Wallflower Wellness

ep. 6: Chatting with a Christian Sound and Frequency Practitioner

Can sound be a tool for healing without becoming a spiritual practice?
This week we sit down with Karen, a Christian sound and frequency practitioner, who uses tuning forks in her hands-on work with clients. She is specifically trained as a vibrational raindrop practitioner, and she unpacks what that all means for us.  We talk about what actually happens when a vibrating fork meets the body — the mechanics of it, what she's observed over years of practice, and where the science currently stands.
But the deeper conversation is the one so many Christian women are quietly wrestling with: how do you engage a wellness practice that has genuine physiological grounding, when that same practice is so often wrapped in language about energy fields, chakras, and universal vibration? Where's the line? And who gets to draw it?
We explore what it looks like to receive sound as a created good, something God made, something our bodies were built to respond to, without sliding into a worldview that treats vibration itself as divine. Our guest shares how she thinks through her own practice, the questions she asked before adopting the technique, and how she talks with clients who come to her from the broader wellness world.
If you've ever left a wellness space feeling like something was off but couldn't name it, or you've wondered whether you have to give up every practice that's been borrowed by New Age culture, this conversation is for you.
 
As always, this episode is for exploring and learning — not medical or mental-health advice.

ep 5. Does Sound Healing Work? A Faith and Science Review

In this episode we begin exploring sound healing from two angles: what Scripture says about sound and the voice of God, and what the actual peer-reviewed science shows about singing bowls and sound baths. We work through three guiding questions — (1) What's the scientific evidence? (2) What are the spiritual implications? (3) What can Christians take part in without drifting into New Age practice? Our recurring posture for both Bible and science: honor what's there; don't read in what isn't.
 
Important Disclaimer
This episode is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical or mental-health advice. Singing bowls and sound practices are, at best, a low-risk complement to qualified care — not a treatment for trauma, mental illness, or physical disease. If you're dealing with significant stress, trauma, or a health condition, please work with a licensed professional.
 
Full Citations (Primary Scientific Sources)
Systematic reviews
Lin, F.-W., Yang, Y.-H., & Wang, J.-Y. (2025). Effects of Tibetan Singing Bowl Intervention on Psychological and Physiological Health in Adults: A Systematic Review. Healthcare, 13(16), 2002. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13162002
Cai, Y., Yang, G., Liu, Y., Zou, X., Yin, H., Jin, X., Liu, X., Wang, C., Robinson, N., & Liu, J. (2025). Therapeutic effects of singing bowls: A systematic review of clinical studies. Integrative Medicine Research, 14(2), 101144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imr.2025.101144
Stanhope, J., & Weinstein, P. (2020). The human health effects of singing bowls: A systematic review. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 51, 102412. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102412
Key primary studies
Río-Álamos, C., Montefusco-Siegmund, R., Cañete, T., Sotomayor, J., & Fernández-Teruel, A. (2023). Acute Relaxation Response Induced by Tibetan Singing Bowl Sounds: A Randomized Controlled Trial. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education, 13(2), 317–330. https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe13020024
Goldsby, T. L., Goldsby, M. E., McWalters, M., & Mills, P. J. (2017). Effects of Singing Bowl Sound Meditation on Mood, Tension, and Well-being: An Observational Study. Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 22(3), 401–406. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156587216668109 (Note: this journal was later renamed the Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine; older and newer citations of this article use both names.)
Supporting studies referenced or relevant
Walter, N., & Hinterberger, T. (2022). Neurophysiological Effects of a Singing Bowl Massage. Medicina, 58(5), 594. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina58050594
Landry, J. M. (2014). Physiological and psychological effects of a Himalayan singing bowl in meditation practice: A quantitative analysis. American Journal of Health Promotion, 28(5), 306–309. https://doi.org/10.4278/ajhp.121031-ARB-528
Bidin, L., Pigaiani, L., Casini, M., Seghini, P., & Cavanna, L. (2016). Feasibility of a trial with Tibetan Singing Bowls, and suggested benefits in metastatic cancer patients: A pilot study in an Italian Oncology Unit. European Journal of Integrative Medicine, 8(5), 747–755. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eujim.2016.06.003

ep 4. what is integration?

Let's unpack what integration is!  On this episode we'll talk about:
-what does it mean for a reflex to be integrated?
-what is the timeline of integration for reflexes?
-how does a reflex integrate naturally?
-how does a reflex become unintegrated?
-what are the different approaches to reflex integration?
-how do you know if your reflexes are integrated?
If you want to go deeper into understanding the purpose of reflex integration, this episode is for you!
 
If you want to try exercises for reflex integration for yourself, check out Wallflower Wellness on YouTube.
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ep 3. nerding out about reflexes

In order to understand how reflex integration can be beneficial to you, we need to define it clearly.  So let’s get into the details of what a reflex actually is!
 
In this episode, we touch talk about:
The basic definition of a reflex
The development of our reflexes from their emergence in utero though integration in the first few years of life.
The two main types of reflexes that coincide with either your fight/flight response or your freeze response.
The difference between a reflex that provides positive protection in the moment of stress compared to negative protection which leads to disintegration.
 
So if you feel like getting nerdy and coming back to school, join me as we learn more about how God designed our bodies to heal.
 
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ep 2. building your foundation on hope

Before jumping into any new program that you think may help you along in your journey, it's important to know exactly what your hope for healing is rooted in. For Christians, we know that hope isn't just a concept, it's a person. No matter what your healing journey looks like or where it takes you, the next program, therapy, or medicine can't be what you put your hope in. The foundation of your hope has to be Jesus. So today we jump into how the Bible describes hope and the promise of God that He will never leave us even in the most difficult of circumstances!
 
 
 
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ep 1. what is wallflower wellness?

The wellness world can feel overwhelming and sometimes spiritually confusing. Wallflower Wellness is here to help Christian women pursue healing with clarity, offering guidance on reflex integration, nervous system balance, and trauma-informed movement, all anchored in the truth of Scripture.
 
In this first episode, Erika dives into the vision for Wallflower Wellness and what lead to the creation of this podcast in the first place.  
 
 
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