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Frequently Asked Questions
Questions
-1- How long does the average Tomatis Listening Program take?
-2- Why is the Listening Program undertaken in an intensive
manner?
-3- Why use filtered music?
-4- Why use the mother’s voice?
-5- Why have pauses between blocks of listening sessions?
-6- Where is The Tomatis Method® available?
-7- When did The Tomatis Method® originate?
-8- How are the results evaluated?
-9- What does a person do during the listening sessions?
-10- Will The Tomatis Method® help in the case of hearing
loss?
-11- Can The Tomatis Method® be combined with other therapies?
-12- What is the relationship between The Tomatis Method®
and the CDs that make reference to it?
-13- What is the difference between “air conduction”
(or sound conduction through the air)
and “bone conduction” (or sound conduction through the bones)?
-14- Why is the mother’s presence indispensable for
young children?
-15- Why is the father’s presence desirable?
-16- Are the gains made during a Tomatis program lasting?
-17- At what age does The Tomatis Method® produce the best
results?
-18- Who uses The Tomatis Method® ?
-19- What are the most obvious results of The Tomatis Method®
with respect to children?
-20- How soon do the results of The Tomatis Method® become
noticeable?
-21- What is an Electronic Ear?
-22- Why use the music of Mozart?
-23- Why use Gregorian Chant?
Answers
-1- How long does the average Tomatis program
take?
The length of a Tomatis program varies according to the difficulty of
the problem to be addressed. The goal of the program is to enable the
individual to progress as quickly as possible to a state of optimal self-reliance.
A typical program may consist of three training blocks or periods. Each
block (or period) will consist of between 8 to 15 sessions (which are
attended on a daily basis with 1 or 2 day breaks on week-ends. It is normal
to have a greater number of sessions in the first block (or period). Each
session lasts 2 hours. Each block (or period) is followed by a break of
4 to 6 weeks allowing the necessary space to experience, integrate and
habituate to the new listening patterns.
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-2- Why are the listening sessions undertaken in an intensive
manner?
In order for the brain’s mode of perception to change, it must receive
information repeated frequently at a sustained rhythm during a restricted
time period. This exercise, like any other, whether mental or physical
in nature, brings about a true de-conditioning that allows the body to
discover that it can operate differently, and that, henceforth, a choice
is possible. Even though this rule of intensive listening sessions is
valid for everyone, the effects may be somewhat different according to
the nature of the problem to be addressed, the age of the individual,
his or her motivation, the time available to him or her, etc… The
norm is to do two hours of daily listening during an initial block of
15 days. Afterwards, the listening sessions --limited in any case because
The Tomatis Method® discourages a state of dependency-- rarely continue
for more than 8 days and are spaced over several weeks.
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-3- Why use filtered music?
Filtering of sound permits the brain to orient itself toward the acoustic
analysis of specific zones; listening to sounds that are even more filtered
corresponds to a pre-natal experience, which does not, however, mean that
the foetus does not hear low frequency sounds. According to Dr. Tomatis,
if the ear is functional so early in foetal development, it is because
its role is to energize the developing nervous system. It was in order
to take advantage of this primordial competence of the ear during the
prenatal phase that Dr. Tomatis decided to use filtered sound, the latter
relieving the ear of its function of sound discrimination. Moreover, given
the physiology of the inner ear, high frequency sounds produce a much
greater stimulation of the nervous system than do low frequency sounds;
indeed, the cilia, or hair cells, that receive sonic stimulation are much
more numerous in zones intended for the reception and analysis of high
frequency sounds than in those designed to receive and analyse low frequency
sounds.
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-4- Why use the mother’s voice?
The use of the mother’s voice, filtered in the high frequencies,
permits us at the same time to relieve the ear of its function of sound
discrimination, to recharge the nervous system by stimulating the zones
that have the most cilia, or receptive hair cells, and to reawaken the
individual’s acoustic memory of the prenatal period. This memory,
whether it carries a positive or negative affective charge, was transmitted
by the mother depending upon her psychological state during pregnancy,
and was a very reassuring factor simply because it was constantly present.
