When Auditory Processing Therapy is Used

In both children and adults, auditory problems may be identified by speech and language problems, sensitivity to sounds, poor attention, difficulty following directions, difficulty expressing oneself, difficulty with listening comprehension as well as reading comprehension, difficulty with social interactions, or auditory self-stimulation, such as constant humming or self-talk. Children who have had a history of ear infections or chronic middle ear fluid are at a higher risk for having difficulties in auditory perception and processing. These problems generally persist into adulthood.

In adults, auditory problems may manifest as difficulty retaining auditory information, inattentiveness, sound sensitivity, or speech, language, and voice difficulties. For individuals who have hearing loss, auditory processing therapy can be an important to aid in improving the functional use of their hearing. In also helps musicians to improve their tone by exercising the structure of the ear and affecting the way the brain processes sound.

Therapeutic Listening: The Listening Program

Auditory Processing Therapy can help children and adults by lessening these difficulties and improving the their listening capabilities. I use a number of techniques for Auditory Processing Therapy. One of the most effective is the Listening Program, a treatment that is administered through treated music and special headphones.

The Listening Program combines decades of clinical research in several fields, including neurology, physiology, psychoacoustics, auditory processing, music theory and more. The method builds on the work of respected leaders in these fields, including French ear surgeon, Alfred Tomatis, Over forty years ago, Tomatis, made a series of groundbreaking discoveries about the role of the ear and hearing in brain development and organization. We now know that, before birth, the human brain's first sensory experiences are the rich sounds inside the womb. Tomatis showed that our auditory nerve is fundamental to human neurology; it helps to regulate not only balance and spatial orientation, but even vision and our tactile senses.

Among other discoveries, Dr. Tomatis helped identify the relationship between certain sound frequencies and their effect on functions of the mind and body. A simplified explanation of Dr. Tomatis’ findings shows that certain bands, or zones, of sound frequencies affect different abilities. One of his greatest innovations was to find new ways to stimulate the ear and brain that can improve hearing, learning, and behavior.

Numerous studies worldwide, including research at the University of Sheffield in the UK, provide empirical evidence that substantiate the Listening Program’s efficacy. Although the Listening Program is a program that can benefit anyone, it is especially useful for individuals who have difficulties in the areas of auditory perception, processing, and memory. The Listening Program has been used successfully in the treatment of a wide variety of problems, including depression, anxiety, addiction, autism, attention disorders, memory difficulties, and sensory integration problems.

I often combine the Listening Program with other therapies to potentiate their effectiveness. My book Healing & Wholeness: Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Mental Health discusses the practical applications of Auditory Processing Therapy. You can also learn more about the Listening Program and Auditory Processing Therapy at my web site ListeningTherapy.net.