With her collection of Tibetan singing and crystal bowls, gongs and chimes, energy healer Kelly Gonzalez Palladino, aka "Kelly Kelita," is bringing the power of sound to the community. She opened her sound healing and yoga studio, Mystical Oasis, on Tamiami Trail this past February after years of practicing sound healing for herself and hosting private sessions out of her Yonkers, New York, home.

As far back as she can recall, Palladino has had a spiritual side. She grew up Christian and considers herself a "prayer warrior," but has also practiced meditation since she was a child. She loves to dance and sing, thanks to her Puerto Rican family and upbringing, where she says, "everything is about music."

"It's part of our culture," she explains.

In 2009, Palladino received her first crystal singing bowl. It was 12 inches in diameter and made a soft, deep tone when played. The more she played it, the more positive changes she noticed in her mood and confidence, attributing them to the bowl's vibrations. She wanted to share the feeling with others.

But spirituality remained a side hustle for a while longer. She worked a corporate job by day and was a nightclub promoter in New York City by night. She says she would frequently burn out and found herself vacationing in Hollywood, Florida, when she needed to get away.

"I eventually felt called to work in something more meaningful," she says. So, in 2013, she quit the nightlife scene and began hosting private healing sessions when she wasn't working her nine-to-five. She also got married in 2019, but not before celebrating her bachelorette party in Siesta Key. The couple quickly fell in love with the location, and moved to Sarasota a week after they wed.

"The job transfer was easy until Covid hit in 2020," says Palladino. "I lost my job and all the structure it provided. I was left wondering what to do."

That's when her husband encouraged her to pursue energy healing full-time. Now, Palladino offers weekly yoga classes, sound baths, reiki healing (a natural modality using gentle touch) and more spiritual practices in her studio space, which she shares with a day spa. (Check out her full schedule here).

So, why should we try sound healing?

The benefits seem to be more than just the aesthetically pleasing photos you can take posed next to these beautiful bowls.

When each bowl is tapped or traced around its inner and outer rims with a special mallet, it produces various tones. The bigger the bowl, the deeper the sound. And the ideal healing frequency? Palladino says it's 432 Hz, which most of her crystal bowls (ranging from 11 inches to 14 inches), as well as her larger brass bowls, can achieve.

When you lie down and let the sounds wash over you, it feels like "an internal body massage," Palladino says. She explains that everything on earth has a vibration and energy, including your body's cells. Attending a sound healing session, she says, is like recalibrating your body's internal "sound."

Expect to dip into a calm, meditative state. Clients have reported reduced anxiety, improved mood, lowered blood pressure and better circulation. Palladino says the vibrations may even clear your sinuses (so bring tissues).

Clients can also expect to also receive an intuitive reading from Palladino about stress levels, health and overall wellbeing. She'll also perform reiki, a gentle touch modality, and what she calls "Holy Spirit healing," where she prays over you. Then, students can bask in the colorful lights of a crystal bed session before floating off to the rest of their day.

"The main purpose of these sessions are to help people find their power," says Palladino. "You can take sound baths weekly, but healing sessions are really up to you to decide when you need them. The intuition and newfound power is part of the healing process."

For more information about Mystical Oasis Sound Healing and Yoga Studio, click here. Classes cost $35 and private sessions range from $60 to $250, depending on time. The studio is located at 352 Somerset Ave., Sarasota.