The Blog
Alzheimer’s Awareness Month – BAST Alumni Gary’s journey with a client
September 17, 2021Latest Posts
September is Alzheimer’s Awareness month and aims to raise awareness and challenge the stigma surrounding the disease. Lots of research has been undertaken about how sound and music can help to relieve behavioural and emotional symptom...
A sense of place means so many different things to each of us, but most commonly it is a term used to describe the relationship we have to where we live and to those that live with us and around us. In this article I’d like to take thi...
The borders between land and water, mountain and sky and forest and plain have long been considered to hold special meaning and have been honoured with offerings, shrines and temples for millennia. As we emerge from lock-down we find ou...
After our very successful sleep and anxiety courses in 2020, we are truly delighted to bring to you our brand new course on Insight Timer, How singing can boost your immune system. With the Covid-19 pandemic taking its toll on many of u...
Of Sound, Mind and Body: Exploring the mind, body connection for deep healing with sound.
March 16, 2021Latest Posts
As a holistic therapist I always consider the mind, body and emotions when I’m working with a client. A lot of healing (or ‘wholing as I prefer to call it) can be done through reflective practice and releasing resistant thoughts but ...
Today is the winter solstice – the shortest day. Roughly translated solstice means ‘sun standing still’. It is a time when the sun appears to pause before reversing the direction of its seasonal path across the sky. The winter s...
We are delighted to present a new course developed for Insight Timer – Sleep Soundly In 5 Days. Insomnia is a growing problem that many associate with. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), ‘insufficient sleep is a public ...
Introducing the 2021 prospectus, a new course and our big announcement…online courses!Those of you on our mailing list will already have received our 2021 prospectus and we’re excited to be sharing it to the public! New Distance Learning...
Our research over the last 25 years has showed that our music and sound therapy techniques really help people with wide range of stress related conditions including chronic pain, insomnia and anxiety. With this in mind, we were thrilled ...
The British Academy of Sound Therapy is celebrating it’s 20th birthday this year, we aren’t sure where the time has gone! We were hoping to celebrate with a sonic boom, however Covid-19 has put a rain-check on any celebrations for no...
We were asked by technology experts at FOREO to understand whether singing can be good for your skin and if so, how? We’ve known about the benefits of singing for health and wellbeing for decades – this is something we teach our students...
Due to the COVID-19 situation the theoretical parts of our professional diploma courses were held in virtual classrooms. The Professional Diploma in Group Sound Art Therapy students were asked to create a soundscape piece and were give...
At The British Academy of Sound Therapy (BAST), we use different kinds of soundscape for a range of different therapeutic outcomes. But what is a Soundscape and what is the therapeutic benefits of performing or interacting with one? What...
Feeling anxious, on edge or low is common right now. Coronavirus lockdown isn’t easy and everyone is coping differently. It’s an unprecedented time and keeping safe and well has never been so important. Uplifting your mood state can boos...
Everyone is talking about Coronavirus and it’s important to take caution if you are running group sound bath events. Here is our advice to our students, alumni and other sound therapists who might be running these sessions. For...
When was the last time you listened to music? Today, yesterday, right now? Most people hear or actively listen to music every day and as humans we tend to change our playlists based on our mood. Music psychologists have proven time and t...
It’s half-way through January, the tinsel has been packed away and the bubble and sparkle of the New Year is ebbing away. As the long grey days of winter set in, what do we do to help banish those winter blues? It’s actually a lot ea...
We are conducting research with Deezer, global music streaming service into the uses of music and what it means to you and your health & wellbeing. We’re looking for as many people are possible to fill in the survey linked below to ...
Today we are celebrating International Peace Day. Peace One Day’s objective is to make 21st September an annual day of global unity and intercultural cooperation. Humans have been influenced by sound and music before boundaries even ex...
And we need you. Project Global Sound is back! Having been established in 2011 in order to promote health, wellbeing and unity across the globe through sound, the resounding success has meant we are doing it all over again. This year has...
