email: [email protected] Music by Natalie Brown, Hope & Heart http://www.youtu.be/hZPx6zJX6yA

AJ Block is a didgeridoo teacher, performer, sound practitioner, and director of Didge Project, where he teaches the instrument through rhythm, breath, circular breathing, improvisation, and musical exploration. A multi-instrumentalist with a background spanning jazz, Western classical music, Indian classical music, and world percussion, AJ brings a broad musical perspective to his work with the didgeridoo. In this episode, AJ shares his journey with the didgeridoo, from discovering the instrument and exploring its ancient origins to developing a deeply expressive approach that incorporates rhythm, voice, breath, and improvisation. He also plays and demonstrates the didgeridoo throughout the conversation, offering tips, techniques, and practical ways to get started with the instrument. We explore the didgeridoo in musical, therapeutic, and sound healing settings, including its use in sound baths, shamanic sound journeys, addiction recovery, and prisons. AJ discusses circular breathing, what it takes to develop this technique, and some of the foundational ways to begin exploring the didgeridoo. AJ also shares about his other ongoing projects and areas of research and exploration, including Dream Seed and Didge For Sleep, as well as the broader questions and possibilities that continue to shape his work with sound, music, healing, and wellness. https://www.didgeproject.com/ https://www.dreamseedsound.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@didgeproject Natalie Brown, host of Sounds Heal Podcast, founder of Sounds Heal Studio, Sound Healing Academy Lead Teacher for North America: http://www.soundshealstudio.com http://www.facebook.com/soundshealstudio http://www.instagram.com/nataliebrownsoundsheal http://www.youtube.com/soundshealstudio Email: [email protected] Music by Natalie Brown, Hope & Heart http://www.youtu.be/hZPx6zJX6yA

In this episode, musician, kirtan leader, and bhakti artist Jordan Loder shares his journey through music and his exploration of sound as a pathway to connection, devotion, and spiritual practice. Jordan has an extensive musical background and spent years touring in supportive roles with artists including Deva Premal & Miten, Snatam Kaur, Ajeet, Simrit, and Adam Bauer, and performing alongside many others in the devotional music community. His experiences have shaped his understanding of music not simply as something to perform or listen to, but as a way of creating connection and shared experience. The conversation explores Jordan’s musical journey and the experiences that transformed his relationship with sound, music, and spirit, as well as the traditions of bhakti and kirtan. Topics include the transformative power of singing together, the role of mantra and repetition, and what happens when we move from listening to music to actively creating sound with our own voices. Jordan also discusses making devotional music accessible to people from all backgrounds, lessons learned through years of traveling and leading sacred music experiences, his own spiritual practice, and the place of devotional music within the growing interest in sound, mindfulness, and healing. https://www.jordanloder.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@jordanloder https://www.instagram.com/jordanlodermusic/ https://www.facebook.com/jordanlodermusic Natalie Brown, host of Sounds Heal Podcast, founder of Sounds Heal Studio, Sound Healing Academy Lead Teacher for North America: http://www.soundshealstudio.com http://www.facebook.com/soundshealstudio http://www.instagram.com/nataliebrownsoundsheal http://www.youtube.com/soundshealstudio Email: [email protected] Music by Natalie Brown, Hope & Heart http://www.youtu.be/hZPx6zJX6yA

