How Does the Tomatis Method Work?
Dr. Young offers the Tomatis® Method through a portable program that you take in your home or office. Dr. Young works at a distance and ships the program to you. You begin with an Initial Assessment (IA) and consultation with Dr. Young. The IA is 1 to 1 ½ hours and is given in one of two ways. If you are nearby, your IA may include a Tomatis Listening Test. Or your IA can be by phone, visually through Zoom, Skype or Face Time.
The IA prepares Dr. Young to individualize your
listening program to address your specific concerns and goals. She then provides you with the equipment, instructions, and additional processes to enhance your experience. You take your program at home or in your office in the agreed and specified time provided. After completing your program, you return the equipment to Dr. Young.
You, or your child or family, listen from one to two hours per day depending on age and presenting situation, fitting it into your daily schedule at the most convenient times. Listeners can move around while listening because the equipment runs by battery, hands free. Most listeners enjoy their listening time as they can draw, paint, play games, work puzzles, have conversations, or cook during their programs.
The Assessment and Program
After the Initial Assessment (IA), the minimal program is 56 to 78 hours of listening over several months. The IA and program are described in more detail below.
Inital Assessment
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Takes about an hour and a half
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Includes a series of tests if in person
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Entails a detailed personal history in a questionnaire
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Includes a discussion of your current listening levels and a related consultation
Minimal Program of 56 to 78 Hours of Listening
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A 13 to 15-day listening period, two hours each day
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A break of 3-6 weeks between intensives depending on equipment availability
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A second 13 to 15-day listening period, up to two hours each day, and a third listening period if on the 78 hour program
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You listen to classical music with a full range of sound, primarily Mozart—music that possesses stimulating overtones and develops thinking and rhythm abilities
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Sometimes, a change in music addresses specific needs. With the Talks Up!, you experience a passive and active phase using the microphone to train your voice when it is appropriate.
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Clients communicate with Dr. Young regularly during their programs by phone and email.
Additional Listening
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Clients with greater needs may opt for additional listening hours beyond the 56 to 78 hour programs.
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This relates to more challenging behavior or speech or attention concerns.
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Many return over the years for boosts to their energy.
Continuing Changes
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Once the initial program is completed, your ears continue to change over the next year and a half.
Equipment
These are the available equipment options:
Talks Up®
Talks Up® is the state of the art, portable, digital touch screen device that offers an educational application of the Tomatis Method. These programs provide the Tomatis Effect that includes the unique Tomatis gating, delay and precession, proprietary chosen music with some filtered levels, and the Tomatis bone and air conductions.
The Talks Up® device is offered by all four levels of Tomatis practitioners and consultants and is only available with personal and individual programs from a Level 4 Consultant.
Air and Bone Conduction Headphones, Tomatis® Infinite Headphone
The Talks Up® device works with several different headphones: the original wired headphones, portable wireless headphones,
Bluetooth wireless or wired headphones and the Tomatis® Infinite headphones. All of these headphones offer the Tomatis bone and air conduction and will be recommended depending on your program. School programs are easily created with one or two devices and regular wireless headphones. The Tomatis® Infinite Headphones are available through Dr. Young or directly at www.Tomatis.com.
Tomatis® Bone Conduction Kit for younger children
The Tomatis® Bone Conduction Kit is used for those who are sensitive to the headphones or young children under two years old whose fontanel is not yet closed. This program progresses slowly, respectful to sound sensitivity and the early age of a child. This can also be used for people of hypotonic presentation (low muscle tone) or sensory-motor delay.
Forbrain®
Forbrain is a unique device that sits on the bones outside of your ears and includes a fine European microphone. This device supports and enhances reading aloud improving enunciation, pronunciation, articulation, comprehension and auditory processing. It is available through Tomatis Consultants or directly at www.Forbrain.com.
We invite you to learn more about the Tomatis Method from Dr. Len Young.
Please email LenYoung@listeningclarity.com or use our contact form to schedule a free information conversation or ask specific questions you have.