A tone poem is a simple song made from non-sensical language. They need to be easy to sing and join in with and simple to share. The aim is to unite people in song, dissolve barriers and open hearts and minds. Tone poems are non-sensic...
As we approach our 20th anniversary at BAST I’ve been reflecting on how far we’ve come since I started working with sound therapy. Lyz in 1995 I first started looking into sound therapy in 1994 when I was diagnosed with ME and found ...
Mental health is important at every stage of your life, it includes your emotional, psychological, and social well-being and affects how you think, feel, the choices you make and your behaviour. It also has an influence on how you bounce...
These days it is widely accepted that ‘wellbeing’ is just as important as ‘health’, but what does it mean to be mentally ‘well’, how do we know when something isn’t right and what can we do about it? Lyz Cooper, founder of ...
There is an increasing amount of research that shows the benefits of arts-based activities on health and wellbeing. With social prescribing being a hot topic within the NHS there has never been a better time to work within the arts in he...
Back in November, Lyz wrote SOMNUS X is a 10 minute piece of Consciously Designed Music specifically designed to help induce sleep. We asked our friends, followers and members of the public to take part in a sleep study to test the track...
The therapeutic sound field is vast – there are so many different approaches from different backgrounds. At BAST, we use the BAST Method of Sound Therapy, but what is it and how is it used? We have two main ways of working at BAST, pas...
I’m very pleased to say that I have now created a sleep track called ‘SOMNUS’ and I’d love you to be among the first to hear it! Somnus is the Roman god of sleep so when thinking of a name for the track it seemed appropriate. There ...
A blog by Lyz Cooper It is thought that the Hominins of the Middle Pleistocence era (781,000 – 126,000 years ago) were capable of vocalisation, making the voice one of the oldest instruments in existence. Over the hundreds of thousands...
Written in 1884, Root refers to the healing power of the voice – in this case both physically and emotionally. Fast forward almost 135 years and we now know more than ever before about the healing potential of the human voice. Sound an...
Where Art and Therapy Collide – Sound and Voice Arts for Health and Wellbeing
October 19, 2018Latest Posts
There is a growing understanding of the positive impact that arts-based therapeutic sessions can have on health and wellbeing. There are now many different organisations championing the arts for health and wellbeing in many different way...
Our brand new prospectus is ready and it features more courses and choices than ever before! We’ve really enjoyed putting this programme together – it has been quite the mental agility test to get everything to work, but it has been so w...
This year I’ve spent a fair amount of time in the studio working on a brand new relaxation programme incorporating therapeutic music and sound therapy. This programme is called ‘LifeSonics Relax’ and it will be launched in the New ...
Do you use music in your therapy room? If so, what is your preference – classical, new age, traditional, contemporary? Something else? Have you ever how and why certain tracks or sounds are better at relaxation than others? Hav...
Smart devices are not only there to tell you the weather, what the traffic is doing etc they can be used to create wonderful health-boosting ‘sonic atmospheres’ at home. Using sound therapy as a method of relaxation has helped people wit...
I have just received an email asking me how and why I developed the voice and movement techniques called ‘Vocal Processing Techniques’ used in the Holistic Voice Therapy and Transformational Voice Therapy Diploma Courses. Having worked w...
As it’s migraine awareness week and as someone who experiences migraine myself, I know how debilitating they can be. Mine tend to be silent, that is, a migraine without the pain, but over the years I have developed ways to use therapeu...
In 2017 the Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH) called for the introduction of a national sleep strategy and what they referred to as a “slumber number” – the ideal amount of sleep people should be aiming for each night. However,...
Sound to Make Your Love Taste Sweeter
February 14, 2017Latest Posts, #lovesound, #valentinesday, lyz cooper, music and emotions, music and mood, music for love, music psychology, sound healing, sound therapy, synaesthesia, Therapeutic Sound
If music be the food of love play on William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night Tonight all over the world millions of lovers are tucking into their Valentine’s day meal, or a box of choccies that their nearest and dearest has lavished on them. ...