Dr. Richard Gold and award-winning composer Yuval Ron are the President and Executive Producer and Artistic Director, respectively, of Metta Mindfulness Music, a healing music label dedicated to creating intentional music for health, mindfulness, meditation, and wellbeing. Dr. Richard Gold is a licensed acupuncturist, psychologist, educator, author, and one of the founders of Pacific College of Oriental Medicine. Yuval Ron is an award-winning composer, author, and musician whose work explores the intersections of music, spirituality, neuroscience, and healing. Together, they bring decades of experience exploring the relationship between sound, healing, and human wellbeing. In this conversation, we explore their fascinating project The Secret Songs of Plants, which transforms the bioelectrical activity of living plants into musical information. Yuval shares the creative process behind turning these plant-generated signals into fully developed musical compositions, while Richard offers his perspective from the worlds of East Asian medicine, psychology, and healing traditions. We also explore the relationship between plants, sound, listening, and intention, the intersection of scientific observation and human experience, and the possibility of deepening our relationship with the natural world through sound. We discuss Metta Mindfulness Music’s broader work creating intentional music for meditation, wellness, and brain health, as well as their vision for the future of The Secret Songs of Plants through performance and education. Join us as we explore plant music, sound healing, deep listening, and the fascinating question of what might happen when we begin to listen more closely to the living world around us. Learn more about The Secret Songs of Plants and Metta Mindfulness Music: http://www.mettamindfulnessmusic.com/ Learn more about Yuval Ron: http://www.yuvalronmusic.com/ Natalie Brown, host of Sounds Heal Podcast, founder of Sounds Heal Studio, Sound Healing Academy Lead Teacher for North America: http://www.soundshealstudio.com/ http://www.facebook.com/soundshealstudio http://www.instagram.com/nataliebrownsoundsheal http://www.youtube.com/soundshealstudio Email: [email protected] Music by Natalie Brown, Hope & Heart: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZPx6zJX6yA

Suren Shrestha is a Nepalese-born sound healing teacher, author, and founder of Atma Buti Sound & Vibrational School, where he has spent decades sharing the wisdom of Himalayan singing bowls and vibrational healing with students around the world. Growing up in Nepal, Suren was immersed in a culture rich with tradition, ritual, community, ancestral wisdom, and a deep connection to the sounds of nature. These early experiences shaped his understanding of sound as a powerful force for connection, healing, and transformation. In this conversation, Suren shares his personal journey into sound healing, the teachers and experiences that guided him toward Himalayan singing bowls, and what he discovered through working with these sacred instruments. We also explore the creation of Atma Buti Sound & Vibrational School, his approach to teaching and certification, and his vision for preserving and sharing these ancient sound healing traditions in the modern world. Join us as we explore the roots of Himalayan sound healing, the power of vibration, and Suren Shrestha’s lifelong dedication to sharing the healing potential of sound. https://atmabuti.org Natalie Brown, host of Sounds Heal Podcast, founder of Sounds Heal Studio, Sound Healing Academy Lead Teacher for North America: http://www.soundshealstudio.com http://www.facebook.com/soundshealstudio http://www.instagram.com/nataliebrownsoundsheal http://www.youtube.com/soundshealstudio Email: [email protected] Music by Natalie Brown, Hope & Heart http://www.youtu.be/hZPx6zJX6yA

Craig Shankster is co-founder of Silence In Sound in Mid Wales, UK, where he and his wife, Jacquie, have spent more than four decades exploring the transformative potential of sound. Their work integrates Himalayan singing bowls, singing gongs, meditation, and contemplative listening practices to help people discover greater awareness, presence, and inner stillness. Drawing from decades of experience researching, teaching, and working with traditional sound instruments, Craig has developed a philosophy he calls The Resonant Middle Way—an approach that invites us to discover silence within sound itself and cultivate a deeper relationship with the sounds that surround us every day. Join us as we explore Craig's remarkable journey, the wisdom of Himalayan singing bowls and singing gongs, the practice of deep listening, and his unique perspective on the evolving field of sound healing. Learn more about Craig and Silence In Sound: https://www.silenceinsound.co.uk https://www.facebook.com/silenceinsound https://www.instagram.com/craigshankster/ Natalie Brown, host of Sounds Heal Podcast, founder of Sounds Heal Studio, Sound Healing Academy Lead Teacher for North America: http://www.soundshealstudio.com http://www.facebook.com/soundshealstudio http://www.instagram.com/nataliebrownsoundsheal http://www.youtube.com/soundshealstudio Music by Natalie Brown, Hope & Heart http://www.youtu.be/hZPx6zJX6yA Email: [email protected] This episode of Sounds Heal Podcast is sponsored by Crystal Tones, creators of the original Alchemy Crystal Singing Bowls®. For many people in the sound world, Crystal Tones bowls are more than instruments. They’re companions in practice, meditation, ceremony, and deep listening. Each bowl is handcrafted in the United States from ultra-pure quartz crystal and infused with precious metals, gemstones, and rare minerals through their proprietary alchemical process. Crystal Tones has helped shape the evolution of modern sound culture, with their bowls being used in meditation spaces, healing practices, concert settings, and sound journeys around the world. You can explore their instruments and learn more at http://www.crystalsingingbowls.com.