One can observe that, most of the time, the utilization of the filtered
mother’s voice produces an effect that both soothes and liberates.
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-5- Why have pauses between blocks of listening sessions?
Just as the brain needs intensive and repeated stimulation in order for
change to take place, it also needs periods of non-stimulation in order
to structure and integrate the change. This principle holds true for all
kinds of training, integration taking place during a phase of apparent
passivity after the effort has terminated. It is, in fact, a phase of
assimilation. Stimulation represents a disturbance of our organism; we
must thus allow it resting time during which assimilation can take place.
That is why the normal procedure consists of an initial block of 15 days
of daily two-hour periods of auditory stimulation with the Electronic
Ear, followed by other 8-day blocks, generally limited in number given
that the goal of The Tomatis Method® is always to lead the individual
as rapidly as possible to a state of optimal self-reliance. The first
two blocks of the program are spread over three to four weeks, then two
to three months go by between the second and the third blocks, then six
months between the third and, if needed, fourth block.
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-6- Where is The Tomatis Method® available?
The Tomatis Method® is available in Centres that belong to the official
Tomatis network. This network includes more than 150 Centres spread throughout
the world, including Dublin, Ireland, and is managed by the company known
as Tomatis Developpement SA, which can provide a list of members of the
network. Membership in the official network is the only guarantee that
the Tomatis Listening Program (Tomatis Method) will be used appropriately
because the professionals who are accepted for membership are required
to have thorough initial and continuing training in the Method in addition
to their own university education.
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-7- When did The Tomatis Method® originate?
The Tomatis Method® is based on research undertaken by Dr. Alfred Tomatis
toward the end of the 1940s. This research resulted in lectures presented
at the Academy of Medicine and the Academy of Science in Paris in 1957
and 1960 respectively and in the official presentation of the Electronic
Ear at the Brussels World’s Fair in 1958. Throughout the 1960s,
the Method went through several stages of development before reaching
its present form, which was essentially established during the 1970s.
Since then, this Method, which remains open to change, has incorporated
evolving electronic and computer technology and has become more open to
collaboration with other therapeutic or pedagogical approaches.
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-8- How are the results evaluated?
The client takes a listening test, followed by a discussion with a consultant,
at the beginning of the program, during the course of the program (about
every 15 hours on the average), and at the end of the program. The discussion
allows the consultant to collect information and impressions from the
client, or from the parents in the case of a child, and to explain what
is happening according to the analysis of the listening test and the reported
experiences of the client (or parents). The listening test can, in certain
cases, be complemented by other batteries of tests; however, when used
alone, it can provide precise and objective information concerning functions
of the ear such as the analysis of sounds, auditory laterality, the localization
of sound in space, and adaptability to the surrounding sonic environment.
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-9- What does a person do during the listening sessions?
Drawing, working puzzles, audio vocal exercises (repeating words and phrases)
are some of the activities.
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-10- Will The Tomatis Method® help in the case of hearing
loss?
The Tomatis Method® does not improve hearing in the case of an irreversible
lesion; however, whatever the situation may be, it does foster optimal
use of the individual’s listening potential, no matter how weak
it may be.
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-11- Can The Tomatis Method® be combined with other
therapies?
