by Mary-Elizabeth Schurrer 

If there is one lesson that 2020 has crystalized for us, it’s that all human beings can—and should—benefit from rhythms of stress management. Our minds, bodies, spirits and emotions are calling out for nourishment, relaxation, tenderness and balance. Our lives are fraught with tension, and we just need some healing care.  

Enter: The OM Shoppe & Spa, a local wellness refuge that has stress management down to an artform. Cocooned in the walls of this establishment, the world just seems to melt away, and in the place of uncertainty, an exhale of peace is what remains. Intrigued and enticed yet? Then allow me to introduce you to Beth Snyder, a clinical hypnotherapist and owner of The OM Shoppe & Spa. Trust me, she can take it from here!  

Natural Awakenings: What services do you offer that can help to manage or relieve stress in a natural, holistic way? 

Beth Snyder: The OM Shoppe & Spa is focused on empowering our clients, audience and customers to discover wellness in all its forms. In our tagline, we invite you to ‘come and tune-up your happy with us.’ This refers to our foundations in sound healing and vibrational medicine which we define as a holistic approach to health and wellness that takes into account the energetic nature of each life force.  

Our atoms are comprised of vibrational energy, and many different forms or frequencies of these energetic vibrations (colors, lights, sounds, touch, aromas) constantly affect us. Therefore, vibrational medicine takes into account a number of energy therapies to restore both ourselves and our environment back into harmonic resonance. 

All of our products and services are curated to be natural, holistic and effective. We meet each of our guests where they are on the healing journey which means, whatever they desire to change, we want to help with this. We feel there are enough so-called authorities out there who tell people what they should or should not be doing. But as a Clinical Hypnotherapist, I know that humans only change what they feel ready to change.   

For this reason, a vast array of organic and wildcrafted essential oils, sound healing tools, crystals, educational books and other metaphysical resources with practical applications fill our 3,200-square-foot showroom. We offer personalized service to each customer who walks inside, and we train our staff to see the divine presence in whoever enters our facility. We are deeply honored when someone comes to us for relief and renewal. 

In addition, our state-of-the-art energy spa features amethyst bio mats, as well as intentionally selected color and music therapies to further enhance all of our treatments. We are most proud of the new vibroacoustic and hypnosound™ therapy that we recently introduced. This incredible technology is for clients with Parkinson’s disease, in particular, but it’s beneficial for many other issues too, and the results are outstanding. Finally, our hypnotherapy sessions with trained and experienced clinical hypnotherapists also help our clients create sustainable, positive change in their lives. 

Natural Awakenings: Why is stress management so crucial for physical, mental and emotional wellness in these uncertain times?  

Snyder: The research on stress is everywhere. In fact, this could be one of the most stressful times our planet has experienced in recent history. There is no benefit to overlooking our bodies or minds and pushing ourselves to the brink.  

The term self-care has been reduced to a buzzword, but it should be a way of life, not a passing trend. The bottom line is this: creating balance improves our health and relationships. In this pandemic it has become even more essential to keep our immune function strong and our minds flexible. Our bodies need rest, so we must prioritize ourselves. 

Natural Awakenings: What health and safety precautions has the OM Shoppe & Spa taken to ensure peace of mind for your customers? 

Snyder: In response to COVID-19, we follow CDC guidance, as we have done from the start. This allows us to continue offering treatment services and a showroom experience to our guests. We require masks, our staff and therapists are protected, and we disinfect our space frequently over the course of each day.  

We have also taken the extra step of installing an additional air purifier and UV light in order to reduce the spread of airborne viruses and ensure that fresh air flow is circulating. We limit our number of guests and sanitize all rooms before and after treatments. In fact, each treatment room is given an additional 15 minutes to air out between sessions. 

Natural Awakenings: What are some of your favorite stress reduction techniques to create balance in the midst of COVID-19?   

Snyder: Hands down, my favorite stress reduction technique is one that is both free and accessible to everyone. You might be surprised to find it at the end of your nose—it’s your own breath, in fact. I call this technique a ‘breathing break,’ and it can include anything from deep, circular breaths, to alternate nostril breaths, to vocal toning breaths. I also recommend a detox from technology. I would encourage you to consider limiting—if not eliminating—as much exposure to social media, news outlets and computers as you can.  

Finally, if you want to experience a thorough unwind, we at The OM Shoppe recommend a vibroacoustic treatment with stress and anxiety release hypnosound. This 30-minute session can leave you feeling entirely renewed. Of course, we also offer massage services to work out muscle tensions, a crystal alchemy attunement ™ to balance your spirit, and OM sound wave attunements™ to help you find deeper relaxation than you thought was possible. 

If you are looking to connect with others for a sense of community, then we also invite you to join us for a monthly group sound bath, as well as our ‘Sound Journey’ events held on the fourth Sunday of each month. We can maintain a safe physical distance and still enjoy a social interaction, so you are welcome to participate!  

Beth Snyder is the owner of The OM Shoppe & Spa, as well as a Clinical Hypnotherapist, a Certified Sound Healing Practitioner and a Master NLP Practitioner. The OM Shoppe & Spa is located at 4801 South Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. For more information and to schedule a treatment session, call 941-706-3257 or visit TheOmShoppeAndSpa.com.  

Mary-Elizabeth Schurrer is the Managing Editor of Natural Awakenings Sarasota–Manatee. She also works as a freelance writer, blogger and social media marketer. Her personal blog HealthBeAHippie.Wordpress.com features tips for embracing an active, nutritious, balanced and empowered lifestyle.