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ABOUT me
Expert in a Music-Literate Approach to Sound Therapy: Merging Advanced Musical Knowledge with Compassionate, Trauma-Informed Complementary Care.
Hi, I’m Claire. My lifelong passion is helping people heal through music. I hold a Master’s Degree in Music Composition (MMus) from the University of West London and a Higher Level Diploma with Distinction from the British Academy of Sound Therapy, which includes both Practitioner Level (PL.Dip.ST) and Group Sound Therapy (Dip.GST) Diplomas, with distinctions in each.
I offer personalized sound therapy sessions as well as group experiences, such as sound baths and narrative soundscapes, which are integral to my retreats. My 15+ years as a music educator led me to explore music’s impact on brain development and sound’s role in human functioning. This journey has included presenting my research to diverse audiences, including psychologists, educators, and musicians.
Through Flame Lily Sound Therapy, my mission is to enhance mental health through one-on-one sessions, group therapy, sound baths, and retreats. I strive to help clients gain a clearer perspective on their mental and emotional state, empowering them to take action, relieve pain, and soothe hearts, all within a beautiful environment.
Looking ahead, my vision is to establish a premier retreat and sound therapy center nestled between forest and beach, providing a serene sanctuary where individuals can achieve holistic wellness and empowerment through the healing power of sound in a stunning setting.
I am also a member of the Catholic Medical Association and the International Therapeutic Sound Association, reflecting my commitment to integrating professional and spiritual perspectives in my practice.
WHY FLAME LILY SOUND THERAPY?
The Flame Lily is the national flower of the country where I was born, Zimbabwe, and incidentally is my favourite flower. The first flower to emerge after the first rain, a time much anticipated and celebrated after the dry winter, it is a symbol of rebirth and of hope which is appropriate for this season of my life, but also for the whole world as we grapple with the lingering effects of the pandemic and its consequences. Significantly, the Flame Lily contains colchicine which is used in the treatment of cancer. A healing plant for a healing therapy!
Historical significance and its modern role in our lives?
Sound has been utilised for wellbeing for a very long time: our ancestors intentionally employed sound in monumental structures like Stonehenge, the pyramids, and cathedrals, recognising its impact on human beings. Now, research demonstrates that through sound, humans synchronise with one another and the living world around them through entrainment, as our bodies and surroundings constantly resonate with measurable vibrations. Human brainwaves, (which are actually just the rhythms created by neurons when they connect with each other), elicit varied experiences, with faster brainwaves associated with intense concentration and slower brainwaves with sleep. All brainwaves are crucial for healthy brain function, but modern life’s stressors often keep us locked in fast brainwave speeds, hindering transitions to slower brainwaves during sleep and impacting rest quality. Neglecting the reflective and imaginative states of slower brainwaves deprives us of profound moments of contemplation and connection. Slower brainwave speeds are essential for maintaining brain, body, mind, and soul, and if overlooked, our minds “steal” these moments, resulting in autopilot experiences and fragmented attention.
what are the objectives?
Sound therapy uses this synchronisation (known as entrainment) to calm and slow down our brains and bodies (and minds and souls) through the use of instruments specially chosen because the frequencies they produce are dominant frequencies, to help us return to our original, personal resonance (your body has its own, personal frequency of health which is measurable), to connect with our inner selves, restore physical health and dissolve any physical pain or tension we might hold in our physical bodies. Our reflective method enables us to work through emotional challenges in this state, and to explore resistances and limiting beliefs that keep us from physical and emotional resonance.
