MEMBER PERSPECTIVES
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“ I would say it ’ s a different state of consciousness . It helps people who can ’ t sleep , and it certainly helps people with high levels of anxiety .”
— Gaye Steinke
The Himalayan Journey at Spa Anjali incorporates sound therapy into its array of treatments .
as they lie on it in concert ( literally ) with their choice of available music or soundscapes . Guests can opt for the service as a longer , standalone treatment , but Webster has found other uses for the equipment as well .“ I ’ m using it for pre- or post-integration of any treatment on the menu , especially if the guest has time , and they just want to relax . It helps them sink into their body a little more and opens them up to receive the massage or the facial better . Or afterwards , instead of just sending somebody out the door and getting back to reality , it ’ s nice to send somebody into the room and have them relax on their own with the headphones on before getting showered and back into the real world ,” Webster says .
One popular experience utilizes the sounds of a thunderstorm to ease guests into a more relaxed state .“ You put the headphones on , and you ’ re hearing the rain . Then , from the bed underneath you comes the thunder . The bed vibrates according to the sound of the thunder . It ’ s pretty amazing ,” explains Webster . Guests can adjust the intensity and placement of the bed ’ s massaging vibrations , allowing for additional control . However , Webster notes that many guests prefer the highest intensity setting for a whole-body experience .
Obviously , the description of these service types differ noticeably from a traditional massage , but as Marci Howard- May points out , that ’ s exactly the point .“ Your hand can only go so deep , whereas vibration travels through everything . So , it ’ s actually going to be a deeper treatment , but it is different . I wouldn ’ t say its for every single person , but anyone can get a very big benefit from it ,” she says .“ The added bonus is the deep meditative state it can put you in because of the tones actually affecting your brainwaves , which is pretty amazing . That , I think is one of the really unique things about vibration therapy is it ’ s the physical , and it ’ s the brain stimulation . It ’ s just so great helping bring the body and mind down .”
A Growing Trend Gaye Steinke has been similarly impressed with the effects that both the group and one-on-one singing bowl treatments have on guests .“ For a lot of people , it ’ s hard to quiet the mind ,” she says .“ I think [ the singing bowls ] make it easier for people to do a meditation after a yoga class , for example . It ’ s just that deep , deep sense of relaxation and being nurtured . It ’ s not recovery in the sense of sports recovery , it ’ s a total mental recovery .”
Because of sound and vibration ’ s capacity to elicit that kind of impact on guests , it ’ s not surprising to hear Christina Webster say that she anticipates more and more spas incorporating them into their menus as either a standalone treatment or as an add-on to other services .“ Not that I want to take away from that one-on-one touch experience at all , because that ’ s the ultimate , but people can get amazing benefits from these devices . Instead of thinking of them as the enemy , how do we incorporate them into a spa and still offer that beautiful one-on-one touch experience as well ?” she asks .“ You can use these tools to help guests relax so that your personal touch can be more effective .”
Marci May-Howard is also confident that the presence of sound therapy experiences in spa will only continue to grow , and she is not shy about advocating for more spas to add
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54 PULSE • MAY / JUNE 2022