We were lucky to catch up with Amber Zinsmeister recently and have shared our conversation below.
Amber, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
It took awhile to get people to take me seriously, especially when I was working in the medical field. Working with top doctors, scientists, researchers, etc… When I spoke about sound baths and meditation I didn’t get much response. My journey was not easy and after 3 years of pushing the benefits of sound therapy and meditation to my colleagues I was finally able to be heard.
I always loved science and medicine. When I was young, I wanted to grow up to be a veterinarian, not because I loved animals but I loved the science behind how things worked. As I got older I realized there was more out there to understand, I got more involved in wellness like yoga, exercise, eating right and felt a much deeper layer of health and awareness.
When I became certified to become a sound practitioner, I was working at a cancer institute. Sound really resonated with me and I knew this would be a great way to fuse medicine and wellness together to work as one to assist patients with their healing process. Due to Covid I was unable to work with the patients, but instead able to work with my colleagues. This was the moment I was successful with turning other departments on to sound and meditation.
This was a very exciting time as I felt I was standing alone, not being heard or understood by my peers and now a few started calling me their wellness guru. This gave me even the motivation to reach out to other facilities. Soon I was offering sound therapy to intensive outpatient program centers helping people in rehab for substance abuse, assisting stroke patients with their recovery, and children with disabilities.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
My ultimate goal is to have wellness centers in multiple locations. A place where people can come and recover from illness or just need a mental break from everything, and affordable.
My current focus is to start working in hospitals or medical centers to bring in meditation and comfort to patients and staff. I am also focusing on creating wellness programs for business to promote mental health to all employees for a better work environment.
Later this year I will take it on the road and offer sound baths at multiple hospitals to offer my services to patients.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Having resilience, staying true to yourself, and always being able to adapt to situations.
When I was told no, or not taken seriously, I normally would have given up but instead I pushed forward and was able to build a support group of mentors, friends, and colleagues who provided guidance, encouragement, and different perspectives during the tough times. Being able to adapt in certain situations helped me become more resilient. I began to view my failures as opportunities and learned from them, and made sure I stayed true to myself and my beliefs.
Always stay positive! During your journey you will have amazing moments and some really hard times. During the difficult moments you will need to continue to hold your head high and smile and know that you got this. I allow myself a day to be sad, frustrated, and even emotional. I give myself this time to release as I know tomorrow I will pick myself back up and continue my journey. So allow yourself this time but know tomorrow, you will continue.
Don’t be afraid to fail! These are the moments when you learn the most and when you come up with new ideas that might be even better than your original. Just remember, you got this!
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I am looking to connect with individuals who have a passion for holistic health, wellness, and a strong understanding of the medical environment. Medical doctors, nurses, therapists, and other healthcare practitioners who are open to exploring wellness practices and have an interest in the potential benefits of sound therapy.Also scientists or researchers who can help establish scientific studies of the therapeutic effects of sound baths, meditation, and wellness in general as I feel we need more data backing the benefits. Also to connect with individuals who are looking for speakers for wellness/medical conferences, workshops, and events.
Contact Info:
- Website: soundbyamber.com
- Instagram: soundbyamber
- Linkedin: amber-zinsmeister
Image Credits
Laura Grier Michael Benson Steph Palomino
