If you've been struggling with emotional distress, stress, sadness, grief, burnout, the death of a loved one or you are going through heartbreak, sound therapy could help you. By working alongside the properties of sound, you can work towards improving your emotional resiliency and well-being.
What happens when you suppress your emotions for too long?
Did you know that emotions, without appropriate expression, can become internalised within our body and potentially lead to physical health conditions such as headaches, digestive issues, or chronic health conditions? Sound therapy is increasingly being used to release stored and internalised emotions. Research studies have shown that sound therapy can reduce stress, anxiety, and even physical pain by promoting a state of deep relaxation and equanimity.
What does emotional pain feel like?
People experiencing emotional pain may have feelings of deep sadness, grief, and sorrow. This type of pain can feel like a heavy weight on the chest, a sense of emptiness or void within, a numbness and withdrawal from the world, a sense of apathy or a deep sense of hopelessness or despair.
Signs of emotional pain
Physiologically, emotional pain can trigger responses similar to physical pain, look out for an increased heart rate, sweating, or an upset stomach. You may also notice an increase in intrusive thoughts, have difficulty concentrating, and persistently ruminate over things.
What causes emotional pain?
Emotional pain is caused by many factors, often it has its roots in major life events such as: loss and grief, abandonment, rejection, trauma, abuse, loneliness, resentments, suppressed anger, disappointments in life and from post traumatic stress syndrome.
How to deal with and let go of painful emotions?
Dealing with and letting go of painful emotions can be challenging, but it's necessary for your emotional well-being.
1. Acknowledge and accept the emotion.
Allow yourself to feel the emotion just as an emotion, try not to assign any label to the emotion as good or bad. You may say aloud to yourself, "I am feeling sad", "I am feeling angry", "I am feeling disgust".
2. Cultivate self-awareness
Once you have identified the name of the emotion, start to become more consciously aware of when you feel that emotion again. Perhaps create a little list to mark down the emotion and when and what was happening to start to build a picture of when that emotion arises.
3. Explore the root causes behind these feelings.
Once you have gathered evidence of when the emotion arises you may be able to find associations. At this stage it may help to sit in introspection, journal, meditate, pray, take a sound therapy session, contemplate, or talk with a trusted friend or therapist to join the dots of when a particular emotion arises and what was going on. Be patient with yourself in this phase, don't try to be too quick to identify the root cause, as it may be deeper or older than you think, keep enquiring until you are with out a doubt that you have worked it out. You will know if you have found the root cause because the emotion may not arise anymore!
3. Practice self-compassion.
Cultivate a non-judgmental awareness of your emotions. Treat yourself with kindness.
4. Have a gentleness break
Take conscious breaks from rumination and indulging in the emotion. Engaging in activities that bring you joy and fulfilment can help shift focus away from the pain.
Sound therapy to release stuck emotions
Therapeutic sound, or sound therapy, works by using specific frequencies and tones to resonate with your body and mind, promoting relaxation and emotional release. This gentle yet powerful approach can help you let go of pent-up emotions and find inner peace and clarity of the root cause.
Through the use of instruments such as singing bowls, tuning forks, and gongs, sound therapy creates a soothing and harmonious environment that encourages emotional healing. These sounds penetrate deep into your being, allowing you to release emotional pain that may have been holding you back.
How does sound therapy release emotional pain?
In a sound therapy session the body not only experiences the sound at the level of hearing, through the ears, but the entire body is considered one huge ear — the skin, the cells, your heart, lungs, muscles, and nervous system all experience a visceral response to the sounds. Since emotions are often trapped across all of these body layers the sound can thus penetrate deeply into all these areas of your body, shaking them up, or waking them up, giving them a gentle nudge to release whatever may be held. Memories may also arise that may help you identify the root cause of the emotional pain. Know that a recent heartbreak may not be the cause of your deep feelings of unworthiness, and it may bring to memory an event in primary school.
How to let go of painful emotions?
As you immerse yourself in the therapeutic sounds, you may experience a sense of calm and clarity washing over you. This can help you process and release emotional pain in a safe and supportive way, sometimes feeling the emotions alone can be too overwhelming, but in the space of a practitioner you can feel safer. You may also have uncomfortable emotions arise, and you may feel your body shake or start crying — these are all normal responses of emotional release.
Sound therapy can be a great complement to other healing practices like meditation or psychotherapy, adding another dimension to your emotional healing journey.
Release deep emotional pain from the root
It's important to take care of your emotional health, and sound therapy can be a gentle yet effective way to support your well-being by helping to release deep emotional pains that may be affecting your health. By incorporating sound therapy into your routine, you can work towards a healthier, more balanced emotional state.
Ultimately, letting go involves gradually releasing the grip these emotions have on you, understanding that they do not define your entire experience, and embracing a path towards healing and resilience.
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This article was written by Nicole Sultana, she holds a Post Graduate Degree in Spiritual Care, is a Certified Therapeutic Sound Practitioner and a Death Doula. She is the founder of Sound Consciousness, a company who provides wellbeing strategies and therapeutic sound practices to help you reach peak levels of performance whether you are trying to excel in your career, be the best parent you can be, or wanting to create your dream life.
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