Yes, and in certain cases such as the following, this may prove to be
advisable: it may be that an individual is already in therapy and his/her
therapist, cognizant of The Tomatis Method® , is aware of the positive
effect that listening sessions with the Electronic Ear can produce; it
may be that a Tomatis consultant decides that there is no conflict with
the client receiving support from another therapy and advises the client
to wait until the effects of the listening sessions have been assimilated
before beginning the other therapy; finally, it may happen that the Tomatis
consultant spots a problem that should obviously be addressed by a different
therapy, in which case, from the time that the problem is identified,
he will advise the client to consult another therapist, whether the problem
is spotted during the course of a listening program or before any training
with the Electronic Ear has taken place. In fact, in such cases, The Tomatis
Method® acts as a technique that facilitates the effectiveness of other
therapies. This being the case, there is neither incompatibility nor competition
with other therapies but rather support by effectively accelerating their
progress. Numerous professionals are aware of this and choose to work
either in conjunction with Tomatis specialists or to take the training
necessary to be able to apply the method themselves and, thus, to increase
the effectiveness of their own professional tools.
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-12- What is the relationship between The Tomatis Method®
and the CDs that make reference to it?
Numerous references to The Tomatis Method® are made throughout the world,
because its fame reassures the buyer. Unfortunately, the products that
are sold often have only the remotest relationship with the work of Dr.
Alfred Tomatis. The CDs that refer to Tomatis are often nothing more than
compilations of musical works, more or less well put together, which are
unable to produce the effects of The Tomatis Method® since the listener
cannot benefit from the functioning of the Tomatis Effect Electronic Ear.
The Electronic Ear has very specific operational features, including a
gating system and sound conduction through both air and bone, which have
an impact on listening attentiveness, on auditory laterality, on the localization
of sound in space, on latency time, on sound discrimination and, finally,
on the audio-vocal loop.
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-13- What is the difference between “air conduction”
(or sound conduction through the air) and “bone conduction”
(or sound conduction through the bones)?
These two terms, commonly used in Tomatis practice, refer to what is actually
the same phenomenon: sound is transmitted to the inner ear for perception
and analysis by the bony mass, and especially by the cranium or skull;
however, the Electronic Ear, an indispensable tool in the implementation
of The Tomatis Method® , permits us to differentiate bony transmission
through the air by means of a headset with traditional earphones (called
“air conduction”) from the direct bone transmission by means
of a vibrator that sits on the top of the skull (called “bone conduction”).
Within the framework of The Tomatis Method® , this distinction, even though
it may be subsumed by the same observable fact, is essential. Indeed,
the stimulation provided by the vibrator facilitates the overcoming of
certain barriers (often psychological) to the perception and analysis
of sounds while at the same time the interplay resulting from control
settings of the Electronic Ear with respect to each type of conduction
brings about remarkable effects on the functions of listening and language.
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-14- Why is the mother’s presence indispensable
for young children?
The Tomatis Method® enables an individual to relive progressively the
different stages of his or her development with respect to listening and
language, both of which are very heavily involved in the process of communication.
This development is initiated well before birth and derives both from
physiological aptitudes which mature during the intrauterine experience
and from an unconscious desire to enter, or not to enter, into communication.
This desire to communicate is influenced by external factors, the most
important of which is the quality of the relationship that is established
progressively between mother and child during pregnancy. Whatever the
quality of this relationship, the mother’s voice, perceived by the
child during the nine months of pregnancy, represents a constant presence
and therefore engenders a special, and reassuringly stable, link between
mother and the unborn child. It is for this reason that the mother’s
recorded voice, modified in a laboratory so that it is similar to the
voice as it is perceived in utero, is often used at the beginning of a
program to rekindle the desire to communicate. In most cases, listening
to the mother’s voice is a positive experience for the child and
accelerates progress, provided that the mother accompanies the child every
step of the way. In fact, listening sessions with the Electronic Ear will
bring about changes in the child’s behaviour, notably a more or
less pronounced phase of regression, which must be not only consciously
accepted by the mother but also experienced by her. It is for this reason
that, within the framework of The Tomatis Method® , the accompaniment
of the child by the mother is considered indispensable, provided that
it occurs under good conditions. During the child’s listening program,
the mother will also have listening sessions with the Electronic Ear.
These will not only help her to relax but will also help her and the child
accept the behavioural changes brought about by the listening program.
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-15- Why is the father’s presence desirable?
