It was one of those overcast days when the crisp breeze was just cool enough to make me reach for a light sweater from the closet.

As I opened the door and slipped off my shoes, the soft strains of music that filled the room seemed to gently leave the weight of the week behind, much like my shoes left at the doorstep.

Susan Barlenbach’s warm, welcoming smile set the perfect tone for the space she had so thoughtfully curated.

Her living room in Bow was a serene escape, with mats, bolsters, and pillows arranged across the floor, each piece a silent invitation to relax.

Nearby, a basket overflowed with cozy cushions and soft blankets, adding a touch of comfort to the environment.

The room was bathed in a soft, golden light that cast a soothing glow, making it feel like a sanctuary away from the world. Large windows framed a picturesque view of the trees outside, their green branches swaying gently in the breeze.

I could easily picture myself curling up with a book, wrapped in a blanket, as I looked outside.

In one corner of the Greyhouse Studio in Bow, Barlenbach had arranged her collection of crystal bowls in a semi-circle, each one surrounded by flickering candles that cast a warm, dancing light. She settled herself on a cushion behind the bowls, a gong resting quietly in the background, ready for its turn.

“Everything vibrates down to the molecular level,” said Barlenbach.

With 42 years of teaching music, including her current role at Dunbarton Elementary School, she has seen firsthand how music can touch lives in profound ways.

“The idea of sitting in a space that’s vibrating causes sympathetic vibrations in our bodies. It’s very soothing, very healing.”

As Barlenbach struck each crystal bowl, its distinct, resonant vibration enveloped me.

The sound waves flowed through the room, dissolving any stray ambient noise.

The sensation was like nothing I had ever felt — striking one bowl pulsed deeply through my chest, while another sent gentle waves of vibration through my feet, leaving me completely absorbed in the interplay of sound and sensation.

Barlenbach’s journey into therapeutic sound baths began after she experienced one herself, feeling deeply moved by the process.

“Music moves me so much,” she said. “The vibrations, certain sounds together really create an emotional reaction for me.”

For anyone who comes to Barlenbach’s sound bath, the experience begins with gentle music and an invitation to make oneself comfortable. She then explains the role of each instrument, guiding her guests through a brief meditation.

But it’s not just the crystal bowls that make the sound bath unique. Each instrument offers its own distinctive sensation. The wooden wind chime, when shaken, evokes the feeling of rain gently tapping against the window, while the spinning wind wand creates the sensation of a helicopter soaring overhead.

From her guests, Barlenbach has heard stories of how the sound bath has enhanced their sleep, alleviated back pain, and even provided an emotional release.

“I think that a deep state of relaxation in this very busy world where we’re hyper-focused on working, coming to something like this just sets you up to have a peaceful week,” said Susan as she got ready for her private sound bath session on Friday. “I feel like it’s really connected to my work as a musician and as a music teacher.”

For more information, go to www.greyhousestudionh.com.