Christiné M. Grimm completed her training as a sound therapist at the Sound Therapy Center of L.A. in August of 2001, following studies with Elaine Thompson (Signature Sound/England) and Guenter Felderer (Brain Research Institute/Germany) beginning in 1997. She is currently studying with Fabien Maman at the Tama-Do Academy of Sound, Color, and Movement. In 2003, she trained in Therapeutic Yoga with Cheri Clampett. She has been offering lectures, classes, workshops, and individual sessions since 2002 in the Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Ojai area of California.

She earned her Master of Fine Arts from the UCLA Theater Arts Dept. and received her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature (with a minor in music) from CLU in Thousand Oaks. Christiné is a singer/songwriter/guitarist and has performed in Europe and the USA. She is also an ATA accredited translator of German books on holistic health, healing, and spirituality.

Recordings:
*Love, Loss, and Transcendence: Seven Original Songs (2003)
*Tune Your Voice - Tune Your Life (2003). Sound Therapy - see Sound Therapy CD

SOUND THERAPY is a holistic method for balancing the body, mind, and soul - as well as improving the speaking and singing voice. In contrast to music therapy, sound therapy uses individual components such as tones without rhythms.

The first step is a diagnostic analysis with a chromatic tuner, which graphs the notes of the speaking voice. According to L.A. sound therapist Wayne Perry: "The voice accurately reflects the brainwave patterns, which reflect all activity of the physical body. Research has shown that a frequency missing in the brainwave will also be missing in the speaking voice." Once the weak and/or excessive notes have been identified, sound exercises such as toning and releasing notes can be used to balance the voice. Even just listening to the weak tones strengthens them in the voice. (Christiné's Tune Your Voice - Tune Your Life CD can be used for this purpose.)

Christiné's group classes are based on the three principles of relax (breath/massage/ therapeutic yoga/guided meditation), release (sounding/percussion play), and regenerate (toning with the Tune Your Voice - Tune Your Life CD/dancing with colored scarves).

Singers and speakers can also benefit from vocal attunement, which improves the sense of pitch. Christine incorporates breath and voice work for those who would like to balance their voices. She also uses this approach as the basis for voice lessons. "Sound is a major contributing factor to our present states of health and consciousness. The difference between the random sounds of daily life and the focused use of sacred sound is that the latter produces harmony rather than dissonance. When we learn to produce and direct specific healing sounds through our energy centers (chakras) into the physical body, balance occurs. Our entire energy system is strengthened. We have greater health on all levels, and we can disrupt negative qualities and patterns as they arise within our physical and subtle bodies. It all begins with understanding eight basic principles of healing sound:

Resonance, rhythm, melody, harmony, pitch, timbre, accumulative and detectable effects, and sound as energy." (from The Healer's Manual by Ted Andrews)

INDIVIDUAL SOUND THERAPY SESSIONS. The initial sound therapy session results in an individual program based on diagnostic voice analysis, which graphs the notes of the voice. This work can also be supported by methods such as sound healing with body toning and tuning forks, breathwork, color therapy, Bach flowers, gemstone therapy, and therapeutic yoga. Individual sessions are advisable for receiving the full benefits of sound therapy and/or improving the speaking voice.

Subsequent sessons are useful as support in practice of sound therapy methods or as sound healing sessions with therapeutic yoga. After working with the exercises for 2 - 3 months, a follow-up voice analysis is recommended.

SOUND THERAPY SESSIONS IN THERAPY ROOM AT YOGA SOUP (28 Parker Way, Santa Barbara)
Cost of initial session is $135 for 1.5 hours or $175 for 2 hours with tuning-fork work (price includes Tune Your Voice CD) - Subsequent sessions cost $80/hour

PRIVATE VOICE LESSONS FOR ADULTS - Improve your speaking voice or learn to sing using the voice-analysis method and breathwork! Cost of $80/hour in Santa Barbara.

The TUNE YOUR VOICE - TUNE YOUR LIFE CD has the chromatic 12 tones of the scale sung by human voices in 4 octaves each. Each track lasts 5 minutes. In addition to active or passive (listening) sound therapy, it can be used as a general "tune-up" for the body-mind-soul or as vocal attunement for singers. Available at Paradise Found, Golden Tree Yoga, or from Christiné for $15.

