General Information on The Therapeutic Listening^TM Program

Historically, Listening techniques began with Alfred Tomatis, a French ENT physician. His method (The Tomatis Method) is based on filtered sound (classic music, Gregorian chants and the mother's voice), and the effects of high frequency on the whole nervous system. His listening technique progressively filters out low frequency sounds for varying lengths of time. Dr. Guy Beard, a French medical doctor, trained with Dr. Tomatis and felt the original method was too lengthy. He developed Auditory Integration Training (AIT) to treat people with auditory processing problems. AIT predominantly uses filtered pop music in which the sound frequencies are electronically distorted/modulated at random intervals for random periods of time. Ingo Steinbach, a German sound engineer with an extensive background in music and physics, studied the work of Dr. Tomatis. In an effort to make therapeutic listening more available, he created the Samonas and the Sonas Method. Both are recorded in accurate 3 dimensional space. Samonas is different from Sonas in that the music is Spectrally Activated, emphasizing the high overtones/harmonics. Bill Mueller, an audio engineer of the United States, also created a therapeutic listening program which uses simple music played through an auditory stimulation device. This disc program is called Ease. Samonas, Sonas, and Ease are all available on compact discs that can be played at low volume on disc players with good quality headphones and can be done in a clinic, home, or school environment.

Therapeutic listening home programs may include one or a combination of Ease, Sonas, and Samonas Level 1 compact discs. The Ease disc is considered the least complex and Samonas the most complex. Sonas might be considered at a level between the two. While not all therapeutic listening programs will be the same, a progression or combined use of the Ease, Sonas, and Samonas Level 1 discs may be used to address increased refinement of skill and behavior.

The potential benefits of a therapeutic listening program are too numerous to list. Individuals exhibiting difficulties with receptive language, expressive language, sensory processing and sensory defensiveness, general skill development, motor skills, energy level, behavioral and social adjustments may be appropriate for therapeutic listening.

Each therapeutic listening home program must be individually tailored by a trained clinician. Continued collaboration with trained professionals is necessary as modifications to a home program may occur as frequently as every fourth day. Therapeutic listening is done on at least a daily basis. Programs my vary in session lengths, frequency and intensity to meet individual and family needs. A quality compact disc player and quality headphones are required for optimal therapeutic benefit. The overall cost may range from $300 to $500 dependent upon need to purchase equipment and duration of the prescribed program. Therapeutic listening home programs are not close ended in that they may be continued and modified as long as benefits are present. Therapeutic listening does not exceed 60 minutes per day. A strong sensory diet is often required to support the individual through the changes facilitated by therapeutic listening. The individual and/or family must be committed to all aspects of this home program to ensure its effectiveness.