Since ancient times, cultures have used music and sound to communicate and heal the mind, body and spirit. As an acupuncturist of 20 years, Beverly Fornoff, of Lancaster Acupuncture, looks for ways to build upon services that will promote balance, healing and transformation for her clients. When she explored sound therapy, which uses instruments such as gongs, singing bowls and tuning forks for relaxation and wellness, she knew that combining it into her services would be beneficial.

“Sound waves are vibrational, and quantum physics tells us that everything alive also vibrates. When we insert acupuncture needles, we sometimes vibrate them, with the intention of reaching deeper levels of the body,” Fornoff says. “It made sense to me that I could integrate sound into the acupuncture treatment using the instruments to promote deeper resonance in the body and enhance the effects of the needles.”

Sound therapy, or sound meditation, enhances the body’s ability to drift into a state of deep relaxation. Fornoff says that strong healing occurs when the mind is quieted. She offers sound healing in separate sessions or combined with acupuncture treatments.

There are no official standards for sound therapy, and techniques can vary by practitioner. Fornoff took a six-month course with Lana Ryder, at Soundwise School of Harmonic Therapy, in Lancaster. “We learned how to use the sound waves and tones of the different instruments. Ryder also taught proper ways to use vibration and sounds in a way that invokes relaxation and healing, and she educated us about the science of how it works,” Fornoff relates.

For deeper treatments, Fornoff can use instruments such as the gong so the acupuncture needles reach the deepest vibratory levels. “People have been using tuning forks along with acupuncture for a long time,” Fornoff says. “Gongs or tuning forks can create synchronous waves within a person to promote healing.”

Acupuncture, whether or not combined with sound healing, can be used for both physical and emotional issues, Fornoff shares. “I see a lot more people coming in with stress, depression and anxiety, and acupuncture can be effective in helping people cope with those issues.”

Fornoff uses acupuncture techniques such as the Five Element style, Dr. Tan’s Balance Method, classical acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Chinese herbal medicine. Lancaster Acupuncture features a raw herbal pharmacy where Fornoff can create blends of herbs that work well together to resonate with a person’s internal condition. With herbs, she uses the same diagnostic technique as she does with acupuncture to determine an area where a person can use extra support.

“Herbs are also vibratory, and I’ll put together a formula of herbs that work well in partnership with the client’s goals to create a healing response,” Fornoff says. “I work closely with each person to help them take a role in their health.”