Workplace wellness: Sound bath therapy rises in corporate India

The Hindu

6 days ago

Once regarded as a healing ritual reserved for yoga retreats and spiritual workshops, sound bath therapy is quietly entering corporate India. Companies across sectors, from IT to design, are now scheduling sound bath sessions as structured interventions in their employee wellness programmes.
In cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai, human resource departments are commissioning facilitators to conduct sound therapy sessions for senior executives and their teams. A single 45-minute group session, often held at the office or a partner wellness studio, is priced anywhere between ₹25,000 and ₹45,000. The cost varies depending on the size of the group, instruments used and the level of personalisation requested.
With conversations around emotional well-being gaining more space in the workplace, sound bath therapy is finding a firmer foothold. It is now being scheduled, allocated budgets and added to corporate calendars with intention.
'We also have custom wellness add-ons for companies that want a deeper experience,' says Juhi Reddy, co-founder of The Healing Frequency in Hyderabad. 'Some opt for monthly sound healing sessions, while others ask for pre-recorded guided meditations co-branded with their internal initiatives,' she adds. These are typically used during short work breaks or circulated over internal apps as part of the company's mental health strategy.
In a sound bath therapy setting, facilitators use Himalayan singing bowls, gongs, bamboo rain sticks, ocean drums, tuning forks and kalimbas (an African musical instrument) to guide participants into a deeply relaxed state. Participants are usually seated or lie on mats, eyes closed, as layers of sound wash over them. The sessions are preceded by a short briefing and often followed by informal reflection or, in some companies, structured team-building exercises.
Ashwin Rao, HR head at a mid-sized technology firm in Bengaluru, says their first experience with a sound bath session 'lowered the temperature in the room, figuratively speaking.' He adds, 'Our teams spend a lot of time in front of screens, managing tight deadlines. This was perhaps the first time we offered them a quiet room, not to think or problem-solve, but to just be. And they appreciated it.'
While workplace stress is the primary reason companies seek these sessions, psychologists and healthcare professionals point out other emotional and cognitive benefits.
'Sound can gently guide the mind towards clarity, especially when one is overwhelmed,' says psychologist Anita Rao. 'A quiet setting paired with harmonic vibrations can help individuals process emotions like anger or regret. These feelings often surface but are quickly suppressed in high-pressure work environments. This isn't about solving problems, it's about giving the mind room to organise itself.'
Dr Sandeep Jyot, a diabetologist who runs the Institute of Sound Healing in Chandigarh, says the demand has grown consistently over the last three years. 'We have over 500 sound therapy practitioners across India. Many of them are working with Fortune 500 companies,' he says. His own work spans across Mumbai and the Delhi-NCR region.
In Chennai, therapist Veenu Singh has adapted the format to suit boardroom culture. Her sessions include an introduction to the science of vibrational therapy and emotional de-escalation, followed by a sound bath that is quiet but deliberate. 'It's important that the session has a purpose. Participants need to leave with not just calm, but comprehension of what changed in their body,' she says.
Milestone events
Interestingly, sound therapy is now extending beyond corporate floors. At many milestone birthday parties and pre-wedding gatherings, the deep resonance of Himalayan bowls is replacing cocktail-hour chatter, at least temporarily. 'Weddings and big events come with emotional weight,' says Juhi. 'Some clients request a session for the bride or groom and their close friends the night before the ceremony. It helps everyone arrive at the moment without the chaos.'
One such session, led by Juhi, took an unexpected turn. 'It began as a relaxing ritual. But halfway through, people started crying, laughing, hugging. The sound became a space in which they could release emotions they didn't know they were carrying,' she recalls.
In Visakhapatnam, wellness practitioner Purrna Kraleti is preparing to host the city's first sound bath event at her wellness studio Phoenix Soul-utions. 'I came across sound therapy during the lockdown,' she says. 'What struck me was the way sound slowed me down in a way that felt deeply natural. It didn't ask for effort, it just worked.'
Dr Suman Das, a radiation oncologist based in Visakhapatnam, cautions viewing sound therapy as a cure. However, he acknowledges its value, especially in emotionally high-stress contexts. 'In palliative care, both patients and caregivers face prolonged psychological fatigue. Sound therapy is one of the few supportive interventions that creates a non-verbal, non-invasive environment conducive to emotional processing. Grief requires stillness. Sound, when used properly, can offer that space.'