Women in wellness: Lauren Raby on managing anxiety with sound healing

Lauren Raby - Founder of Saiki Wellness - at Breathe Studio

This week I spoke to Lauren Raby, a Sound Healing Practitioner, Cacao Facilitator and the founder of Saiki Wellness, a company offering digital and in person sound healing and wellbeing events to encourage self discovery, connection and self empowerment.

Lauren was born in London and spent her childhood in Belgium, Kent, South London and Richmond. She discovered sound healing in 2017 whilst suffering from anxiety. “I was recommended a gong bath which almost immediately alleviated the pain [in my chest]. This discovery was the beginning of remembering. Remembering everything that I already knew but had almost forgotten - growing up with a Mother passionate about holistic remedies and helping everyone around her with a wealth of knowledge across wellness - aromatherapy to reflexology, nutrition to crystal healing, the list goes on and continues to grow.”

After her first session, the anxious pain in her chest had completely dissipated. “It was like meeting my real self again, the self that existed without anxiety. It was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. This process was one of the most empowering experiences I’ve ever had.”

No stranger to anxiety myself, I asked Lauren what had triggered the condition for her. “There had been a couple of triggers. I was in a relationship that triggered self worth issues and I experienced some pretty crazy disruptions with my work and home life. It was around the time of my Saturn Return.”

Lauren went on to train to be a sound healer under the guidance of several different teachers and mentors. Saiki Wellness started as a passion project but went on to become a business as Lauren’s interest and passion for it grew. “I’m so glad that it did! It’s super fulfilling, I’ve met some amazing people in the space who are now dear friends. It’s been an organic process and a reflection of my own journey which is lovely to look back on and see the full circle moments.”

“I’m currently doing another sound healing training. We’re constantly discovering new things and making advancements in the world of sound, and there’s so much more to uncover, so you can really adopt an ‘eternal student’ mindset. I like to stay curious, knowing we really don’t know it all yet. I hope to see sound becoming more and more prevalent. As Edgar Cayce said, the future of medicine is sound.”

So how does sound healing work? “During a sound bath the vibrations from the instruments make their way through your entire body on a cellular level. It helps you reach a meditative state very easily. It activates your parasympathetic nervous system, the opposite of fight or flight, to help you relax and release tensions on a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual level.”

I asked Lauren what we could expect from one of her sound healing events. “Sound Healing is a very personal experience… everyone’s experience can be different, some people feel it physically in their body, some people experience an emotional release, some see colours and enter dream-like states, some people fall asleep.”

“In my sound healing sessions, I always work with intention and affirmations - that’s when sound healing really finds its power. This is because the benefits of a sound bath can go beyond just the physical. It can take an active role in how we overcome limiting beliefs and support our personal growth. So, we can consciously choose what we would like to work on whether that's stress reduction, physical restoration or inner confidence.”

“[It] helps you to discover yourself on a deeper level, it cuts through the noise and you get this real sense of clarity.”

Lauren now holds sound baths at Re:Mind studio every Wednesday. She has a residency at 180 Health Club and regularly holds sound healing events at Nobu Hotel in Shoreditch. “I’ve also got exciting plans in the pipeline where I’ll be stepping into a programming role again, along with sound healing, which I’m looking forward to. Watch this space!”

In addition to sound healing, Lauren finds exercise really helpful for managing anxiety. “It helps to alleviate the symptoms of anxiety long enough for me to work out where it’s coming from. I think it’s important to find out what works for you because it can look different for everyone. That’s why self discovery is crucial - I find sound healing effective for this because it creates the space to do it. I found therapy to be helpful with voicing my feelings and needs. If I'm in a low mood, I’ll watch Friends reruns or hang out with some of my actual closest friends! Instantly cheers me up!”

I asked Lauren how she protects her personal energy when giving so much to her clients during her sessions and events. “Making sure I’ve booked time after work with clients to rest and restore my energy. After sharing sound healing I like to have a shower to energetically and literally cleanse. I also like to go for a massage, I find that deeply restorative and more effective than just lying around resting. I’m a Human Design 6/2 Generator, Role Model and Hermit. I really relate to this. I need my hermit time to refuel before I can go again!” 

Find Lauren at saikiwellness.com and on Instagram (@saiki.wellness).