Listening Therapy at ABC Foundations
The auditory system is among the first systems to develop in utero, along with the vestibular, sensory and tactile systems. The auditory system lays the foundation for communication and learning by integrating and relaying sensory information from within and outside our bodies.
There is a difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is passive while listening is active. Listening, while dependent on hearing, is the ability to tune into relevant information while zooming out or ignoring irrelevant or unnecessary information. When listening is functioning as it should, it allows a child to be attentive, present and able to prioritize information, helping them make sense of the world around them and their inner world.
A lack of full maturity or dysfunction in the earlier-developing systems may affect later development of the auditory system.
We have found that the most effective intervention for listening dysfunction is the Tomatis method or Listening Fitness Training (LiFT) program which is based on the Tomatis Method.
Elizabeth is a Certified LiFT Instructor as well as a Certified Tomatis Practitioner.
The LiFT method and Tomatis method are both non-medical, non-invasive listening training programs. They both use modified sound stimulation (music and voice) to train the listening function under the supervision of the Consultant.
The Tomatis Method, developed by Dr. Alfred Tomatis, is a neuro-auditory training program to enhance how the brain processes sensory stimuli, i.e., sound, movement, etc.
By improving auditory processing with modified music, it strengthens various abilities, including motor, emotional, communicative, and cognitive skills. Often described as “gymnastics for the ear,” it utilizes tailored auditory stimulation to harness the brain’s neuroplasticity – reshaping neural pathways for better motor skills, enhanced emotional resilience, clearer communication, and sharper learning.
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The LiFT Program is based on the Tomatis Method and is the brainchild of Paul Madule. He studied Psychology at the Sorbonne In Paris, graduating in 1972. He then went on to work closely with Dr. Tomatis. Prior to that, as a teenager, Paul had met Dr Tomtis who helped him to overcome problems related to dyslexia.
After years of practicing and teaching at the Tomatis Listening Training work in Europe and South Africa, Paul came to Toronto, Canada in 1978 to start The Listening Centre. Paul Madule, building on the work of Dr. Tomatis, has developed a highly efficient method to make the struggling child a good listener, there by a better learner. Paul Madaule is the author of the book “When Listening Comes Alive”.
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