Creating Sanctuary: How I Use Sound & Guided Imagery in My Nurse Coach Practice

Hi, my name is Michele McNiff, and I’m a registered nurse and Health & Wellness Nurse Coach at Blue Heron Holistic. I want to share a little about how I use sound and guided imagery to help people become more present in their own care—especially when life feels overwhelming.

We are wired for connection.

Our nervous systems are constantly scanning the environment, asking one simple question: Is this safe, or is this dangerous?Our body, mind, and spirit are truly amazing in how they respond to this question.

Many of the people who come to see me are dealing with stress, illness, a new diagnosis, burnout, or that familiar feeling of not being seen or heard—by the medical system, by others, or sometimes even by themselves. When that happens, everything can feel out of rhythm.

That’s where tools like sound, rhythm, tone, and breath come in.

I don’t use these practices to “fix” people. I use them to help people come back into relationship with themselves. Sound and guided imagery create a sense of inner sanctuary—a place where the body can soften enough to remember its own rhythm.

Guided imagery is a well-studied practice, and sound facilitation has been used across cultures for thousands of years. Together, they help us gently reconnect with our breath, feel vibration in the body, and listen inward. I’ve witnessed this not only in my patients, but in my own life as well.

From a physiological perspective, this work supports the limbic system, the part of the brain that processes emotion, memory, and safety. It also supports the hypothalamus, which I like to call the master conductor. This conductor helps integrate our thinking mind with our emotional body and connects the autonomic nervous system (fight-or-flight and rest-and-digest), the endocrine system (hormones), and the immune system.

When we’re under chronic stress, that conductor can get overwhelmed. Communication breaks down. Our stories, emotions, and physical sensations can feel completely out of sync.

Practices like breath, rhythm, sound, and guided imagery don’t force change—they simply give the conductor a steady tempo again.

Rhythm helps regulate the autonomic nervous system. Pitch and resonance support emotional processing. Breath and sound—especially humming and nasal breathing—stimulate the vagus nerve and increase nitric oxide, a powerful parasympathetic (relaxation) support. Even the mouth plays a role, with dozens of sensory points along the palate and gums that influence neurochemistry.

This is why something as simple as humming, exhaling slowly, or listening to gentle sound can feel so profound.

In my sessions, I often move through different instruments, each offering a unique quality:

• Indian flute to support breath and the element of air

• Humming and shruti box to create a steady inner sanctuary

• Buffalo drum to bring grounding rhythm and a sense of safety—like remembering the heartbeat we heard in the womb

• Therapy harp, tuned to the heart, to support compassion and emotional flow

• Crystal singing bowls to invite deep rest, integration, and spaciousness

Sound can be felt—not just heard. Vibration moves through the body, through the bones and cells, reminding us that we are alive, rhythmic, and connected.

When the electromagnetic field of the body is supported through steady sound, breath, and presence, the biofield naturally begins to organize. Communication between the nervous system, endocrine system, immune system, and emotional centers becomes clearer. The body feels seen, supported, and less alone in its process.

From this place of coherence and ease, healing continues—not by command, but because the body remembers its own innate rhythm and intelligence, which is always in motion.

Before I close, I often invite people to set a simple intention for themselves—one of healing, love, or gratitude. Even thanking yourself for taking a few minutes to care for your body can be powerful.

So today, I’ll leave you with this invitation:Pause. Breathe. Listen.Your body already knows the way back to balance.

Thank you for being here, and I hope the rest of your day is gentle and supportive.