The new, professionally reproduced CDs have arrived and cost $15 (ask about discounts for larger orders). They are available at Paradise Found, or from Christiné. The 12 tracks contain the 12 chromatic tones sung in 4 octaves for active (toning/releasing) or passive (listening) sound therapy. Also beneficial as pitch training for singers!

"Christiné brings a sense of play, ease, and body awareness to her teaching of singing. She helped me strengthen and enjoy my voice more." Gail Dennison, Co-Author of Brain Gym® (Ventura/CA)

"This is a very powerful tool for personal development." Suki Bergeron, Yoga Teacher (Maui/Hawaii)

"I was dissatisfied with my speaking voice's high tones. Christine's individual toning therapy sessions and group classes are bringing healing and the pleasure of finding my voice again!" Sherrie Morris (Santa Barbara/CA)

"Christiné is delightful and fun in her expert ability to open up the energy channels in our bodies through her wonderful teaching." Cynthia S. (Santa Barbara/CA)

"Christiné's lecture and demonstration of sound healing was powerful and uplifting. She presented the information in a way that was clear, down-to-earth, and easy to understand. Since it was interactive, everyone who attended could feel for themselves the effects of vocal toning in a group. I also found my individual voice-analysis session to be very fascinating, particularly because of the way she could link areas of my life with certain pitches in my voice. On another occasion, I observed Christine's music-therapy work with severely disabled children and saw how important it was for them. It gave them an opportunity to express themselves through music, which was very healing. I remember the little boy who cried when the hour was over, but his face was all smiles the rest of the time. I was very inspired by her work with this population." Alison Swartzel, UCSB Graduate Student of Ethnomusicology (Ojai/CA)

"Our Kindermusik teacher, Christine, is doing a wonderful job. Although we have only been exploring music and dance with her for a few months, it feels like she has been with us for much longer. Our daughter has grown in physical ability, awareness of sounds/music, repeats very well, sings, dances and is aware of specific movements, and enjoys doing all of the above. We started when our daughter Bianca was about 16 months old. Now, at 21 months, she has grown a lot...obviously, some of this is just normal growth, but there is no doubt that Bianca has learned more and developed awareness in many areas (such as kinesthetic, musical, listening/speaking) that she may not have otherwise, without the Kindermusik classes. Christine goes beyond the books and music; through her love of children, combined with a dancing ability and musical ear, she is a kind, positive, creative role model for these young people. All of the students in our class (adults and kids alike) benefit from Christine. I appreciate having her as a teacher, and feel lucky that my daughter, wife, and I have had the opportunity to be with her on a weekly basis. We will continue to take these wonderful classes, and will encourage other parents to do so as well…" Sean R. (Ventura/CA)

Discover the healing frequencies of sound, color, and touch as they harmonize your chakras and bring them into balance with each other. Using Archetypal Chakras by Arnold Bittlinger and the Chakra Energy Cards by Walter Lubeck (both books translated from German by Christiné M. Grimm), each class explores one of the 7 main energy centers listed here with their Sanskrit name - location - note(s) - color:

Location, Dates and Times of next workshops to be announced

* Use breath, toning, sounding, and visualization to harmonize the energy centers

* Practice yoga exercises and affirmations for the specific chakras

* Balance complementary chakras with your hands

* Release energy blocks through vocal sounding and percussion play

* Learn to work with tuning forks and body tuners

* Improve your speaking and your singing voice

* Choose an affirmation and set a chakra intention for each week

"I learned not only about the chakras, but also about music." G.M.

"Christiné is a playful, skilled, organized, and flexible teacher who really listens to her students and creates a safe environment for them to try out new things." S.M.

"I liked that the class involved a lot of hands-on experience (especially with the tuning forks) and not much talk." S.G.

"The commitment to the series was good and helped me with my personal growth as we focused on one chakra for the entire week between classes." G.S.

"My self-confidence has grown so much over the past 7 weeks and I can communicate better with others. This work with sound is amazing." L.S.