Tactile Sound Massage and Vibroacoustic Newsletter )
Sharing information on the use of Vibroacoustics and more Sept - Oct 2006
in this issue
  • Sound Massage Interview
  • Vibroacoustic Therapy Article
  • Featured Tactile Sound Music CD
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    This issue of the newsletter features an interview with Linda Metzger, Owner of Palm Island Salon/Spa, the eighth and last installment of a new article by Olav Skille on Vibroacoustic Therapy and Its Effect on Various Populations, as well as the featured CD of the month that is excellent in the Tactile Sound Tables.

    We will be at the International Sound Healing Conference, Nov.10 - 14, 2006, in Santa Fe, NM. There are many big names in Sound Healing presenting at the conference and we encourage you to attend. If you are there, please stop by our booth in the exhibitors hall and try out one of our new Sound Therapy Tables.

    Hydraulic Lift Stationary Tactile Sound Table We have recently introduced a New Tactile Sound Table. The first is a Stationary Tactile Sound Table available with electric Hydraulic Lifts. We create these tables from the ground up and they have been getting rave reviews. Linda Metzger, our interveiwee has one of these tables. For more info, Click Here.

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    Every Newsletter will have a short article or interview with a therapist or spa who uses a Tactile Sound Massage table in their work. The intent is to build community and to share ideas of how their rooms are set up, what music they use, how they market their Tables, etc. A number of practitioners from around the globe are sharing information with the rest of the world. If you would also like to share with the group, please contact me by email. stephen@vibroacoustic.org

    Stephen Deuel
    Managing Director
    Inner Soulutions LLC

    Sound Table Interview
    Table with connectors

    Linda G. Metzger, LMT

    Owner Palm Island Salon/Spa, Lake Wales, Florida

    • Licensed Massage Therapist
    • Registered Esthetician
    • Reflexology
    • Registered Nurse

    Q - Linda, you have one of our Stationary Tactile Sound Tables with a hydraulic lift in your spa - How is it working out for you?

    A - I am excited about owning the Tactile Sound Table not only because of the superb workmanship and quality but because of the added health benefits I offer my clients/patients. The construction of the table is wonderful and the detailed instructions for set-up excellent. The whole experience of purchasing the table and then receiving more than I ever expected was a joy.

    The hydraulic lift is invaluable. I see patients from 8 years old up to 87 years old plus pregnant ladies, patients with back, knee and weight problems and all are able to sit down onto the table with ease. My stationary table was previously at a level to accommodate my height and would require patients to use a step stool to get onto the table. Many of the patients had difficulty getting onto the stationary table even with a stool and my assistance.

    I keep the hydraulic table at the lowest position and then raise the table to the height I need according to the patient size and the specific work I will be doing. The hydraulic lift is so smooth and quiet the patient often does not realize they were raised or lowered and the foot control makes it quite easy to use.

    I would definitely recommend the hydraulic lift to be added when purchasing a table. The extra money is worth investing for therapist and patient comfort.

    Q - How has owning a Tactile Sound Table changed things for you?

    A - Owning a Tactile Sound Table has, of course, added a new treatment to our service menu. My health has improved and many of my patients are seeing results of improved health and well-being with music and/or frequencies through the sound table.

    I do not have to work as deep after the patient is on the sound table for about 20 minutes since their muscles are more relaxed than with massage alone. My work is much easier on most patients and saves the thumbs for applying deeper pressure.

    Q - What type of bodywork / modalities do you do and how does the sound table help you do that work?

    A - My background before massage included business and the medical field. I worked as a registered nurse but am no longer practicing nursing. I am licensed in Florida as a massage therapist and esthetician. I offer a mix of relaxation and therapeutic massage, pregnancy massage, reflexology, warm stone massage, Reiki, facials, foot treatments, skin care, and other related modalities such as aromatherapy, body wraps, etc. I accept referrals and prescription orders from doctors and take insurance.

    I have people who have seen improvement in their health from using the frequencies and the music on the sound table. The table has helped me by increasing patient comfort and allowing me to use the music more effectively and, of course, I have added the frequencies which I didn't use before.

    Q - Linda can you share some of the comments and reactions by your clients in regards to their sessions on the Tactile Sound Table?

    A - My first comment would be about my own health. Working with frequencies and music and spending time on the table for myself during the week, my blood pressure is 120/68 down from 140/80 and above without any medication changes. I have peripheral neuropathy of both feet and have more feeling and less pain after an hour on the sound table with music and frequencies.

    I have seen many levels of improvements and heard different comments and reactions to the sound table. At first, many patients thought when I said vibroacoustic therapy (VAT) they would receive noticeable vibration through the table similar to vibrating chair cushions and chairs, which is not what happens. You can feel a slight hum with the frequencies.

