We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Carrie Lynn John. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Carrie Lynn below.
Carrie Lynn, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.
When I was a child, my mom used to hang crystals from my bedroom window. I found the reflecting lights of dancing rainbows on the ceiling and walls mesmerizing. I grew up in Florida with a wonderful mother and father, one brother and one sister, who were both many years older than me. So, I spent a lot of time by myself in this bedroom with the dancing lights. It was a magical place, just for me. Mom had many ways of making me feel special like that. We lived in a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home in a brand new neighborhood in Palatka, Florida. As you entered it, you were welcomed by this big beautiful willow tree. I loved it very much. It was different than any other tree in the neighborhood and had a magical sense of its own. All of the neighbors waved and talked with each other. It was a great place to grow up. We were considered the “Party House”! My parents sure knew how to throw a party: Hog roasts, oyster grills and football, snipe hunting, SNL, lottery ticket, weddings and poker nights…you get the idea. There were never any drugs involved but definitely a lot of drinking. My best friend, who I’ve known from day one, lived next door to the right. My cousin, who is also my age, lived next door to the left. On these party nights, we kids got to do whatever we wanted! Which was mainly jumping on the couch and staying up past midnight. I still remember the music and the laughter of all those nights. I loved the lifestyle and I couldn’t wait to grow up and have this lifestyle of my own. The drinking, friends, unity, games, loud music, dancing, and the laughter.
As years passed, I graduated high school and continued my education at Florida School of the Arts, where I received my A.S. Degree in Performing Arts. Mom would always have my friends over for spaghetti dinner. Everyone loved Momma Hasty and her spaghetti parties! After college, I began working for Disney World. It was such a fun time working there and living on my own for the first time. It felt like I was on the brink of growing up. It was during this time that my life would change forever. I had just turned 21. Most people in the States look forward to turning 21 their whole life. Well, I did and shortly thereafter received the call that no one ever wants to receive. Mom became very sick and I had to go to the hospital right away. Daddy met me in the parking garage and told me that mom had a brain tumor on the back of her head, right at the tip of her spine. This meant that surgery was not an option and that she had little time left. I remember us holding each other and crying for what felt like hours in that parking garage. It was in October of 2002, and we lost mom to brain cancer in February of 2003.
Growing up paused.
For the next 20 years of my life, I tried everything I could to not deal with the emotions of losing my mother. I was still working and had a social life, but had to deal with anxiety and depression; largely, because I could not believe what had happened and I would do anything to ignore the facts. I still wanted to help people. I always have. I practiced massage therapy for about 8 years and loved it. I performed in many shows and traveled. I met my fantastic husband along the way (another beautiful story). I lived in Germany with him for almost 5 years. In 2016, we moved to California together, where I worked in television and film. Four years later, we moved to Vegas where I joined the Circus! I had a lot of fun living and working there, but my anxiety and depression really started to take over in October of 2023. I remember many bad things happening all at once around this time. One of those “when it rains, it pours” situations and it took me to my breaking point. I finally decided that it was time to deal with these heavy emotions in a more healthy way. My husband and I found help for myself. I joined an out-patient therapy group in Vegas. It was absolutely amazing and the best decision I have ever made.
Growing up continued.
I had a wonderful therapist who helped me accept my mother’s death. I experienced personal therapy and group therapy. At this particular place, they had self-care Fridays where you could attend yoga sessions, acupuncture, etc. One day at group therapy, I saw a flyer that read “Sound Bath for Self-Care Friday”. I had no idea what that meant but I decided to try it out. I showed up for the sound bath and lied down on a yoga mat with a very comfortable blanket. The sound bath began and so did the miracles. As the practitioner was creating all sorts of unique sounds, it felt as if the sounds were entering in one ear and exiting out of the other! All of the thoughts that typically lived in my mind disappeared. I felt a sense of relaxation that I had never experienced before. Somewhere in the middle of the sound bath, I opened my eyes. On the ceiling there was a white light dancing. I knew it was mom. In this moment I knew that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life here on Earth.
