SoundHeal Innovation Project: Year Two Progress Report

Author: Landon J. King
Date: 9/13/2024 12:39 PM

Progress Update for the SoundHeal Innovation Project Examining Sound Meditation as an Intervention Therapy in the San Luis Obispo Behavioral Health Department.

The Heal Meditation Project (SoundHeal) is sponsored by the SLO County Behavioral Health Department in partnership with SoundHeal, Inc., a sound meditation technology company. Funding was provided in 2021 by the California Mental Health Services Act under its Innovation Incubator program.

SoundHeal works alongside the Justice Services (JSD) and Drug and Alcohol (DAS) Divisions of the SLO County Behavioral Health Department that serve clients with court-ordered mental health treatment plans and/or substance use disorder. These programs are designed to address the needs of individuals at different points in the justice process and/or substance use recovery. SoundHeal provides an additional, alternative treatment option for clients receiving services in these divisions through use of the Heal Pod.

The Heal Pod used by SoundHeal is a 4x4ft sound insulated, enclosed space with a curtain entry and a padded chair with a backrest. The Heal Pod is located at the Health Department's central campus. The pod sits in a room adjacent to the counseling rooms where therapists meet the participants for their session. Inside the pod, clients select a mediation track that includes sounds and vibrations to help induce and promote mediation. The meditation sessions start with 5 minutes of meditation with clients graduating to longer sessions. The sounds offered were designed by SoundHeal to cope with and reduce stress, anxiety, irritability, pain, as well as improve self-worth, esteem, and confidence. The meditation tracks are organized into a curriculum that is selected by the participant with input from the therapist, who received curriculum training from SoundHeal during the project's initiation.

This 2024 annual program evaluation progress report briefly summarizes the Heal Pod implementation strategy in the Justice Services Division of the SLO County's Behavioral Health Department, provides preliminary analysis of the Heal Pod's effectiveness,and outlines feedback about the data collection tools currently in use. This assessment shows that frequent users report that the Heal Pod helps with their wellbeing. Users also report that the Heal Pod helps with coping skills such as taking time for oneself, taking care of oneself, and planning future oriented activities.

Please visit the link below for full progress report: