Today we’d like to introduce you to Ann Sensing.
Hi Ann, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
It’s been a long and winding journey, and I opened S O U N D Mind + Body in July of 2022 with the intention of using the space to house a larger group of my sound practitioner trainees. When the training ended, I decided to keep the space going and maintain it as a community/studio to share sound baths and meditation events.
Choosing this allowed me to share the healing power of sound, as well as for the students I’ve trained to gain invaluable experience teaching. Here we are a year later, and we’ve built an incredible community by giving people a respite to simply be themselves and lay down their burdens for a little while.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Ha, smooth isn’t exactly how I’d put it. It takes a ton of time, energy, and love to create, build, and maintain a business, especially a brick and mortar.
We are still so young, but I have learned so much already just through experience. As a business owner, you learn to wear many hats and juggle well. The beginning is such a challenge because you’re putting all you have into the survival of the business. Just getting through the month and successfully paying all the bills can feel like an accomplishment.
What’s been most challenging for me up to this point is learning the balance of my time. I have two small children to support, and the studio is like another child. Before even making a dollar, the space requires management, skill, and wisdom to help grow and support it.
My true calling is healing work. Managing a business is far from that lol. But in these first years, it’s important to know and understand it first-hand. So again, lots of lessons along the way….all priceless.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
S O U N D Mind + Body is a somatic sound healing studio in East Nashville. We hold public sound meditation events/sound baths a few times per week, and we also host other wellness workshops to build our community and share the healing power of connection. What’s a sound bath, you ask?
A Sound Bath is a deeply immersive, full-body listening experience that intentionally uses sound to invite therapeutic and restorative effects to the mind and body. Here at S O U N D, we offer regular events to bring more opportunities for this unique and beautiful practice to be experienced. Our space is intimate – there’s a limit of 11 spots per sound event, and this makes each experience extra cozy and full of personalized connection. We provide all the luxurious props to set you up for the most ideal sound experience. Each space comes with a plush mat, a blanket, a bolster, a pillow for your head, and an eye mask.
We provide the most epic sound healing experiences in Nashville. Beyond group public events, our space is also home to a few private practices. For instance, I have my own private sound therapy offerings in a one-on-one setting by appointment. Sarah Huffman also has her private space in the building where she offers holistic esthetician services and private sound offerings as well, all by appointment. When we aren’t working with clients or leading public group events, S O U N D also serves as a space for other local wellness practitioners to offer their healing workshops and events. It’s a beautiful space to find community and belonging.
Check out one of our upcoming sound baths to experience the healing power of sound and deep listening by visiting soundnashville.com. You can check out my (Ann’s) services here: annsensingsound.com. You can check out Sarah’s offerings here: sarahhuffmansound.com.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Oh, so many people! I have had so many people of influence along the way since getting started on my healing journey into becoming. Here are some that come to mind:
Edgar Pendley – My partner in crime / his belief in me and support of me is how I’m still doing this.
Sarah Huffman – Her love is infectious and is the counterpart to S O U N D. Without her, it wouldn’t exist.
Krista Chapman – First inspired me and then believed in me and is still a great supporter/friend/mentor to all of my yoga and meditation teachers – they got me on my path to knowing myself and fully supported me into bloom – too many to list!
Ryan Thomas – My tattoo artist. he brought the creativity within me, out of me. still does to this day.
Sara Auster – My sound teacher who ignited the listening and expressive practices that changed my life.
John Beaulieu – My sound teacher who made this an art form before anything or anyone else.
Jane House – A mentor and soul/body poet who inspires me beyond belief.
Jen Ata – An energy healer who became a huge part of me learning the embrace of my gifts.
Reggie Ray – My teacher who taught me how to listen to my body and gave me practices to embody it.
Kona, Hawaii – My forever muse / where I learned to teach yoga and found a spiritual practice that deeply resonated.
New York – My second forever muse / where I lived my sound training and found authenticity in my students – for having hearts to pass these practices on to, who hold it in truth and with integrity our clients! They keep the community and the business going. I will never take this for granted.
Contact Info:
- Website: soundnashville.com
- Instagram: @s_o_u_n_d___
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annsensingsound
Image Credits
Andrea Behrends
