Karla Poschmann is a versatile professional in the creative and wellbeing industry, excelling as a music therapist, sound healer, and singer. She fosters profound connections with clients, finding inspiration in collaboration and acoustic-rich locations. Her diverse musical tastes span genres like mantras and neo-soul, and she aims to inspire others to embrace their authentic selves through authenticity and self-exploration.
T. How do you stay inspired and continuously expand your musical repertoire?
K. Collaboration. I feel that working together with other artists, other voices and experiences is the most inspiring way to grow and expand your own style. Working with other artists and practitioners invites a different side of your work and voice to come to the surface and explore sides of yourself you haven’t met. I also find a lot of inspiration in changing locations. Especially the ones with great acoustics are a blessing for me as my main instrument is my voice.
T. How do you create a safe and authentic space for clients?
K. By feeling safe within myself. I believe that the work starts from within. I know who I am and feel safe within my own body and I believe that this radiates. I am grounded in who I am and can therefore truly hold space for someone else. I energetically don’t need anything from another person anymore. No validation or attention and therefore can truly see and be with someone else. I think that’s also the importance of authenticity. Being grounded in your own being. Being true to yourself and that’s what people can truly resonate with. My nervous system is relaxed and strong and that is an important base for any therapist, coach or placeholder.
T. Can you describe a specific moment in your career where you felt a deep connection or breakthrough with a client?
K. There are so many beautiful moments that deeply touched my heart. In my work as a therapist there was a beautiful moment where I worked with a woman who suffered from short term memory loss, meaning new information could not be saved which led her to be overly cautious and anxious in her environment. I worked with a repeating structure, making her feel safe. At the end of our trajectory she was able to be so much more explorative in her action and recognized the instrument we would start with every time. Meaning she made a new memory which is a small thing in our normal daily life, but for her it was a big thing! In my work as a sound healer it always touches me to see people getting back in touch with themselves. A mom to be feeling her baby for the first time, people having very clear imagery of their next steps in life, or connecting with their visions and dreams, through visualization and sound, which is very empowering.
T. Are there any specific musical genres, artists, or instruments that resonate deeply with you?
K. I would say I am quite all over the place and my taste is ever changing and expanding. Typical thing for an MG if you’re into human design. My Spotify wrapped would say a crazy mix between Mantras, Neo-soul and then whatever sparks my passion at this moment. As for artists I need to feel someone’s soul within their voice, that”s what gets me hooked. Forever adoring Cleo Sol, Jordan Rakei but I also love Anderson Paak. For instruments I am obviously very much into crystal bowls. But again, for me it mainly depends on the person playing and their sensitivity.
T. Can you share a personal belief or philosophy that guides your work as a music therapist or sound healer?
K. What guides me is authenticity. Becoming more of myself and exploring what that means to me. I believe the most important thing of being a therapist, but also overall in life, is to be embodied. Meaning implementing your teachings. I try to be as much of myself as I am, which also means sharing vulnerability. I find it very important that my work is grounded in the actual experience and insight. Practice what you preach. I try to be the kind of person I wish to see more in the world. Living my own life in alignment with my own values and therefore being able to inspire people to do the same. Fully being yourself. I think it is the most powerful thing one can do.
T. Outside of your work, how do you personally engage with music or sound for your own well-being?
K. Music is ever present in my personal life. I curate my own playlists that fit my different moods. I sing mantras during my daily practice and I generally sing the whole day (often unconsciously). It’s an important part for me to express myself and feel myself. Whenever I face difficult times in my life my voice and songwriting are important tools for self-regulation. I find comfort in expressing my emotions through sounds and songs and the vibration of my voice is soothing for my nervous-system. For me writing songs has been a very important tool of self-reflection. I can express myself and give my feelings and thoughts a safe space outside of my own mind. They are then contained within a song, a time capsule so to say. That oftentimes helps me to let go of certain things because they now have found their place.
T. What’s the most interesting or unusual talent or skill you possess that not many people know about?
K. I am a very visual person. I often remember information, texts, numbers etc in pictures. So by answering a question often the visual context appears in my brain. I can remember the weirdest details because of that. I also randomly remember facts and information I read or picked up somewhere without me consciously knowing about that information. Other than that I would say I am a very passionate cook which my friends and loved ones benefit from.
Instagram: Soundofkala
