Listening Therapy

Listening Therapy was created based on a number of concepts on how humans develop, process information, communicate, and learn.

It is most beneficial for those who have development disorders (Autism Spectrum Disorder-ASD, Asperger’s syndrome, Rett syndrome), learning disorders (dyslexia, dysgrphia, dyscalculia), attention disorders such as ADHD, emotional disorders, and communication disorders.

The three programs we have available for Listening Therapy are Tomatis, Integrated Listening System (iLS), and Solisten. Each listening program is tailored to every individual child’s needs.

In children, the application of listening therapy has shown to:

• Improve focus and the ability to stay on task
• Improve learning ability
• Access and improve speech ability
• Improve understanding of directions
• Reduce hours spent on homework
• Improve peer relationships
• Increase self-confidence and self-esteem

Listening vs. Hearing

Hearing is the passive reception of sound while listening is the active participation in what one hears. It’s possible to have good hearing – but poor listening. The ear plays a unique and critical role in our day-to-day lives. Beyond auditory function (the perception of sounds), the ear assumes two more functions:

• The dynamization function:
  The human ear can be compared to a dynamo which provides the brain with energy and thus requires stimulation. The quality of the sounds produce effects on the level of energy of the brain. Tomatis found that higher frequency sounds are better for brain stimulation.
• The vestibular function:
  The ear plays an important role in posture and balance control and influences a large part of the muscular system of the body. Not a single muscle of the body can move without the interplay of the vestibular system and its connection to the brain.

Hearing is a function of the ear while listening is a function of the brain.

Listening problems are the root cause of many learning and communication difficulties. When this dysfunction occurs, the brain will order the ear to function less efficiently in return. This opens the way to everyday listening problems: mistaken interpretations during verbal exchanges such as the, impression that certain sounds are aggressive, lack of comprehension, difficulty concentrating, and learning difficulties and so on.