I wanted to help people feel the way I was feeling! I began asking the practitioner questions and showed up every Friday for the sound baths. My husband bought a set of crystal bowls for me and I started learning right away. Today, I am a certified Vibrational Sound Practitioner and have been practicing for one year! I learned to talk about my problems now instead of burying them deep down inside. I let myself feel my emotions and let them happen naturally. I found breathing techniques to help manage my anxiety. But what helps me most are the sounds and vibrations of the instruments during a sound bath. If I hadn’t found help for myself, I wouldn’t have found my new passion for Life. I realize now that the loud songs at the parties growing up, the vibrations and frequencies, were therapy for the soul. Sounds and vibrations make us happy! I remember my mom turning up particular songs in the car with heavy drums. She would yell: “I just love the drums”! She loved the vibrations of the drums. I am using a 16’ Buffalo drum in my practice. This is very special because I am playing the drum with the love of my mother. I can still live the lifestyle I so badly wanted back then… friends, unity, games, loud music, dancing, and the laughter… without the drinking.
I have a huge vision for the future. My husband and I have moved back to Florida, where I have my own sound healing practice. I named it “The Crystal Willow”. As of now, it is a home studio and I travel for events and workshops. But in the future, I am looking to have a very special place where people can gather for unity and to receive the many benefits a sound bath can offer. A place where we can hang crystals in the window, see the dancing lights, and feel the vibrations in our souls. Perhaps inside a Willow tree.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I would love to! Hello everyone and thank you for taking the time to read about my journey. My name is Carrie Lynn and I was the biggest baby born in Putnam County, Florida. Weighing in at 12 pounds 4 and a half ounces (natural birth). I made it to the front page of the local newspaper. “What a Whopper!”, it read. My mom always said that I was meant to be a celebrity. After high school, I decided to take the performing arts route and got accepted into Florida School of the Arts. I loved acting very much and thought I would do that for the rest of my life. My A.S. degree in Performing Arts took me to many wonderful places. I performed in many shows as the years went by. Besides acting, I also had an interest in massage therapy. I practiced massage for about 8 years and loved every minute of it. I love helping people and this was the perfect occupation for just that. In 2011, I moved to Germany. There I would practice massage during the day, working on the U.S. Soldiers and their families. Nights I would perform in plays such as: I Hate Hamlet, Noises Off!, Addams Family, The Musical, and Les Misérables. It was the perfect combination of massage and theater. In 2016, my wonderful husband and I moved to California. Unfortunately, massage therapy took its toll on my neck and I couldn’t practice anymore. I was still able to perform and worked in television and film for the next 4 years. In 2020, we moved to Las Vegas, where I joined the Circus! I had lots of fun working there, but something was missing and it would take the whole year of 2023/2024 to figure out exactly what that was.
Towards the end of 2023, I was drinking a lot. Still never dealing with the fact of losing my mother. I began to call in to work multiple times. I was getting sick a lot. Finding myself just hiding in my bedroom and drinking. Wasting my days away. In October of 2023, I had enough of it. I told my husband that I needed help and he so lovingly assisted me in finding it. I ended up in a very nice out-patient program. This is where I would find my life’s purpose. I quit the drinking and everything became so clear to me about what I was supposed to do with my life. Sound Healing.
Vibrational Sound is a very wonderful method of healing. Since my first sound bath at that out-patient program, I was hooked. It took away the worries and thoughts in my mind and left me feeling an all over body relaxation. I could not wait to share this with the world. I could help people again, without the strain of massage therapy. I am now certified in Vibrational Sound and have been practicing for one year! My husband and I moved back to Florida recently and everything has fallen into place. Lately, I have been involved with sound bath events in St. Augustine and Jacksonville. I travel with all of my instruments and set up wherever I am needed. My instruments include: Crystal Bowls, Himalayan Bowls, Chimes, Buffalo Drum, Water Disc, Wind Wand, Thunder Tube, and The Gong. The collection is growing as we speak haha. I traded in the love of alcohol for the love of sound healing. Thanks to my cousin, who owns an amazing recording studio in Elkton, I also use a lovely speaker and subwoofer to create an all over vibration. Clients are asked to lie in a comfortable position either on the floor with a yoga mat or in a comfy chair. I guide them along the way starting with a few cleansing breathes. As time seemingly disappears, the different sounds and vibrations from the instruments commonly have the group enter into a relaxed state. In this state, there is potential to receive any combination of the wonderful benefits that come along with the experience. Many clients show up with similar problems that I had when I was drinking. Some show up with stress, depression, agitation, etc…Before every sound bath, I pray that everyone gets something out of it. Everyone usually leaves happy and relaxed. It feels great to know that I could possibly help someone in this way of intention and sound.
