Sound Therapy

There are a number of sound and music therapy programmes that have been developed to help with below par functioning, for the relief of pain and to increase well being and intellectual performance.

At The Sound Learning Centre, we are trained in five sound therapies. These include two clinic-based programmes, Auditory Integration Training (AIT) and Tomatis, plus three home-based programmes, the Johansen and SAMONAS Sound Therapies and The Listening Program.

We choose to specialise in Auditory Integration Training, which is specifically designed to trigger improvements in auditory processing and which will help with learning and sensory difficulties. We recommend Auditory Integration Training because:

• It is quick (typically 10 days) and often brings rapid improvements
• The results are long lasting
• The programme can be individually tailored to each client’s needs
• it allows us to observe and respond to changes as they occur and discuss progress with the client on a daily basis
• it often brings respite to parents who can bring their children to a haven of quiet, away from the home environment

Auditory Integration Training (AIT)

This treatment was developed by Dr. Guy Bérard, a French ENT (ears, nose and throat) specialist, who identified a link between hearing distortions and many behavioural or learning problems.

Assessments are carried out by The Sound Learning Centre Principal, Pauline Allen, who was personally trained by Dr. Guy Bérard in France. She is also authorised by him to provide AIT practitioner training.

Following a Standard Assessment a personalised protocol is prepared. Treatment is two 30-minute sessions each day with a minimum interval of three hours between sessions. A standard programme is twenty sessions, normally taken over ten days, either consecutively or over two weeks.

Our Centre is open most weekends and throughout all holiday periods including Christmas and Easter, in order to ensure that the typical ten day treatment period can be taken consecutively in a as short as possible period of time, including half-term breaks.

During treatment the client sits comfortably in a relaxed environment and listens through a pair of high quality headphones to music filtered through an Audiokinetron, a device designed by Dr. Bérard. This machine randomly modulates the amplitude of the high and low frequencies in order to retrain the ears to hear in a more balanced way. Filters may also be used, depending on the results of the Standard Assessment.

Benefits in hearing and behaviour are often rapid and improvements may continue to develop during the following months.

In the case of children, parents report that they are much more responsive, confident and eager to learn and participate with others. Speech and language improve and, in some cases, emerges for the first time. Temper tantrums diminish or disappear completely and medication is often reduced or stopped altogether. School performance improves significantly, both academically and socially, accompanied by improved self-esteem.

We have seen adults, who were functioning below par, overcome depression and addictions and show renewed energy and enthusiasm across many aspects of their life. Clients and parents have often reported spontaneous reduction in allergies and skin problems. Several instances of reduction in frequency and intensity, or complete elimination of epileptic seizures have also been noted.

Such improvements occur because of improvements in the way they now hear. This link between how we hear and how we behave was stressed by Dr. Bérard in the title to his book about his work, “Hearing equals Behavior” (US edition). More information is also provided on Dr. Bérard’s personal website.

Wherever possible, we take audiometric profiles before, during and after the programmes, as these provide objective evidence of change – see also our research section.

We have had excellent results with clients presenting with depression, autism and a range of learning difficulties including dyslexia, dyspraxia, sensory integration dysfunction, central auditory processing disorder (CAPD), speech & language difficulties and ADD/ADHD – see also our success stories.

Typical changes include:

• Hearing thresholds at different frequencies tend to flatten and move closer to the theoretical ideal;
• Imbalance in the hearing profile of the two ears tends to reduce
• Over-sensitivity tends to reduce or be eliminated

The Sound Learning Centre is one of the few centres in the UK offering pure Auditory Integration Training (AIT).