The grand opening of Theta Therapy at 2020 Gunbarrel Road, Ste. 122, will be on Saturday. Sound therapy and sound baths are becoming popular in large cities throughout the country, a new trend that people are gravitating toward for healing and stress relief. Jennifer Kearns brings these new forms of healing to Chattanooga.
Behind the business is licensed sound therapist, sound bath practitioner, Reiki master, music educator and performer Jennifer Kearns. After 20+ years as a Broadway musician and music educator in Las Vegas, Ms. Kearns brings her music expertise to Chattanooga.
“Vibrational medicine encompasses many subtle-energy therapies, including sound therapy,” Ms. Kearns said. “Everything vibrates according to physics.”
Vibrational medicine practitioners view disease as the result of out-of-tune natural resonances in the body caused by stress, illness, or environmental factors. The treatment uses vibrations and sound frequencies to heal the body, mind, and spirit. Tonal and rhythmic instruments and voice deliver therapeutic sound and sound therapy techniques, said officials.
“Just as the name suggests, tones transmit frequencies into the body, using tools like precisely tuned tuning forks, singing bowls, crystal singing bowls and carefully selected songs. Those tones create healing,” Ms. Kearns said.
While the practice is new to the area, the roots of sound therapy dates back to ancient times.
"The use of sound therapy in ancient Greece was initially intended to treat mental illness," Ms. Kearns said. "Today, sound therapy can have many benefits, including stress reduction, mood balance, blood pressure reduction, improved sleep, and pain management." Sympathetic resonance is the process by which sound therapy works, she said. It occurs when vibrations from one source match those from another.
By listening to the soothing frequencies from the therapeutic-grade instruments, the brain is synchronized with those delicate frequencies. This is called entrainment.
“As a result of these matching vibrations, the brain can relax,” Ms. Kearns said. “As we concentrate, focus, or become stressed, our brain changes from a beta-dominant state to an alpha-dominant or theta-dominant state. As a result of hearing the sounds, your parasympathetic nervous system is activated, which is the opposite response to flight or fight. Consequently, you breathe more slowly, and your heart rate slows down, encouraging your body to fall into deep relaxation and heal.”
At Theta Therapy, through individual sessions as well as group sound baths, the power of frequencies, music and sound is used to heal the mind, body, and spirit.
"Our goal is to bring the power of vibrations into the local culture, and Theta Therapy is here to unlock those powerful frequencies into real-time, real-life healing," Ms. Kearns said. "During a sound healing session at Theta Therapy, your needs will be addressed using bowls, tuning forks, drums, rhythms and voice 'toning.' I am thrilled to bring this ancient and innovative therapy to Chattanooga.”