Sound Therapy | Addiction Treatment Therapies

Have you ever noticed how certain songs or calming sounds can instantly lift your mood or ease your anxieties? That is the core idea behind sound therapy for addiction, a gentle yet powerful therapy that uses music and sound to heal emotional wounds and soothe your mind. Sound therapy stimulates your brain’s natural healing mechanisms, helping you regain emotional control and mental clarity. As part of addiction treatment, sound therapy’s innovative approach can provide a comforting, stabilising influence both during rehab and your new sober life.

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What is sound therapy for addiction?

Sound therapy, known sometimes as sound healing or vibrational therapy, is a powerful yet gentle technique that uses sound to restore your emotional balance and inner harmony. By harnessing different instruments, vibrations, tones or voices, sound therapists create soothing soundscapes that naturally engage your brain’s healing pathways and release “feel-good chemicals” like serotonin and dopamine. These effects can lower stress hormones like cortisol, lessen physical tension and budge any emotional blockages to recovery.

How sound therapy promotes relaxation and healing in addiction recovery

Sound therapy can take many forms but in rehab programmes, it often follows the Cooper Sax Model set out by the British Academy of Sound Therapy. This splits the sound therapy process into the “5 Rs” which help you relax and heal:

1. Responsibility

The first step begins with you accepting your role in the healing journey. This is important because sound therapy for addiction requires active participation to unlock its full potential.

2. Resonance

During this stage, you pay close attention to how different sounds affect you personally. Some sounds might soothe and comfort you, while others might gently reveal emotional issues that need attention.

3. Resistance

During resistance, you safely explore any emotional challenges that arise during the therapy session. This is a big breakthrough point with the sounds gently allowing you to uncover and acknowledge hidden or suppressed emotions.

4. Release

This critically important stage allows you to naturally let go of emotional burdens, stress and internal tension. It is a bit like taking a deep, cleansing breath that can leave you physically and mentally refreshed.

5. Reflect

Finally, reflection is about taking the time to process and internalise your experience. It helps you sustain the clarity and peace gained, enriching your daily life.

What are the benefits of sound therapy in addiction recovery?

Sound therapy can profoundly influence your recovery, providing emotional relief, mental clarity and overall healing in several meaningful ways:

Reduced stress and anxiety

Soothing sounds like soft music or singing bowls help your nervous system switch into rest mode, calming your mind and easing the anxious thoughts that often lead to relapse.

Emotional healing

Sound therapy can help unlock deep emotions without needing to talk. You might feel sadness, anger or even joy rise to the surface and that’s a good thing! It means your body is finally letting go of old emotional pain that has been fuelling addiction.

A clearer mind

After a sound therapy session, many people feel like their minds are clearer. This helps with making decisions, staying focused on your recovery and thinking through tough situations.

Heightened self-awareness

You will start to notice how certain feelings or situations affect your urges to use. This kind of insight is powerful as it helps you catch those moments early and make different choices.

How to incorporate sound therapy into addiction treatment plans

There are lots of ways you can experience sound therapy, all of which have their own unique power. Here are three of the most popular that many people find helpful in recovery:

Gong bath therapy

Gong bath therapy is a bit like being wrapped in calming sound waves. You will lie down comfortably while your therapist gently strikes large gongs, creating deep, rich vibrations. These can wash away stress and anxiety and can really help when you’re feeling overwhelmed or facing strong cravings during recovery.

Music therapy

Music can lift you up, calm you down or even say the things you don’t know how to put into words. In music therapy, you will use music in different ways, like tapping on a drum, writing a short tune or just closing your eyes and listening. It is a gentle way to work through tough emotions and learn how to handle cravings or hard moments without turning to substances.

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Sound bowl therapy

Sound bowls produce beautiful, calming tones when gently struck or circled. The sounds  vibrate gently through your body, helping you feel more balanced, emotionally settled and centred. This newfound peace can make even the toughest moments in recovery feel more manageable.

How can sound therapy be used in combination with other therapies?

