In-person training (online delivery available by enquiry)
Foundations of Playing and Sound Awareness for Wellbeing Contexts
In-person | Small group | Bespoke options available
Develop listening, awareness, and confident, responsive playing through a structured, experiential approach to working with sound.
This one-day training introduces sound as a relational and embodied practice, supporting understanding of how sound is perceived within the body and how it may support or unsettle within wellbeing contexts.
This small-group training offers a practical introduction to working with sound through guided listening, gentle instrument playing, and responsive exploration.
No prior musical experience is required.
Participants are supported to develop confidence in both playing and listening, approaching instruments as tools for awareness, response, and connection.
The focus is on building strong foundations through listening, playing, and discernment, with attention to pacing, context, and individual variability.
This training is offered as professional development and does not provide therapeutic or clinical intervention training.
“This training was exactly what I was looking for to deepen awareness and bring sound more thoughtfully into my work.” - Wellbeing Practitioner
Qualified and insured wellbeing practitioners, including those working in yoga, movement, body-based, or therapeutic contexts, who wish to integrate sound gently and ethically within their existing scope of practice.
Professionals working in wellbeing, community, or supportive settings who wish to explore sound as part of a relational and attentive approach to their work.
Individuals with no professional background who wish to explore sound for personal practice and self-care only, without any intention to offer sound professionally.
Those specifically interested in working with sound in child-centred or early years settings may wish to explore the dedicated CPD training available in Sound for Wellbeing in Child-Centred Settings.
This training is particularly suited to practitioners who:
Value attentive listening and awareness as a foundation for working with sound
Wish to use sound as a supportive element for settling, transition, and presence
Prioritise sensitivity, pacing, choice, and ethical consideration when working with others
Practitioners working in educational, care, or community settings may find this course valuable as reflective CPD, offering a grounded introduction to listening, pacing, and sensory awareness rather than clinical training.
This training is experiential and grounded in practice. Sound is explored through listening, gentle playing, and response, with attention to how it is experienced within the body and in context.
Playing is introduced as an inquiry-based and responsive process, with emphasis on:
Awareness of bodily and nervous system response
Sensitivity to volume, pacing, touch, and space
Responsiveness rather than performance
Ethical considerations including choice, consent, and context
Participants are supported to work within appropriate boundaries and scope.
This training offers 5 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
It is offered as professional development and supports participants to work with sound within their existing scope of practice.
Participants are responsible for ensuring that any integration of sound aligns with their professional scope, insurance requirements, and organisational or regulatory policies.
Schedule
This training is offered as a one-day, in-person immersive training, allowing for focused, paced learning with time for reflection, integration, and discussion throughout the day.
Optional online modules and recorded resources are available, which participants may explore at their own pace before or after the training. These are designed to support understanding and integration and are not required in order to attend.
An optional follow-up integration session may also be offered, either in person or online, providing additional space for reflection, questions, and continued support. Participation is entirely optional.
Upcoming course dates:
Friday 12 June 2026, 11.00am–5.00pm
Saturday 1 August 2026, 11.00am–5.00pm
(Participants attend one date)
Training Structure
The day is divided into three connected phases, supporting a gradual deepening of listening, playing, and integration:
Foundations of Sound Awareness and Playing
An experiential training in working with sound as a relational and sensory practice. Participants explore attentive listening and responsive playing, with awareness of bodily and nervous system responses, pacing, sensitivity, and context.
Developing Playing and Discernment
A deeper exploration of responsive, listening-based playing, with attention to how sound may be integrated within personal or professional contexts. Emphasis is placed on discernment, restraint, and ethical awareness, including when to use sound and when not to use sound.
Integration and Practice
Time is held for integration, discussion, and consolidation, supporting participants to explore appropriate scope of practice in a grounded and thoughtful way.
Duration and CPD
6 hours total (including breaks)
5 hours Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Participants learn through experience, observation, and reflection to:
Develop a foundational understanding of sound as a relational and sensory experience
Cultivate attentive listening and embodied awareness of sound
Explore sound and instruments for personal practice and practitioner self-care
Develop confidence in foundational playing approaches with commonly used instruments
Understand how sound may be integrated alongside existing wellbeing practices
Develop discernment around when to use sound and when not to use sound
This training offers contextual understanding of sound experiences often referred to as “sound baths”, without preparing participants to deliver these as a standalone practice.
Elements of this work are further supported through the Sound Space Connect® framework, introduced within shorter CPD training formats, as a practical approach to understanding and responding to sound in everyday environments.
This training may be followed by further learning for those wishing to deepen their exploration of listening-based and responsive sound practice. It does not, on its own, qualify participants as therapeutic sound practitioners.
Level 1 supports the development of foundational listening and playing skills, alongside awareness of felt sense and bodily response to sound as a basis for safe and considered practice, rather than therapeutic intervention.
