From Performance to Presence: Isabella Rivera Redefines Sound Healing

For Places of Healing, we are always fascinated by modalities that help people reconnect — not through force or performance, but through presence, frequency, and deep listening. Sound healing has rapidly emerged as one of the most sought-after wellness experiences in recent years, yet behind the beautiful aesthetics of crystal bowls and calming Instagram clips lies a much deeper practice rooted in nervous system regulation, mindfulness, intentionality, and human connection.

In this conversation, we speak with Isabella Rivera, founder of The Aligned Sound Method Trainings, about the transformative power of sound, the responsibility that comes with facilitating healing experiences, and why authentic sound work goes far beyond simply ordering a set of singing bowls online.

Bella’s work explores how sound can create spaces for restoration, emotional release, grounding, and reconnection — while also emphasizing the importance of presence, training, ethics, and lived experience in this rapidly growing field. As sound baths continue to evolve from niche wellness offerings into mainstream culture, retreats, schools, and even medical environments, we were excited to learn more about what truly makes a sound experience meaningful, safe, and transformative.

POH–Frank: Bella, how did your personal journey into sound healing begin? Was there a particular moment or experience that first revealed the power of sound to you?

ISABELLA: My first sound experience was at a music festival — the conditions were not what you would expect for “healing.” It was hot, dusty, and very crowded, and within all that, the moment the instruments started to sound, the focus and attention turned inward, finding deep peace and relaxation. I had struggled with meditation for a long time, and in that moment, sound was the thing that helped me find a deeper space of connection within. From there, I started attending more sound baths and was in awe of how each one was so different, yet brought me back to a place of feeling whole and complete, exactly as I was. Sound was the connector for me to finally feel what it was like to provide my body deep rest and restoration.

POH–Frank: Sound healing draws from both ancient traditions and modern interpretations. What studies, teachers, or traditions most influenced your approach?

ISABELLA: Sound itself is our greatest teacher. When we slow down to be present and listen, we see there is so much to learn from our environments, surroundings, and the impact those spaces have on us. My practice and understanding of sound are deeply rooted in mindfulness meditation — being present in the moment. We can do this by curating an experience that connects the brain and body, creating safety in the body to fully rest, restore, and move emotions and energy. A deep understanding of the nervous system informs the practice, ensuring the spaces shared with sound are done so in a safe way. As practitioners, we create the space for rest, transformation, or healing (however it is defined for the participant) to take place.

POH–Frank: How did you develop the methodology behind your Aligned Sound Bath Practitioner Certification?

ISABELLA: The Aligned Sound Method certification is based on the foundations of meditation, sound theory, music theory, and lived experience from sharing sound in a variety of settings. My background as a K-12 school teacher and administrator helped me develop the arc of the training experience, incorporating a variety of learning modalities for adult learners. For something as experiential as sound is, it is important to teach the brain about sound and also help the body feel into sound. Developing a relationship with the instruments and, in turn, yourself as the practitioner is a key component. This is to help empower the facilitator of the experience to share from a place of authenticity and connection and be able to adjust in real time for the needs of the room and participants, rather than just copying something seen or a script. The method here is the connection we make with ourselves, the space, the instruments, and intentionally guiding participants in and out of the sound bath in a safe way.

POH–Frank: In your view, what are the essential skills someone must cultivate to become a responsible sound healing practitioner?

ISABELLA: Beyond the foundational understanding of technique and knowledge — presence and listening. As simple as it may sound, they each are very profound practices and skills to develop. Sound has an incredible power to move emotion, energy, and overall experience. It is incredible to see students move from “just playing bowls” to being fully embodied practitioners — watching the room, adjusting to the experience, and holding the space for individuals to transform. It is important to know the tools you are sharing and also be able to change the session based on what the individual or group needs. This can only be done by being present and aware of what is happening in front of you as the facilitator.

POH–Frank: Can you walk us through the core components of your training program? What do participants typically experience and learn?

ISABELLA: The Aligned Sound Method trainings are designed to guide practitioners to be able to share authentic and intentional sound baths in a safe way. The training is rooted in a conceptual understanding of meditation, then learning about how sound impacts the body and the nervous system. Trainees learn a basic understanding of music theory, including notes, intervals, and intentional pairings to help target the emotional body. We explore a variety of instruments including crystal singing bowls, gongs, drums, chimes, and more. Several practicals and learning experiences are embedded in the training to prepare each student to be able to share sound baths. Through these experiences, students have time to connect with one another and build community and a support network after training. The training culminates in a super special group sound bath offering, designed with a specific intention, a variety of instruments, and each trainee sharing a part of the multi-practitioner sound experience. It is a beautiful way to end the four-day immersion and give students the experience of sharing a full sound bath from start to finish.

POH–Frank: Beyond learning to play the instruments, what inner work or personal awareness is required to facilitate a meaningful sound bath?

ISABELLA: We have to keep ourselves well and nourished — knowing what we need to be able to share from a place of authenticity and connection. A deep dedication to continue practicing and learning is what makes a grounded, intentional facilitator. During the sound bath, the facilitator is watching the group and making adjustments in real time to the sound and overall experience. This can only be done if the facilitator is clear and present to see and feel the shifts happening with the participants and the room.

POH–Frank: What are the most common breakthroughs or realizations students experience during your training?

ISABELLA: I often hear things like, “Sound helped me find a way back to listening and connecting to myself,” and “I haven’t felt like myself in years and sound is helping me find the way back.” Our modern-day lives condition us to think we have to keep pushing. Sound is a way for us all to slow down and reconnect to ourselves, the core of who we are, and have a deeper relationship with the present. Immersing yourself in sound for four days can bring up a lot — more often, it is helping people find their way back to who they truly want to be in their communities.

