Tension and depression are quite common in many parts of the developed world. There is also a great deal of chronic psychosocial stress due to various social factors, including global pandemics, and political and social dynamics in the current historical period. To this end, cost- effective, accessible stress prevention and management strategies are needed. Integrative medicine techniques can be useful in combating chronic psychosocial stress and challenges such as depression and overexertion. Eastern integrative medicine incorporates centuries-old practices and healing modalities that have only recently gained much attention in Western society. Many traditional medicine techniques such as yoga and sound healing can have a positive impact on reducing chronic stress in people. This master thesis examines the effect of sound healing on emotional, physical, sensory and spiritual well-being. Participants received sound therapy with vibrating musical instruments such as singing bowls, gongs and other vibrating instruments. Fifteen participants were screened in the study and completed standardised questionnaires for the mood, body awareness, sensory and spiritual well-being subscales. Results revealed significant correlations between improvements in physical and spiritual well-being scores before and after treatment participation, and reductions in tension and depression scores after sound therapy. There is considerable potential for the use of this technique in a wide range of clinical settings as a low-cost and technologically unsophisticated therapeutic tool to potentially improve emotional, spiritual and physical well-being.
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