    I have had several doctors visit to have a massage on the table with frequencies and music since they were interested for their patients with continuing pain and discomfort and have recommended a massage with sound table. They are initially referring patients with multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, cancer, arthritis, anxiety disorders, stress and patients going through chemotherapy treatments.

    Two of the patients with multiple sclerosis have noticed less pain after 2 treatments with massage, frequencies and music. These are patients I have seen before with massage only and are showing a decrease in pain and muscle discomfort. One of the patients said it was the best thing for pain relief she had experienced without her pain medication.

    Another retired patient I have been seeing once a month for over a year has chronic lower back pain. He goes to a chiropractor and physical therapist but the most relief he experienced lasted several days after a 1/2 hour massage. When I added the sound table using Olav Skille’s frequencies to his massage, he experienced relief from his back pain up to a week, then two weeks and is up to pain relief for three weeks between his monthly visits.

    One patient has chronic pain from two knee surgeries and from arthritis. He cannot hear without hearing aids but takes out his hearing aids before massage. He requests the sound table with music and frequencies each visit since he can feel the music and the frequencies through the table. He comes for a massage and sound therapy once a week for 1-1/2 hours each visit and states he feels better with less pain from his knees and arthritis. Again, I use Olav’s CDs and a variety of compatible music.

    One of my monthly patients had been upset each massage when she was face down on the table. Her face would have a swollen appearance after the massage. When I began using the sound table with music and frequencies, at the end of the massage, her face looked thin. Her rings she had difficulty removing from her fingers before the massage, slid off her fingers after the massage. The table has increased her circulation for the better. She even says that a day or so after the massage and sound, she feels she is detoxifying. The massage helped before but adding the sound was extremely therapeutic for her. She now has an appointment once a week for massage and the sound table.

    I have several patients who just want to be on the table to hear and feel the music. I do offer a complimentary face and scalp or hand and foot massage while listening.

    Oh and Stephen your readers may enjoy this. I have several people who are cat lovers and come in for the sound table or the sound table and massage. I use a CD called "Relax with Cats" by Jeff Moran, MA and Jack Stewart, MSc from the UK. They recorded cats purring and added beautiful healing music. According to research studies in the UK, cats purring at frequencies between 25 and 50 Hz which has been shown to be therapeutic for bone healing, increasing bone density as well as lowering blood pressure, and relaxation. My patients who love cats, love this CD.

    Comments from patients other than the health improvements include: "I feel like I am 'Velcroed' to the table”, "I didn't want to get up", "I didn't want the music and hum to stop", "I felt as if I were levitating above the table and floating away", and "Can I take this table home?"

    Q - Linda, it is wonderful to hear those results with your clients. What kind of setup do you have with your table?

    A - Along with the system in the table, I have a speaker on each side of the room approximately 3 feet on either side of the patients head. This creates a great sound for the patient. In one CD, there is a waterfall and when the patient is on the table, instead of hearing the sound on each side of the head, the patient feels the sound through the table and hears the sound behind them with the waterfall at the top of their head. I often use a very light body spray on the back and jasmine aromatherapy at this point. It feels as if the water is over spraying from the waterfall and there must be lovely aromatic jasmine blooming along side the waterfall. Patients enjoy their mini vacations and trips into nature.

    Q - What music do you like to use?

    A - I have a variety of music and I like to use the following: "Ocean Euphoric" by Kip Mazuy plus his other CD's; "Spa" by Hennie Bekker plus his other CD's; "Bali" by Jalan Jalan; " Rejuva, Healing, & Shamballa" by Shapeshifter; "Balance" by David Ison; "Lumina Nights and Stargazer's Journey" by John Serrie; "Sleeping Through the Rain" HemiSync by the Monroe Institute; "Cho Ku Rei" by Weave; Music by Stephen Halpren, Liquid Mind, Christophor Franke, Rapheal, as I mentioned before "Relax with Cats"; , just to name some favorites.

    Q - Linda you have mentioned that you also use frequencies with your work, please tell us about that.

    A - For most patients, I use frequencies created by Olav Skille from Norway. The CD uses 4 -18 minute frequencies including 40, 52, 68, and 86 Hz, which is a great tune up for the body and also very relaxing. The music alone is effective for some but for chronic pain relief, deeper relaxation and more immediate results, I use the frequencies.

    For specific disorders, in addition to Olav Skille's CD, I use frequency CD's from Inner Soulutions and have CD's for multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, knee, the spine, the oxygenator, DNA/ RNA, intestines, etc. I have the best results using frequencies and music together, which is easily done with the small mixer Stephen suggested when I purchased the table.

    Q - Linda it sounds as if the sound table has helped to increase your Client base?

    A - Yes, my client base is slowly increasing. We never advertise and have always worked by referrals from satisfied patients. We are in a small older town and new things such as sound tables are different for our clients/patients. Anything new takes time which is perfect for me since I am learning about the table myself and finding courses and classes to take to add to my knowledge. And as I learn more, the client base is increasing.

