– Plato
The natural development of the human brain begins with an auditory nerve. So from very early on our ears and nervous system are intricately connected. Deficient auditory input can create problems for a whole range of things: from delay in neurological development, to a lack of balance, lack of muscle tone – even vision can be affected. The same goes for speech impairment, the ability to learn and other higher functions of the brain. They can all become compromised. And as with any negative spiral, this can set off other irregularities, some of which may not even be considered as related at first glance. From digestive issues, back aches, nervous tics as well as to what extent we appreciate ourselves and others.
The Method
There are three components to the Listening Training. First of all there is the music, created with its therapeutic application in mind. Certain frequency ranges are densified, others are filtered. Then there are the headphones, which, beyond the usual left and right, have an added channel for bone conduction, which enables a very intense perception of the sounds, directly through the skeletal system of the body.
The third component is the Electronic Ear – a device that enables the manipulation of sound, for instance by creating a delay between the sonic information (speech or music) that is channelled through bone conduction, separate from that which comes in through air conduction on the left and right. This creates a most potent stimulus to the brain.
Another special attribute of the Electronic Ear is the gating system, where contrast is created by alternating between two audio channels on the basis of different ‘timbres’ and intensities.
The audiology machine used to test a client’s perception is calibrated in such a way that it allows for a multi-faceted interpretation Every four or five days, progress is monitored through a Listening Test, and programming is adjusted accordingly.