Sound therapy is great on its own but it really shines when paired with other approaches to addiction recovery. Here is how it fits with some popular rehab therapies:

Group therapy

Sound therapy creates a special environment of emotional openness and trust, which works perfectly in group therapy sessions. Sharing the experience with others helps build strong bonds and can often lead to more genuine conversations during talking therapy.

Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT)

CBT is about changing the way you think and react to things. Sound therapy helps set the stage by making you feel more relaxed and emotionally stable. This calm, focused mindset means you can really get the most out of your CBT sessions and helps you apply new skills more effectively in everyday life.

Mindfulness therapy

Sound therapy and mindfulness naturally go hand-in-hand, as both techniques focus on calming your mind and creating emotional clarity. The peaceful, meditative state induced by sound therapy helps you dive deeper into mindfulness practices, making it easier to handle stress, cravings and challenging emotions.

How can sound therapy help prevent relapse?

Sound therapy is one of the most practical relapse prevention tools you can take with you into everyday life. It’s low-cost, non-invasive and is incredibly effective at helping you manage the moments that may push you towards using again.

You can continue sound therapy in several ways. One of the easiest is to build it into your routine with guided sound meditations available online. Apps like Insight Timer, Calm and YouTube channels dedicated to sound healing offer gongs, singing bowls, rain sounds and more. Try listening first thing in the morning if you wake up anxious or in the evening if cravings creep in when you’re tired and stressed.

You can also continue to participate in professional sound therapy sessions. Your rehab centre may provide it during aftercare or you may be able to join in a group session locally. By making sound therapy part of your recovery toolkit, you give yourself an empowering way to manage stress and emotional overload, helping reduce the risk of relapse significantly.

How to get started with sound therapy for addiction recovery

Successful addiction recovery is all about finding the tools that speak to you. If you are feeling overwhelmed, anxious or disconnected, addiction treatment with sound therapy

could be exactly what you need. Contact Addiction Helper today and we will help you find a trusted rehab near you that offers sound therapy as part of a holistic treatment plan.

Reclaim Your Life Today

Our compassionate team are ready and available to take your call, and guide you towards lasting the lasting addiction recovery you deserve.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens during a sound therapy for addiction session?
A typical session starts with you getting comfortable, either by lying down or sitting quietly. Your therapist will then begin playing soothing instruments like gongs, singing bowls or chimes, gently filling the room with calming sounds and vibrations. You won’t need to do anything except relax and let the sounds wash over you. This creates a peaceful, meditative state that helps ease tension, calm racing thoughts and bring emotions to the surface in a safe way. After the session, there will often be time to reflect or talk about what came up for you.
Is sound therapy safe for everyone?
For most people, yes, sound therapy is a safe and gentle treatment. It is non-invasive and doesn’t involve medication or intense emotional demands, making it a good fit for addiction recovery. That said, if you have certain conditions like epilepsy or sound sensitivity, it is best to speak with your GP before beginning. The sounds and volumes can be tailored to your comfort so even if you have special considerations, a therapist can usually adapt the session to keep things safe and soothing.
How effective is sound therapy for addiction recovery?
Sound therapy won’t “cure” addiction on its own but when used alongside other treatments like talking therapy or group work, it can be very powerful. The calming effects of sound therapy help lower stress, improve sleep and reduce anxiety, all of which play a big role in staying sober and avoiding relapse. It also helps people reconnect with their bodies and emotions in a safe, non-verbal way, which can be especially helpful for those who struggle to express themselves in traditional therapy sessions.

(Click here to see works cited)

  • The British Academy of Sound Therapy. “What Is The BAST Method of Sound Therapy?” The British Academy of Sound Therapy, 19 February 2019, https://britishacademyofsoundtherapy.com/bast-method/. Accessed 28 May 2025.
  • Goldsby, Tamara L et al. “Effects of Singing Bowl Sound Meditation on Mood, Tension, and Well-being: An Observational Study.” Journal of evidence-based complementary & alternative medicine vol. 22,3 (2017): 401-406. doi:10.1177/2156587216668109/. Accessed 28 May 2025.
  • UK Rehab. “Holistic Therapy | Rehab Therapies and Models.” UK Rehab, https://www.uk-rehab.com/rehab-therapies/holistic-therapy/. Accessed 28 May 2025.