What does a complete course of listening training with the Tomatis method involve?

That is THE question everyone asks! Although every programme is tailored to the individual, we can still describe the standard protocol for applying the Tomatis® method. What is standard here is the stages and the length of treatment. The content, on the other hand (the type of music, the settings, the progression, and so on), is specific to each person.

1- It all starts with what we call the “listening assessment (audio-psycho-phonological assessment)”

This assessment is your first contact with the method. We assess what Tomatis called “listening posture”. Put simply, this is everything your brain does when you listen to someone speaking, listen to music, or even just a sound. It is the mechanism of listening, which brings several things into play: attention, learning, working memory, fine motor skills, coordination, the senses, emotions and motivation. As you can see, many factors are part of listening and can be assessed during this test. You will learn a lot about how you function, emotionally, cognitively and physically.

These results show us how we will work together: the type of listening posture training, the number of sessions, the length and the cost.

2- You begin your training with your first listening session

What we call a “listening session” is the heart of the training. The idea is to teach your brain to listen differently. It is rather like learning a new language: you repeat until it sticks. So you will listen to specially filtered classical music, for 2 x 40 minutes a day, over 10 to 13 days.

This can be done at the centre or at home. Either way, we encourage creative and playful activities while listening (drawing, painting, construction games, modelling clay, crafts, etc.).

3- Between listening sessions, there is an integration phase of at least one month

After your first listening session comes what we call the “integration” phase. In fact, this is when you put what you have learnt into practice! You do nothing in particular, and it is a chance to notice the first changes in your listening posture. What do people notice? Changes in everything connected with listening: mood, wanting to communicate, emotional stability, motivation, energy, posture, balance, learning, attention, memory, coordination, and so on. These changes vary from one person to another, but they are always there.

4- After the integration phase, we do a follow-up assessment and start a second listening session

The follow-up assessment is an audio-psycho-phonological assessment that lets us confirm the changes observed in everyday life. We can compare the results and fine-tune the settings for the second listening session.

The second listening session works on the same principle as the first: a tailored, personalised music programme of 2 x 40 minutes a day for 10 to 13 days. We assume that your ear is now better trained, so we increase the difficulty. Remember, it is like learning a language! To do this, we also add audio-vocal training.

Audio-vocal training, what on earth is that? These are sessions of reading aloud, added to the music listening. We apply the Tomatis effect to your own voice. Don't worry, nothing is recorded! You simply read a text of your choice for 10 to 15 minutes a day. This will improve your voice (pitch, tone), your speech (decoding words, reading speed) and your self-confidence. Yes, a well-placed voice is a sign of self-assurance.

5 - Like the first session, the second is followed by an integration phase, which may lead to a third session or a final assessment

After the integration phase, a third listening session may be needed, built in the same way as the second: 10 to 13 days, 2 x 40 minutes of music listening a day, plus audio-vocal training. The difficulty will be one level above the second session, for both the music and the reading.

A complete course of training usually ends with a final assessment, which lets us confirm the progress made and observed in everyday life.