The desire to communicate on the part of the child is brought about, even
“authorized”, by the mother; even so, the reassuring image
that she represents, while it may serve as a basis for the elaboration
of language, does not provide the keys that will make language a tool
of social communication. The relationship with the mother gives the child
the confidence, the strength, and the desire to move toward the outside
world, and thus toward the father. In order for the child’s socialization
to progress normally, various conditions must be present: the mother must
be willing to “push” the child toward the outside world, and
the father must agree to, or be ready to, “receive” the child.
It is for this reason that, within the framework of The Tomatis Method®
, the father’s presence is altogether desirable once the child has
reached a certain stage. If the father has also been able to have listening
sessions, he will be better able to understand, and to prepare himself
for, his role in this process.
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-16- Are the gains made during a Tomatis program lasting?
Yes, progress made during a Tomatis program lasts. This is because the
gains made are not due to a conditioning but rather to a restoration of
balance. Indeed, even though the reasons for seeking help from The Tomatis
Method® are many and varied, all are related to a malfunction and thus
to a more or less severe state of Neuro-physiological disequilibrium.
Ear training with the Electronic Ear will, therefore, tend to lead the
individual back toward a state of equilibrium, which, because it is a
normal state, requires much less effort than a more or less severe state
of dysfunction. We can state, then, that, in the great majority of cases,
not only are gains made by the individual during the program maintained
but also that progress may continue once the developmental process has
been restored to its normal state.
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-17- At what age does The Tomatis Method® produce the
best results?
Even though The Tomatis Method® is effective in any circumstances, there
are certain conditions that may facilitate or impede the improvement that
it produces. Thus, depending upon the nature of the problem, youth may
be a facilitating factor; this is particularly the case when the problem
is situated at the language level or the psychomotor level, or when it
relates to scholastic performance. On the other hand, in the case of older
individuals (adolescents and adults), personal motivation can often help
overcome the difficulty associated with longstanding problems. In fact,
there is no real age limit with respect to improvements that may be attained
by using The Tomatis Method® ; experience shows that, in the great majority
of cases, good results can be achieved by individuals of all ages, whether
children, adolescents, adults or the elderly.
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-18- Who uses The Tomatis Method® ?
The Tomatis Method® is used by professionals who work with adults, adolescents
or children having problems with respect to:
Personal development:
i. energy |
-:- (fatigue, memory, concentration, motivation, creativity,
goal setting and achievement of objectives); |
ii. relaxation |
-:- (stress, dependencies, overwork); |
iii. equilibrium |
-:- (skill, agility, laterality, sports); |
iv. communication |
-:- (timidity, aggressiveness, withdrawal, understanding of self
and others); |
v. music |
-:- (awareness, speed, quality, rhythm, analysis, memorization);
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vi. spoken and sung voice |
-:- (quality and flow, pitch, diction, articulation, placement of
the voice, professional mastery of the voice); |
vii. pregnancy |
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Learning
i. oral language |
-:- (articulation, diction, rhythm, stuttering, voice
timbre, language delay, absence of language); |
ii. written language |
-:- (dyslexia, dysgraphia, spelling problems); |
iii. expression |
-:- (ideation, concentration, memorization); |
iv. assimilation |
-:- (comprehension, retention); |
v. learning aids |
-:- (preparation for exams, etc…). |
Emotional/Behavioural problems:
i. psychological problems
|
-:- (relationship problems, depression, severe anxiety,
exhaustion, overwork). |
ii. motor problems |
-:- (coordination, delay, dysgraphia, hypotonia); |
Foreign languages: |
-:- (preparation, assimilation, acquisition, accent,
advancement, mastery). |
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-19- What are the most obvious results of The Tomatis
Method® with respect to children?
The most apparent results are often reported to the Tomatis consultant
by parents, who frequently notice an improvement of : voice quality (spoken
and sung); concentration; comprehension; the ability to communicate; reading
skill; oral and written expression; motor skills; speed; punctuality;
a better sense of rhythm, self-reliance, general behaviour (calm, open,
etc…).
