A look at the different elements required for easy conversation, and how Sound Therapy, based on the work of ear specialist Dr Tomatis, corrects the ability to hear, listen, and speak with confidence.

1. Communication and Sound Therapy
There are many aspects to verbal Stuttering
communication and social interaction with
others. To communicate well on a verbal level, Stuttering is another failure of the self-listening
a person must be able to: cycle. Poor coordination of the right and left
ears with the cerebral hemispheres causes a
• hear well delay in the speaking and self-listening cycle.
• translate thoughts into words with fluency A transcerebral delay time in the order of 0.15
seconds will result in a stutter.
• speak well
Sound Therapy encourages right laterality by
• feel confident in themselves feeding more sound into the right ear. The right
• desire to make contact ear is more directly linked to the left
hemisphere of the brain, which is the language
Difficulties in any one of these areas restrict centre. When the right ear becomes the
the subtle exchanges needed for easy directing ear, the delay is removed and the
conversation. stutter can be overcome.
Active listening Studies with stutterers have indicated the
Early in his research, ear specialist Dr Tomatis effectiveness of Sound Therapy in 82% -
discovered that the results of hearing tests 100% of cases.
varied greatly depending on the subject's Psychological opening
motivation to demonstrate a good or bad level
of hearing. He discovered a voluntary, though The evolution of our listening ability plays a
unconscious, element to our ability to hear. vital role in our social and psychological
development from an early age. Psychological
Listening means that we direct our ears to blocks are often accompanied by a closing
actively tune in to selected sounds. A person down of some elements of the listening
who cannot tune in some sounds and tune out process.
others will be unable to follow a conversation
in a noisy environment and may therefore As the ear is reintroduced to high frequency
appear standoffish or anti-social. This is sound through Sound Therapy, an opening
sometimes called the Cocktail Party Syndrome. can happen simultaneously on both an
Sound Therapy re-educates the selective auditory and psychological level. This
ability of the ear, enabling listening to frequently leads to the resolution of chronic
become a focused, motivated response to emotional patterns and increases people's
sound. willingness to reach out and connect with
others.
Hearing and speech
When hearing is impaired, speech is also Sound Therapy also improves the efficiency
affected. Dr Tomatis demonstrated that if of the brain in interpreting auditory
certain sound frequencies are missing from the information. People often notice an improved
hearing, those same frequencies will be ability to express their thoughts and an
missing from the voice. The voice cannot increase in memory and concentration.
produce a sound that we cannot hear, because
“I find myself able and willing to communicate
self-listening is integral to voice production.
with people. It is easier to smile and
(This relationship has been named “The
reciprocate love.”
Tomatis Effect”.) Therefore when hearing is
- William A. Whiteside
impaired, the voice becomes monotone and
lifeless, and lacks the qualities to inspire active
“Public speaking much improved, being more
listening in others. As Sound Therapy repairs
confident and relaxed around people”
distortions in the listening curve, the range and
- Max Gray
quality of the voice is also enhanced.
For more information visit www.soundtherapyperth.com