The year 2025 was filled with unexpected loss, life lessons - and a surprise blessing - for Joel and Jessica Myers. Jessica abruptly lost her beloved mother, Janice, after a short illness. Joel was coping with his own losses too - the deaths of his brother and grandfather - all while the couple navigated the pressures of daily life and entrepreneurship. Amid it all, they learned they would soon become first-time parents too.
The series of events invoked a whirlwind of emotions. The grief was heavy and often arrived in waves that felt disorienting, relentless, and often impossible to bear. In their home, where the weight of unanswered questions often hung the heaviest, sound offered an unexpected form of relief. It resonated from a crystal singing bowl that emitted tones designed to help the body and mind settle.
For the Atlanta couple, this simple practice, known as a sound bath, became a lifeline, an immersive experience in which listeners are surrounded by sustained tones and vibrations produced by instruments such as crystal bowls or gongs. Unlike traditional music, the focus is on frequencies and resonance rather than melody. Many practitioners describe it as a form of auditory meditation; a way to give the brain space to decompress, process, or simply rest.
"Sound helped me detach from the intensity of grief," remembers Joel, a lifelong musician and co-founder of the couple's new tech venture. "Inside the sound, I could visualize, I could breathe, and I wasn't emotionally set back by everything I was carrying."
After a tumultuous 2025 full of personal upheaval, the Myers' have turned their private healing practice into a public tool now available to help others kick off 2026 with peace and clarity that's literally a click away. Their new app, Pocket Sound Bath, is now available on the Apple and Google Play stores. They say it's designed for people who need clarity, calm, and a moment of stillness in a world that rarely pauses.
Sound Bath Simplified
Pocket Sound Bath allows users to tap and play seven different crystal bowl tones on a single screen, a feature the founders say sets it apart from other meditation platforms. The app also offers "listening sessions" tailored to different needs, from relaxation to focus to resetting energy at the start or end of a day.
For those unfamiliar with sound baths, the Myers' say the goal is simple: bring the benefits of analog, in-person sound healing to the device people already use most. Smartphones!
"Usually, when I play sound bowls in person, I'm carrying around $3,000 or $4,000 worth of equipment," Joel said. "What better way to democratize these sacred frequencies than giving people access in their pocket?"
In the app's interactive mode, users physically tap the bowls on the screen, triggering tones accompanied by haptic feedback meant to mimic the vibration of an in-person session. For those who prefer a more passive experience, curated seven- to twelve-minute tracks provide guided sound baths designed around daily rhythms or emotional states. Longer sessions will be available through YouTube.
Jessica, a successful real estate entrepreneur/developer and motivational speaker, says she relied on these same frequencies when "everything fell apart." In addition to losing her mother, she also lost a major business project. The crisis sent her spiraling, but she says now she's grateful that the very public professional fallout helped inspire their creation. "Sound helped me get my footing again," she said. "When I didn't have money for classes or energy for people, tapping those bowls brought me back to myself."
Rooted In Science
While sound baths have roots in ancient traditions, recent scientific research has begun exploring their measurable benefits.
A study in the Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that participants experienced significant reductions in tension, anxiety, and depressive symptoms after a sound meditation session. Other studies have linked low-frequency vibration to reduced heart rate and improved relaxation response. Neuroscientists have also noted that repetitive tones can help shift the brain into slower-wave states associated with calm and mental clarity.
For the Myers', who have both juggled high-pressure careers and personal loss, these findings align with their lived experience. The app, they emphasize, is designed not only for people in grief but also for people overwhelmed by decision-making, stress, or the constant noise of daily life.
"Entrepreneurs hit decision fatigue constantly," says Jessica. "The more I quiet my mind before a big decision, the more decisively I can execute. Stillness gives clarity."
She cites a "Where's Waldo" puzzle as an example, noting that with noise everywhere, it's hard to see the solution. But with focused attention (the mental equivalent of simply being quiet), she adds, that Waldo becomes impossible to miss.
Designed for Busy People Seeking Balance
Pocket Sound Bath, they say, is ideal for those who struggle to carve out moments of mindfulness, such as new parents, professionals, students, and especially entrepreneurs.
"This is for the person who says, 'meditation isn't for me,"' quips Jessica. "It's for people who feel overwhelmed or stuck, the ones who think they don't have time to pause."
The Myers' note that app users may tailor sessions based on their emotional state or goals. Mood-based options include relaxation, harmony, deep self-connection, or wonder. A seven-day "rhythm reset" walks listeners through each of the body's energy centers with short, approachable sessions.
Joel recommends using the app during transitions like waking up, falling asleep, or preparing for an important meeting. "Those are the moments you can actually control," he says. "They're the moments you can charge your subconscious mind."
The subscription model will follow a "freemium" approach, with a trial period and a $9.99 monthly fee. The couple plans to introduce additional mood-based content and a community experience, including opportunities for users to meditate together online.
Now kicking off 2026 with their new app and beautiful baby daughter in tow, the Myers' say they're more hopeful and feel more equipped to embrace and enjoy a new season of life.
"For us, this isn't about being new age," says Jessica. "It's about finding balance in a world that moves fast. Yes, now, there's an app for that!"
For more information or to arrange an interview with the Myers, visit PocketSoundbath.com or call 770-634-4932.