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-20- How soon do the results of The Tomatis
Method® become noticeable?
The observable results of The Tomatis Method® must be analysed on two
levels, one rather superficial and the other deep-rooted. On the superficial
level, a number of apparent results can be perceived rather quickly within
a few weeks or even a few days following the onset of listening sessions
with the Electronic Ear. For this reason, The Tomatis Method® is often
experienced as a dynamic procedure that is easy to pursue both by the
individual who is benefiting from it and by his/her close associates.
At a deeper level, it must be understood that the restructuring brought
about by the Electronic Ear allows the individual to recover his or her
own inner balance and, thus, to modify, in the best sense of the term,
his/her own value system; this in-depth development is less spectacular
and takes place at a slower pace. One of the important points, then, is
to recognize that these improvements are not only going to be maintained
over time but also will continue well after the end of a Tomatis listening
program. A well-conducted listening training program with the Electronic
Ear will produce results lasting several years, the individual having
been repositioned in a state of evolving normalcy that only a major new
event would be able to counteract. In such a case, a simple short booster
program in a Tomatis Centre is often all that is necessary to re-establish
equilibrium and restart continuing improvement.
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-21- What is an Electronic Ear?
The Tomatis Listening Trainer or "Electronic Ear", an innovative
electronic device developed by Dr. Alfred Tomatis in the 1950s and patented
by him, is essential to the implementation of The Tomatis Method® . Since
its initial presentation at the Brussels World’s Fair in 1958, the
device has undergone many developments with respect both to design and
technology. It is connected upstream to a sound source such as a tape
player and downstream to a unique headset that allows the individual to
hear comfortably sound transmitted through air and bone conduction. The
Electronic Ear deals with the sound signal in such a way that the essential
operations that permit the proper functioning of the audio-vocal loop
are created. These are: the electronic gating system that encourages the
intermittent contraction of the muscles of the middle ear; the latency
time control which acts upon the rapidity of adaptation of our auditory
receiver to external messages; the precession control that, by means of
regulating air and bone conduction, brings about a phenomenon of “anticipation”
inherent to the functioning of the inner ear; balance control that gives
priority to the right ear as the leading, or dominant, ear. The Electronic
Ear is not for sale to the public; it is used only by professionals trained
in The Tomatis Method® in their work with their clients.
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-22- Why use the music of Mozart?
After numerous trials with other types of music, we have found that the
results obtained by using Mozart’s music are amazing; no matter
where in the world it is evaluated. In fact, we note that this music is
not only very well accepted on every continent but that it also allows
listeners to re-establish their own inner equilibrium. In order to understand
this effect upon the sense of human balance, we must recall that music
is characterized by rhythm, which touches the body; by harmony, which
reaches the emotions; and by melody, which calls upon the intellect. According
to the classical ideal, these three parameters should be in balance, which
is rarely the case, one or the other often being dominant, and, for this
reason, producing a rather unusual musical discourse. In the case of Mozart,
it seems that this balance was achieved, which may explain the universal
character of his music.
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-23- Why use Gregorian chant?
Gregorian chant originated in the music of the Mediterranean Basin and
was introduced by Pope Gregory the First in the Sixth Century. This chant
does not follow a normal, regular pulse beat. It can thus be stated that
it does not correspond to cardiac rhythm but rather has a proportional
beat very close to respiratory rhythm, which is characterized by a succession
of sequences of unequal length. This phenomenon is found in ocean waves
that succeed each other without ever being totally identical one with
another. The soothing effect of Gregorian chant is thus due to the connection
between the respiratory system and the nervous system. The entire body
is involved if only by lengthened breathing when no movement takes place.
This soothing effect is of great interest in the framework of listening
sessions with the Tomatis Effect using the Electronic Ear.
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