    Q - So how are you marketing the table?

    A - We are in the process of creating an insert to our brochure introducing the sound table and vibroacoustic therapy. I have added the sound table service to our website but will add an explanation later on. For the month of July, after I began using the sound table, I offered a free sound session for each facial and massage patient. After July, we began minimally charging for the table.

    Q - Linda this has been a great interview, is there anything else you would like to share with us?

    A - There are joys in life and this is one of my greatest joys. I have always loved music and play the piano, organ, and drums. I have a digital piano and can create all types of sounds. I love listening to music. There is not a day without music for me. I have always said if I could live in a speaker, I would be happy. I not only like to hear my music, but I want to feel the music. The sound table provides that joy along with relaxation and health benefits, for myself and for others who use the table. The Tactile Sound Table adds the dimension of joy and health to my massage and facial practice.

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    Linda thanks so much for sharing with us.

    Vibroacoustic Therapy
    Part 8 of An Article by Olav Skille
    Levanger, Norway
    July 17, 2005

    Tactile Sound Massage Table

    Vibroacoustic Therapy and Its Effect on Various Populations - Part 7

    Introduction: The first experiences with VAT, as we know it today, were carried out in 1980 when I was working as headmaster of a school for multiply handicapped, mentally retarded children. 1987 - 1990 I ran a clinic which offered VAT to clients who came to the clinic because of various complaints, some of them were referred to VAT by their physicians.

    From 1980 until today the method has spread out to different institutions, and now VAT is used to improve the life quality of persons suffering from a wide variety of complaints and handicaps. On the following pages I will try to describe how we have approached some defined conditions. Most results come from my own work, or the work of my assistants, but I also include results described in reports from professionals (nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, teachers in special education, psychologists and music therapists) in Norway and other countries.

    The conditions treated by VAT differ considerably from the conditions, which traditionally are treated by Music Therapy and Music Medicine, as we know them today. As VAT has a direct physical effect on the whole human body - and virtually has an effect on each single cell in the organism, it is natural that we can observe effects which cannot be observed, or can only be traced, when we use auditively transferred musical stimuli.

    Depression

    The choice of music may be as equally important as the choice of frequency or frequencies. The therapist should put great emphasis on the pre VAT and post VAT conversation with the patient. Only music made especially for VAT purposes should be used when this condition is treated, and the therapist must explain to the patient why such music is used - as a part of the guided imagery entrance to the VAT-session.

    Usually we start with a single frequency 68 Hz tape and choose further therapeutic strategy in cooperation with the patient. It is not uncommon that the patient starts weeping during, or after the VAT session. This is not unnatural, and the patient ought to be given time to finish the emotional outburst.

    If one detects psychotic or pre-psychotic behaviour, the VAT session should be terminated as soon as possible, and the patient should be transferred to competent psychiatric medical care.

    If the Vibroacoustic therapist is a qualified professional in psychiatric care, VAT can be used as a medium, which can serve as a basis for psychotherapy and counselling.

    Stress

    Stress ought to be treated in a completely sheltered environment with as much sound isolation as possible. The room should be windowless, the walls whitish, and the light should be turned down as far as possible, without leaving the patient in total darkness.

    Only “floating” music, especially made for VAT purposes should be used, and the therapeutic procedure is similar to the procedure described under “Depression”. It is important that the music is totally unknown to the patient, and that it contains no recognisable melodic or rhythmic structures from commercially available music.

    In the beginning of the VAT series, single frequency therapy tapes should be used. Later on it is recommended to include tapes with two or more frequencies.

    This is part 8, the final part of this article.

    Olav's frequencies are available in the US through our web site. Click below for more info.

     

    Featured Tactile Sound Music CD

    Antahkarana - Amoraea Dreamseed

    Antahkarana

    Amoraea Dreamseed

    This CD was composed as a vehicle to establish the Antahkarana (’bridge’ in Tibetan) between all levels and dimensions of your I-dentity. Keyboard soundscapes and nature sounds blend seamlessly with celestial tapestries of flute, harp, percussion, angelic vocals, singing bowls and didjeridoo for an orchestrated journey through Mystical Realms. Ideal for use in meditation, ritual, yoga, massage/ healing, lovemaking and any other form of uniting with your Spiritual Essence. Antahkarana is one unbroken composition like a soundtrack, fluidly traveling from deep to uplifting, angelic to shamanic, meditative to activating, in its mood and feeling…. Designed as a holographic journey!

    We have been using this CD for our massages on our Tactile Sound Table and it is wonderful. Thanks to Jahsah (who has one of our Sound Tables in Sedona, AZ) for bringing this CD into our awareness.This CD is also available in a Hemi-Sync® version.

    Click here to order this CD.

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