I am most proud of myself for overcoming the drinking and starting my own company within a year. Every first Sunday of the month, I share a sound bath at “Healing with Mo” inside of the Mystic Light Center in St. Augustine. I announced one particular Sunday that I had only been practicing sound healing for one year. Mo said out loud, “Only for one year in this lifetime!” It feels great to know that I am good at something that can help so many. I am also proud of myself for dealing with my issues and not burying them deep down inside. How could I ever help others again if I couldn’t help myself? I am so very grateful for my husband, our German family, my wonderful Dad and Step-Mom, the cuzzo’s, the rest of my dear family, besties and friends, my business partner, the out-patient program, AA, my therapists and my very first Sound Bath Practitioner. It really is all about Unity. If you are having any issues with drinking or anything else, there is so much help out there for you. My hope is for you to find it. I encourage people to get out and try a sound bath, even if it’s not with me! Just experience it for yourself. You deserve it.
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
I have had a lot of training over the past year. It began with online classes, learning from a wonderful Sound Healing Practitioner in Thailand, named Ali Young. He was recommended to me by Jaime Ayoub, the incredible Sound Healing Practitioner who gave me my first sound bath in Vegas. (If you ever visit Vegas, definitely look Jaime up for a wonderful sound bath experience!) In searching for Ali’s class online, I came across a course out of London that was accredited by Complementary Therapists Accredited Association. The course was given by Tom Llewellyn, tutor and director of Soulremember Retreats. It took about 2 months to complete this one. I learned about the science of sound healing and the many different instruments that could be used in a sound healing session. Jaime recommended taking Ali’s course, then when I was serious about it, attend an in person course with Meditate School of Sound Healing. It just so happened that as my husband and I were moving to Florida last March, there was a course to be held out of Sarasota! After five days there, I became certified in Vibrational and Sound Therapies by Meditate School of Sound Healing. I have continued my education the past year by attending an amazing Gong workshop held by Mike Tamburo, a professional of the Gong for over 20 years. I will continue to take classes and workshops in the future to keep this wonderful gift blooming.
I have learned a lot from these courses, but I will always learn and receive most by attending other sound baths from all kinds of different Sound Healing Practitioners! This is how I believe I can succeed in my field. There is so much more to learn and I am eager to learn it! Showing up to someone else’s sound bath and getting all of the different perspectives that I can will help my growth in this industry. I love meeting and learning from others who also practice Sound Healing. I enjoy listening to their stories and how they began. I try to support them all in their businesses by liking their posts on social media and sharing their events. My husband and I will attend a tandem sound bath at The Soma Collective in Jacksonville Beach in November. We are very excited about that! Helping others to succeed plants the seed, together we will bloom, I believe.
If you are reading this and you think you may want to become a Sound Healing Practitioner, look up these classes that I mentioned above. My online courses were found in Udemy and Meditate School of Sound Healing has in-person courses all over the States! I wish you the very best on your journey.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
My very good friend and business partner set me up with a monthly donation based sound bath at a local AA building in Jacksonville. My first session there was in September. I was very excited to share a sound bath in this environment where people were possibly going through what I went through. I hoped and prayed that everyone would get something out of it in some way. As I showed up and began to set up my instruments, I noticed another set of crystal bowls in the hallway. I thought that was really nice. What I didn’t know yet at the time was that someone else would be playing with me! I had never practiced with anyone else before, so I became very nervous. The crowd grew larger and larger and so did my heartbeat. The other practitioner said to me before we got started that he was just going to follow me. This being my first time, I just stuck with the schedule in my mind and tried to feel from the crowd what was needed. Most of it flowed quite nicely. There was this really cool section where he played the acoustic guitar as I traveled around the room with my water disc. It was incredible! Everyone loved it and wanted more. My worry was for nothing. I am looking forward to the next session there where I will listen more to the other practitioner and see how far we can take it!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thecrystalwillow.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.crystalwillow
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCrystalWillowSoundJourneys
Image Credits
Nicolas John
Nicole Calkins