LEWISBURG W.Va. (WVDN) – It’s been said that music soothes the soul, but one Greenbrier County business owner believes it can do much more than that. “The body is made to heal itself, and when it’s in a relaxed and calm place, the body can do what it needs to do,” says Dr. Rob Meyer-Kukan, owner of 7 Notes Natural Health in downtown Lewisburg.
A holistic wellness center, the business opened in mid-December and currently offers a variety of services to include sound therapy, holistic body work (massage therapy), Reiki, reflexology, sauna therapy, Chakra balancing and color therapy. When asked what service is requested the most, Dr. Kukan responded, “Honestly, most people rely on the thing that’s most well known and that is massage therapy, or holistic body work as we call it. A close second, and the one at the center of my heart, is the sound therapy offerings that we have,” he says. “We offer one-on-one or group sessions, which we call a sound bath.” With a laugh, he adds, “You don’t even have to bring a shower cap.”
According to the company’s website, sound therapy can help to ease stress, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders and even high blood pressure. When asked if patients can expect to see immediate results from a sound therapy session, Dr. Kukan replied, “Absolutely. Most people feel an immediate sense of relaxation and calm.”
A sound bath session, which typically lasts for one hour, involves participants lying on yoga mats while experiencing sounds created from instruments that include Himalayan singing bowls, crystal singing bowls, gongs, tuning forks and other instruments. Often using blankets and pillows, participants immerse themselves in the sounds produced by these instruments, which create vibrations that travel throughout the body to promote deep relaxation. Unlike the name suggests, a sound bath involves no water and participants remain fully clothed.
When it comes to wardrobe requirements, Dr. Kukan encourages participants to arrive in comfortable, loose-fitting clothes. “Wear something you want to relax in,” he says. “Following a session, I generally tell people to do things that are nourishing, such as drink water and have a healthy meal. Take an Epsom salt bath or soak your feet, take a hike, journal or meditate – anything relaxing that you enjoy doing.”
Depending on the service, prices range from $40 for a sauna session to $250 for a sound therapy session for two or more participants (maximum 5). Gift certificates for some services are available through the website. “Our social media is also very active,” says Kukan. “We want people to have a sense of familiarity when they walk through the door, even if they’ve never been here before.”
Dr. Rob Meyer-Kukan began his practice 11 years ago as the Healthy Musician Institute in Ann Arbor, Michigan. “My goal was to work with performing artists, primarily those with repetitive strain injuries,” Kukan said. “I started with holistic movements and then I went to massage school. I was looking for a way to incorporate my love of music and that’s where sound therapy came in,” he adds. “I was introduced to sound bowls and the business grew from there.” Dr. Kukan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Church Music and is also a licensed massage therapist and sound therapist. He completed his Naturopathic Doctorate at Kingdom College of Natural Health last year. He relocated his business to Lewisburg, where he proudly operates 7 Notes Natural Health at the corner of Court and Randolph Street (behind the Darnell Building).
7 Notes Natural Health is located at 298 Randolph Street in Lewisburg, West Virginia. Appointments are recommended. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information or to make an appointment, call 248-962-5475 or visit 7NotesNaturalHealth.com. You can also follow them on social media at Facebook.com/RobMeyerKukan