Across the first half of 2026, sound is increasingly moving across culture, science, and media, expanding from niche wellness practices into mainstream cultural programming, clinical research, and neuroscience. In this episode of Sound Healing News, Natalie Brown explores how sound baths, vibroacoustic therapy, and immersive sound experiences are appearing in concert halls, botanical gardens, healthcare research, and media coverage, while scientists and journalists alike begin to develop a shared language around attention, nervous system regulation, and human experience. This episode of Sounds Heal Podcast is sponsored by Crystal Tones, creators of the original Alchemy Crystal Singing Bowls®. Crystal Tones bowls are handcrafted in the United States from ultra-pure quartz crystal and infused with precious metals, gemstones, and rare minerals through a proprietary alchemical process. Each instrument carries its own distinct tonal character, harmonic richness, and vibrational quality, making them widely used in sound meditation, contemplative practice, therapeutic sound environments, and performance settings around the world. Known for their depth of tone and complex overtone fields, Crystal Tones has become a significant presence in the evolution of modern sound culture, with their instruments featured in wellness spaces, ceremonial contexts, and immersive sound experiences internationally. More information can be found at http://www.crystalsingingbowls.com. Natalie Brown, host of Sounds Heal Podcast, founder of Sounds Heal Studio, Sound Healing Academy Lead Teacher for North America: http://www.soundshealstudio.com http://www.facebook.com/soundshealstudio http://www.instagram.com/nataliebrownsoundsheal http://www.youtube.com/soundshealstudio Email: [email protected] Music by Natalie Brown, Hope & Heart http://www.youtu.be/hZPx6zJX6yA Episode references: Los Angeles Master Chorale – Sound Waves: A Transcendent Sound Bath for the Soul https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/05/12/3293188/0/en/Escape-the-Chaos-Los-Angeles-Master-Chorale-Presents-Sound-Waves-a-Transcendent-Sound-Bath-for-the-Soul.html Sound in Bloom – Rotary Botanical Gardens https://events.wiscotix.com/e/sound-bath-june-2026 Sunset Spirit Sound Bath – Sonoma Botanical Garden https://www.sonomacounty.com/events/sunset-spirit-sound-bath/ Summer Solstice Sound Healing – San Diego Botanic Garden https://sdbg.org/programs/06-20-summer-solstice-sound-healing/ Floating Sound Bath – Salamander DC Spa https://www.salamanderdc.com/spa/floating-sound-bath Floating Sound Bath – Minneapolis https://floatingsoundbathmpls.com/ Se7en Waves Floating Sound Experience https://se7enwaves.com/floating Sound baths are one of 2026’s biggest wellness trends – Atlanta Journal-Constitution https://www.ajc.com/wellness/2026/03/sound-baths-are-one-of-2026s-biggest-wellness-trends/ The Guardian – What is a sound bath and does it work https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/may/12/sound-bath-what-is-it-does-it-work-music-meditation-relaxation-nervous-system-science Traditional Medicine Conference 2026 – Vibroacoustic Therapy program https://traditionalmedicineconference.com/program/scientific-program/2026/vibroacoustic-therapy-integrating-sound-science-and-traditional-healing Music-based interventions in clinical settings (PMC) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5871151/ Computational music cognition and neural entrainment https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.12280 Neuroscience of rhythm and attention https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.02527 Vogue Arabia – Frequency sound shaping wellness in 2026 https://www.voguearabia.com/article/frequency-sound-shaping-wellness-in-2026 MusicRadar – Sound as scaffolding for the nervous system https://www.musicradar.com/music-tech/when-approached-thoughtfully-electronic-music-can-act-as-a-kind-of-scaffolding-for-the-nervous-system