Jesse began taking classes at the Vibrational Sound Association in sound healing and learned the many ways in which something as simple as changes in sound can scientifically make a positive impact on health and wellness. Much of this has come into the limelight over the past few years with binaural meditation phone apps, along with studies indicating the use of sound for improvement of sleep and effectiveness of therapy. He opened 432 Sound Healing in Chico and began offering corporate relaxation programs to help individuals through the kinds of experiences he had while working in Corporate America. The business grew and eventually became an open platform for all individuals seeking relaxation and a spiritual form of healing.
phoenix nest community project The last four years have not been easy on the Northstate. Between a dam failure and ensuing flood, the most deadly and destructive wildfire in California history, additional yearly wildfires, and finally a worldwide pandemic that dramatically changed life as we know it—residents of our normally quiet part of the state have experienced an unprecedented level of trauma. As any therapist will tell you, healing takes a good deal of time, and without ample time to recover, individuals find themselves in a sort of limbo, often full of unprocessed emotions and unanswered questions. As there hasn’t been an adequate gap between one disaster and the next, these unprocessed emotions continue to pile up, layering on top of each other year-after-year, resulting in grief and unchecked pain. The result—developed personalities that put us at greater risk for aggression, depression, aggravation, distrust, and more. This situation not only harms ourselves but has an adverse effect on those around us. The Phoenix Nest Community Project in Chico, a program by 14
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Alex Kriz, Jesse Spallina, and Daniel Rieders M.D., aims to create a safe space to work through these emotions using ketamine, opening the door for introspection and healing. Originally from Gainesville, Florida, Jesse moved to Washington D.C. after college and worked for W.W. Grainger in industrial supply. He quickly moved up, but found himself disconnected from the life he was living. He sold his belongings, cashed out from the company, and moved to California to try his hand at real estate investing. “Everything changed when I moved to California.” Jesse said, “I began finding ways where I felt connected to nature and the community. I attended a dance church on Sunday mornings, where you could just go and dance for enjoyment. It was judgment free, and I always felt better after visiting. I met a guy who was doing sound healing, and I checked it out. I immediately found my calling during that first experience and decided to make it my life’s work.”
During his time in Chico, Jesse met Alex Kriz, a name you likely recognize if you follow the magazine, as our Goddess of Grooming in the Women in Business issue and owner of All Cats & Dogs Pet Grooming. Alex had been through a great deal of trauma herself, suffering from the fallout of a sexual assault during her time in the military, and still doing her best to work through it. Citing the immense trauma experienced throughout the Northstate, they set out to form a healing studio to help residents process their emotions and recover. They enlisted the help of a mutual friend, Dr. Daniel Rieders, a triple board certified cardiologist from Palo Alto, who not only achieved success in the world of western medicine, but eastern medicine as well. Together, the three are looking to bring an unparalleled level of healing to Northern California using ketamine, a common pharmaceutical used at every hospital throughout the country. “Ketamine is considered a medical necessity by the World Health Organization.” Alex said, “It was used as an anesthesia medicine during the 60s on the battlefields of the Vietnam War, and it is used in low dosages at hospitals to help ease pain. Over the years, doctors and therapists have found another use for it—at a dosage between painkiller and anesthetic, there’s this inbetween space. Patients are awake and fully relaxed, but in a state where they are able to unlock repressed memories and process trauma through profound experiences. It puts you out of your own way for an hour and creates an environment where the body is finally able to work its own healing magic.”
