Mindful Mondays Brings Sound Healing to Omaha

May 13th, 2026

Think about the last time you felt truly quiet inside. Not just silent, but calm enough for your body to soften and your mind to finally slow down.

For many people, that feeling has become rare. Life moves quickly, stress piles up, and there is little time to release what we carry every day. That is part of the reason why sound healing and meditation practices have grown in popularity across the country.

In Omaha, one community event is offering that experience for free.

It is called Mindful Mondays, a sound healing series returning for its fourth year at Millwork Commons. Participants are invited to lie on yoga mats, sit quietly, stretch, or simply listen while surrounded by calming frequencies and vibration-based sound practices.

The series was created by Andrea Joy Pearson, founder of Joy Brings Light, an organization centered on wellness, leadership development, and community care.

“We help people people better,” Pearson said during a recent interview. “How do we show up with our power, our presence, and our purpose to feel successful and connected to our lives.”

Pearson’s background is unusual by design. Raised outside Atlanta, she studied viola, clarinet, and opera before earning music degrees from Oberlin Conservatory and the University of Kentucky. She later moved into human resources, diversity and inclusion work, and leadership development after relocating to Omaha through a position with Opera Omaha.

Over time, she began combining those worlds together.

“I have a unique background where I can combine human resources, belonging and inclusion, and creativity and the arts,” Pearson said. “I believe that people thrive when you create spaces for them to thrive.”

The sound healing sessions themselves are intentionally simple. There is no formal performance and no expectation placed on attendees. Instead, participants are immersed in sound created through bowls, tones, and vibrations designed to encourage relaxation and nervous system regulation.

Pearson describes it in direct terms.

“It’s a massage for your mind, your body, and your spirit all at once,” she said.

One of the central goals of Mindful Mondays is accessibility. Pearson says the experience is designed for everyone, whether they are familiar with meditation or completely new to it. The event is open to all ages and intentionally removes barriers that often exist in wellness spaces, including cost and language.

“Even if you are a non-English speaker, this is a space that is still open and accessible for you,” she said.

That accessibility reflects a larger purpose behind the project. Pearson says the series is about more than relaxation. It is about creating moments where people can reconnect with themselves and with one another during a time that often feels emotionally overwhelming.

“There’s a lot going on in America today,” Pearson said. “We want to create spaces where we remember what really matters and remember that we have value.”

The final Mindful Mondays session of the season takes place Monday, May 18 at 6 p.m. at Millwork Commons, located at 1229 Millwork Avenue. The event is free and open to the public.