Vibroacoustic therapy (VAT) is a type of sound therapy that uses low-frequency sound waves to create vibrations that are transmitted through the body.
The vibrations are thought to have a number of beneficial effects, including reducing stress, anxiety, and pain; improving sleep; and boosting mood.
At Resilience Counseling & Wellness we have found that the addition of VAT with our therapy clients has helped to stabilize their nervous systems, decrease stress and anxiety, improve sleep, and increase their overall quality of life.
Although we do highly recommend it for our therapy clients, we do have some availability for VAT sessions for members of the Houston community, as well, so give us a call if you’re interested in trying it out!
How does VAT work?
VAT is thought to work by stimulating the body’s natural healing mechanisms. The vibrations help to release endorphins, which have mood-boosting and pain-relieving effects. They also help to improve circulation and reduce muscle tension.
VAT was developed in the 1980s by Olav Skille, a Norwegian researcher who was interested in the effects of sound on the body. Skille found that low-frequency sound waves could produce a range of physiological changes, including increased blood flow, reduced muscle tension, and improved heart rate variability. These changes were thought to be responsible for the beneficial effects of VAT.
What does VAT feel like?
At Resilience Counseling & Wellness we administer VAT through the inHarmony Interactive Sound Lounge, which is a comfortable “sound bed.” The Sound Lounge has a wave-like design and a soft foam top that contours to your body and puts you in a comfortable, neutral posture position. This allows your joints and muscles to fully relax, leaving you feeling weightless, secure, and peaceful. Using four tactile transducers, two amplifiers, and Sennheiser HD noise reduction headphones, the different sound frequencies instantly soothe your busy mind and relax your entire body.
While experiencing the inHarmony Sound Lounge, you will feel and hear the same sound frequencies of the specially curated music meditations. Using concert-quality cables, the four wired transducers work together to transform your body into a speaker and their frequencies synchronize with the headphones to create an immersive three-dimensional audio experience. The result? Your ears and body experience a deeply relaxing journey that makes you feel fantastic!
What types of conditions/issues is VAT effective in treating?
Forty years of research and studies show that VAT has been effective in treating a variety of conditions.
Vibroacoustic therapy has shown to be helpful in treating the following issues:
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Chronic Pain
- Headaches & migraines
- Insomnia
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
- Parkinson’s disease
- Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
Vibroacoustic therapy can help with mental health issues, balancing the nervous system, and aiding in stress relief.
- 1
Reduces stress and anxiety: The vibrations and sound frequencies from VAT can help to stimulate the body’s natural relaxation response, which can create a calming experience for both the body and mind. The vibrations can also help to slow down the heart rate and breathing, which can promote deep relaxation and reduced stress levels.
- 2
Balances the nervous system: VAT can help to regulate and balance the autonomic nervous system by inducing a parasympathetic state, which is responsible for the body’s “rest and digest” response. This can help to reduce stress, improve sleep, and increase overall well-being. The vibrations from VAT can calm the mind and body, which can decrease tension in the body, reduce an over-active mind, and induce a meditative-type state. As the nervous system experiences more calm and relaxation, this can make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.
- 3
Boosts mood: The vibrations from vibroacoustic therapy can help to release endorphins, which have mood-boosting effects and pain-relieving effects. And with a less-activated nervous system, the body and mind are more freely able to experience a range of positive emotions and experiences.
- 4
Reduces pain: The vibrations of vibroacoustic therapy can help to reduce pain by increasing blood flow and reducing muscle tension, while the endorphins released also create pain-relieving effects. With continued sessions of VAT the body can start to rewire the pain pathways and less pain will be experienced over time.
I’m not sure if I should try VAT…
Vibroacoustic therapy is safe and effective and can be used by people of all ages.
Although it is not recommended if you are pregnant, it is often used in conjunction with other therapies, such as psychotherapy and medication. What we have seen in our therapy practice is that VAT is a great tool to help with overall wellness and stress reduction, so we highly recommend it to anyone looking to decrease anxiety and stress.
We also think it’s a great thing to try if you have struggled with meditating but would like some of those powerful benefits, as VAT puts your mind and body in a meditative state relatively quickly.