Includes the full one-day, in-person training (6 hours including breaks), along with 5 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
Group size is limited to a maximum of three participants to support a calm, attentive, and responsive learning environment.
Optional online resources are provided to support reflection and integration following the training.
Exploring sound as a relational and sensory experience, grounded in listening, awareness, and context.
Attention is given to individual variability, nervous system response, and ethical considerations such as choice, pacing, consent, and safety.
Developing listening through sound, silence, and observation.
Exploring responsive playing, approaching instruments as tools for exploration and response.
Cultivating attunement, restraint, and sensitivity to sound, space, and context.
Exploring how sound may be gently integrated within personal practice or existing wellbeing contexts.
Developing awareness of how sound can support settling, transition, and presence, alongside discernment around when to use sound and when not to use sound.
A range of sound sources are explored as tools for listening, awareness, and inquiry, with an emphasis on responsive and attentive playing.
These may include Tibetan and crystal singing bowls, gongs, drums, tuning forks, percussion, and the voice.
No prior musical experience is required.
This training is suitable for practitioners and non-practitioners who are drawn to an attentive and integrative approach to working with sound, grounded in listening, awareness, and discernment.
It may be particularly relevant if you are working in, or are curious about, contexts such as:
Wellbeing, movement, or body-based practices
Creative arts or music-related work
Education, care, or community settings
Meditation or mindfulness facilitation
Those working in clinical, educational, or care settings may find this training valuable as professional development, with the understanding that it does not provide clinical or therapeutic intervention training.
If you are unsure whether this training is appropriate for your role, experience, or scope of practice, you are welcome to contact Tessa Ann for a conversation before enrolling.
Once registered, participants receive access to online learning materials to support familiarisation and continued reflection.
The training is attended on one of the scheduled in-person dates.
Bespoke training options are also available by enquiry, either in person or online.
The next small-group training is currently open for booking.
Places are limited to a maximum of three participants to support a calm, attentive learning environment.
If you are unable to attend the listed dates, or would like to explore future or bespoke options, you are welcome to contact Tessa Ann at:
tessa@tessaunltd.com
Bespoke delivery of this training may be arranged by enquiry for organisations or groups seeking a more flexible or extended format.
Options may include one-to-one or small-group delivery, either as a one-day training or across multiple sessions, depending on context and requirements.
Please contact Tessa Ann to discuss availability and what may be most appropriate.
The Sound Healing Spa
Comber (beside WWT Castle Espie)
County Down
BT23 6EA
For some participants, Level 1 offers a complete and self-contained experience.
For others, it marks the beginning of a deeper exploration into how sound is integrated within personal or professional practice.
An Integration and Mentoring Pathway is available for those who wish to continue developing their understanding through supported practice, reflection, and real-world application.
This pathway supports the transition from initial learning into lived, embodied practice, with a focus on how sound is played, experienced, and responded to in context.
Participants often describe this training as a supportive experience that deepens listening, awareness, and sensitivity to sound.
Trusting my intuition, I was guided to Tessa to begin my learning with sound. Completing the Level 1 workshop has been one of the best experiences. Tessa’s knowledge and understanding of sound is deep and profound, yet she teaches in a simple, grounded, and accessible way. She creates a joyful, welcoming atmosphere where learning feels calm and supported. This course was exactly what I was looking for to deepen awareness and bring sound more thoughtfully into my existing wellbeing work.
The Level 1 course with Tessa was amazing — I learned so much more than I expected. It felt like a personal journey of discovery and opened my awareness to how sound and instruments can support my existing classes in a more sensitive and considered way. Tessa is a very special teacher who creates a welcoming, relaxed environment where you instantly feel at ease and open to learning. Thank you, Tessa.
I found this training extremely valuable and thought-provoking. It really highlighted the impact sound has on our everyday lives, and how differently sound can be experienced by each person — and each child.
I loved the training — it was unlike anything I had experienced before. The immersive sound experience, combined with shared reflection and discussion, really supported my understanding of how differently people respond to sound.
Tessa Ann is a sound practitioner, educator, and facilitator with over three decades of experience working with sound, wellbeing, and sensory awareness across a wide range of contexts.
She is the founder of Tessa UN Ltd and creator of The Sound Healing Spa, where she delivers listening-led training, CPD, and sound-based wellbeing experiences.
Her work centres on supporting awareness, presence, and sensitivity, with a focus on building strong foundations for both personal and professional practice.
Drawing on a background in sound and music, yoga, movement facilitation, and trauma-aware practice, she offers a calm, responsive, and integrative teaching approach grounded in listening, observation, and ethical awareness.
This training supports professional development and does not prepare participants to deliver standalone sound therapy or sound bath sessions.
© Copyright Tessa Un Ltd 2026