When You’re Feeling Down, Get Down! Sound & Music to Boost Your Mood
February 2, 2017Latest Posts, #TimetoTalk, Group Sound Therapy, Health Benefits, latest, mental health, mood, Music, music therapy, sound therapy, Therapeutic Sound, Wellbeing
“…music occupies more areas of our brain than language does – humans are a musical species” Oliver Sacks Sound is such a powerful vehicle for eliciting and communicating human emotion. In this post I will talk about how, as a ...
Can complementary therapies improve your mental health?
October 10, 2016Latest Posts, creativity, Drums, Group Sound Therapy, Health Benefits, Holistic Therapy, lyz cooper, mental health, music and consciousness, sound therapy, sound therapy research, Therapeutic Sound, Wellbeing
Millions of people worldwide benefit from managing their health and wellbeing with alternative approaches, many of which are thousands of years old. I have been involved in holistic therapies for over 30 years and it is wonderful to see ...
Top 4 ways to improve your creativity
October 6, 2016Latest Posts, creativity, Drums, Gong, Health, Holistic Therapy, medicine, Music, self improvement, sonic, sound therapy, Wellbeing
This week we’re focussing on getting creative, and in particular how you can use sound to get the creative juices flowing. We hope you’ll see how versatile sound can be, and how it can help with relaxation as well as improving the imagin...
A Q&A with Sound Therapy leader Lyz Cooper
September 26, 2016Latest Posts, chickens, chronic fatigue, creativity, Drums, Gong, Health, Holistic Therapy, illness, medicine, Music, sonic, sound therapy, Wellbeing
This week’s blog is dedicated to our very own Lyz Cooper who has been revolutionising the world of holistic health through sound therapy for more than 20 years. With a wealth of knowledge and a position as a research leader in her field,...
Top 6 sounds to help you to relax in Autumn
September 22, 2016Latest Posts, Autumn, Dopamine, Equinox, Frisson, Health, Holistic Therapy, Marconi Union, Music, Psychology, sound therapy, Wellbeing
While some us might not want to admit it, Autumn has officially begun with the 2016 Autumnal Equinox starting in the UK. With darker nights and drearier days looming upon us, we thought it would be a good idea to remind you all why Autum...
7 ways that you can benefit from a Sound Therapy Diploma
September 7, 2016Latest Posts, Group Sound Therapy, Health Benefits, Holistic Therapy, sound therapy
As the holistic and alternative medicine fields expand, there’s never been a better time to get involved and develop your skill set through a Sound Therapy Diploma course. Whether you’re an occupational therapist, nurse, or just someone...
Sound Therapy Affects Consciousness
March 1, 2016Events, Latest Posts, altered states of consciousness, consciousness, music and consciousness, sound bath, sound healing, sound therapy, sound therapy research, Therapeutic SoundHow a simple session with a specific therapeutic sound sequence can reduce pain, improve emotional well-being, calm and clear the mind and a whole host of other positive benefits. BAST now has data to support the effectiveness of...
Lyz Cooper MA, MSc, FICNM Introduction This article intends to provide some insight into musical expectancy and how we, at The British Academy of Sound Therapy (BAST), use it to help improve health and well-being. I will also give some t...
The Origin of Language and the Power of the Voice
March 22, 2016Events, Latest Posts, altered states of consciousness, early language, music and consciousness, origins of language, sound healing, sound therapy, sound therapy research, Therapeutic Sound, voice healing, vowel sounds and healing
Find out how and why the way our language evolved over millennia has resulted in our voices being so beneficial for improving health and well being....
BAST helps Morrisons in search of ‘the cheeriest voice in Britain’
November 23, 2015Events, Cheeriest voice, Christmas, holidaysWe all know how stressful Christmas shopping could be. This is why Morrisons is trying to make this year’s holiday season a little bit more cheerful for us all. In collaboration with Lyz Cooper, founder of The British Academy of Sound...