POH–Frank: For someone new to sound healing, what makes instruments like crystal bowls, gongs, and harmonic frequencies such powerful tools for transformation?

ISABELLA: The instruments are just some of the tools shared intentionally during a sound bath, but it really is the whole experience that creates a special experience for participants — a space for relaxation, release, clarity, or whatever the intention of the session is. Oftentimes, these instruments serve as a way for the mind and body to connect, to slow down, and be fully present. Instruments are selected with intention to bring a certain feeling or sensation into the body. Oftentimes, these sounds help bring participants into the present moment, are reminiscent of sounds in nature, or are shared in a way that helps the internal systems slow down and shift into a more relaxed state of being.

POH–Frank: When you guide a sound bath, what is the experience you hope participants leave with — physically, emotionally, or spiritually?

ISABELLA: Intention is at the heart of all of it. If I am leading a private or retreat group, I always ask what the intention is for the session. This intention is then infused into the overall experience. Most of the individuals I work with are looking for an opportunity to slow down and relax — giving the body and mind time to repair and restore. I wish participants to leave feeling more grounded, connected, and present with themselves. This awareness helps them move out of the sound bath and into the world with more presence and ease. The body is incredibly smart in helping itself alleviate physical and emotional ailments if we allow it the space to do so — sound is a powerful way to provide space for this natural process to occur.

POH–Frank: Sound baths have become incredibly popular in recent years. How do you view the rapid growth of this field?

ISABELLA: I am happy to see sound is growing and more people are having access to experience the power of sound baths and actually integrate them into their lives, not just as a single experience. There is great benefit in going to sound baths more often than once in a while. Having more practitioners sharing sound provides more access for people to receive the benefits. With growth in the field, there also comes more discernment for how we keep sound true to what it is. We’re seeing sound getting wrapped into more complex “wellness” experiences and lots of variety in the skill and connection of the practitioner. Sound has become a trendy aesthetic to follow — becoming a performance rather than a true experience for people to feel and be present. It is so easy now to buy a set of bowls to be delivered in two days to your doorstep, watch a few videos online, and call yourself a “sound healer.” The practice is much deeper than that, and those who really respect what benefit (and harm) can be done will take the time to learn intentionally, source quality instruments, and put in the time to practice and share safely.

POH–Frank: With so many people now offering sound baths, what should participants be aware of when choosing a practitioner?

ISABELLA: Ask your body — how do they make you feel? As facilitators, we are an instrument too. Some people like specific sounds and instruments, others not so much. It is the same for a facilitator. You may not resonate or connect with someone, so ask yourself how they move in the world — how do you feel in their presence? Does the experience feel more like a performance rather than an intentionally curated experience of safety and care? A solid training is a starting point for a practitioner — they still need to put in the time and practice to develop a safe offering for others. Trainings vary greatly, from a two-hour course to online videos with no observation of actual technique or skill. Just because someone is trained, it doesn’t mean they understand everything that goes into a safe experience with sound. In short, do your research and know that every sound bath is different. If you don’t resonate with one practitioner, go try another.

POH–Frank: Do you believe there should eventually be some form of certification standards or professional guidelines in this space?

ISABELLA: It would be hard to put such a structured framework of standards and guidelines on something that is so expansive as sound is. Sound is everywhere and impacts everyone in such different ways. Saying there is a prescriptive way to share or connect with it limits us greatly. I do believe there should be professional guidelines to help facilitators know their own ethical and professional boundaries and feel okay knowing sound will not heal or cure everything — and that’s okay. I also think some kind of professional guidelines could help reduce sound being shared in harmful ways. For anyone looking to learn sound, it is important to do your research and make sure the training program and facilitator you’re looking to work with have a core set of values that align with your own. Sound will continue to grow and shape the wellness and, in the coming years, the medical space — where lots of guidelines and regulations will need to be put in place.

POH–Frank: What are some common misunderstandings about sound healing that you would like to clarify?

ISABELLA: Sound baths are not just about “playing bowls.” It is about an intentionally curated experience utilizing sound in an intentional way. Sometimes it is for relaxation, sometimes it is to move energy, sometimes for getting clarity on something. Sound baths are not performances — they are shared experiences that are never the same. Everything comes together for that sound experience to be unique — the facilitator, the participants, the physical environment, the intention, the instruments, the energy of all of it co-creates the overall experience. For a well-versed practitioner, they are adjusting in real time given all of these variables — lots more than just pretty setups and a wellness aesthetic.

This one is controversial, but not all frequencies are healing. Some specific ones may work for some, and not for others. We are all such different beings, and to say one specific frequency heals one specific thing is limiting and takes away the special co-creation we get to share as facilitators and participants. The space is curated and held for whatever needs to come through for those receiving the sound.

POH–Frank: Where do you see sound healing evolving over the next decade — both culturally and therapeutically?

ISABELLA: I see sound growing — as it already is — to be more accessible, for people to see it as something that can help us on a daily and weekly basis. More integration of sound experiences into daily life to help the body be in its optimal state, aligning with other practices to help the body on a physical and emotional level. Sound will continue to spread into other fields and spaces in the workplace and schools. The biggest shift we’ll see in the next decade is in medicine. Sound is already being used in some spaces, and this will continue to grow as we see the instruments and tools in medicine catching up to know the power of sound to be.

POH–Frank: If you could share one wish for the future of sound as a healing modality, what would it be?

ISABELLA: To stay true to what it really is — a safe, authentic, and simple practice. Sound brings us back to feeling whole, complete, and part of a larger connection with nature, ourselves, and each other. This presence with sound will be what people start to see as something that can be fully integrated into their daily lives, not just an event that is attended — and helps our communities and world live more fully and present lives.

POH–Frank: Thank you for your time – it was a true pleasure.