How Sound Therapy Provides

Developmental Change

Dorinne Davis, MA, CCC-A, FAAA, RCTC, BARA

The Davis Center, Succasunna, NJ
www.thedaviscenter.com
What is Sound Therapy and
how does it help development?
 The origins of sound therapy come
from the work of Dr. Alfred Tomatis
 The concepts are based on the
connection between the voice, the
ear, and the brain
 Sound therapy supports the natural
biological development of the child.
How Does Sound Impact Us?
 We hear sound through our
ears, our skin, our bones, our
sense of touch, and our cells
 It affects our physical well-
being, emotions, and response
to the world around us
 We must hear sound correctly
in order to process what is
being said
Sound Is:
 Sound moves in
waves
 Sound’s vibration
impacts more
than the cochlea.
It impacts our
entire body.
 Sound is more
than music.
Sound Therapy makes positive change
with Learning, Development, and
Wellness by using:

1. The scientific principles of the Voice,

Ear, Brain Connection, and
2. The body’s cellular response to
sound stimulation
What are sound-based therapies?
 Sound-based therapy uses sound
vibration to impact the body with
special equipment, programs, modified
music, and/or specific tones/beats,
the need for which is identified with
appropriate testing.
 Davis, D. How sound-based therapy can help the Isodicentric
15 Individuals. Idic 15 conference, Chicago, IL: 2005
 The field of sound therapy
encompasses many different sound-
based therapies, which can be utilized
separately with good results, but will
have more impact when followed in
the correct foundational continuum.
Important Concepts to Discuss
1. Human Response
2. Terminology
3. Auditory facts
4. Anatomy/Physiology of the Ear
5. Scientific Principles
Human Response:
The Positive Impact of Sound

 Calming and relaxing

 Uplifting
 Brings into focus
 Creates awareness of world
 Motivates
 Enhances responsiveness
Negative Impact of Sound
 Wants to be isolated when
too much sound
 Avoids noisy situations
 Has difficulty listening in
background noise
 Avoids talking to others or
hogs the conversation
 Appears over anxious
Negative Impact on the Special
Needs Child
 Will cover ears
 Will turn TV volume up
 Has fear of sound (phobia)
 Will tune out the world
 Dislikes background noise
 Will react sometimes and
not others
 May act “deaf”
Auditory Deprivation
 The body does not receive the
necessary stimulation to enhance
the connective networks between
the ear, the brain, and/or the rest
of the body.
Misperception of Sound
 Hypersensitivity to sound
 Stilted learning
 Disconnected speech
 Difficulty listening in
background noise
 Auditory processing timing lag
 Weak auditory discrimination
skills
Misperceptions Continued
 Localization of sound
 Emotional Instability
 Attention and focusing
weaknesses
 Vestibular and balance disorders
 Health and well-being issues
Terms: HEARING, LISTENING,
AND PERCEPTION
1.Hearing is the physical act of
utilizing the ear to receive sound
2.Listening involves using the brain
in conjunction with the physical
act of receiving sound. (Involves
a mental process)
3.Perception is how the brain
receives and uses sound
Auditory facts:
 1. The ear is the only sensory system fully
functioning in utero

 2. Hearing is the last sense to go before

we die

 By its very development and use, the

ear is major to a child’s growth and
learning.
 3. The ear is more than your hearing
sense; it is responsible for your
vestibular function—balance,
coordination, muscle tone, eye-hand
coordination, proprioception, and more.

 4. The auditory pathways are in 90% of the

brain.

 5. There are more auditory nerve root

endings than any other type
Anatomy: The Ear is the Major
Sensory Stimulator for the Body

It stimulates our sense of:

* taste * touch
* sight * smell
* hearing
Additionally, it affects our
balance, emotions, digestion, and
social skills.
The Ear
Anatomy: The Living Matrix
 There is a continuous inter-
connected web of cells called the
‘living matrix’ that allows sound
energy vibration to channel
information to all parts of the body.

 James Oschman, author of Energy

Medicine
Cells are Sound Resonators
 Every cell is a sound resonator
and responds to sounds outside
of the body. All parts of the body
respond to vibrations and affect
physical, emotional, and mental
states. Electrical energy is
released from the cells and
spread throughout the body.
Anatomy: BRAINWAVES
 Brainwaves are a bio-electrical
source for sending vibration
through the circulatory system, the
peripheral nerves, and the soft
tissue network. These brainwaves
regulate nervous system operation.
They create the energy field around
neurons to change, thereby
determining sensitivity. They only
respond when the energy field is
sufficient to create a response.
Science: 5 Laws
 3 established by Dr. Alfred Tomatis in
1957 known as The Tomatis Effect
Academie of Science,1957)
(French

 2 established by Dorinne Davis in 2004

known as The Davis Addendum® to The
Tomatis Effect (Acoustical Society of America, Nov 2004)

 These laws summarized say that there

is a connection between the Voice, the
Ear, and the Brain. If the voice is
modified, the ear changes and the input
to the brain and the response to
the body is repatterned.
Science: Kirchhoff’s Principle
 “The frequencies absorbed by a
molecule are identical to the
frequencies emitted by a molecule
when excited.”

 Every cell in our body also emits a

sound as well as absorbs a sound.
 Smithsonian Magazine, March 2004
The Davis Model of Sound
Intervention®
 1. Uses the Voice-Ear-Brain
Connection in its approach to
learning and development
 2. Uses the natural biological
evidence provided by our body to
enhance learning, development,
and wellness
 We need to stimulate the brain with
frequency, duration, and intensity to
make change.
 We need to balance the voice, ear,
brain connection with this frequency,
duration, and intensity in the correct
order for maximum change to occur.
The Davis Model of Sound
Intervention
 The Davis Model of Sound
Intervention is based on a total
person approach. Maximum
learning is supported by
maximum wellness. This is
accomplished using the
interventions described in The
Tree of Sound Enhancement
Therapy™. This combination
maximizes and maintains the
body’s responses.
The Tree of Sound
Enhancement
Therapy
Protocol®--a
Developmental
flow chart for
the
administration of
sound therapy.
Developmental Flow
1. Sense of Hearing
Developmental Flow
1. Sense of Hearing
2. General Sound
Processing
Connections
Developmental Flow
1. Sense of Hearing
2. General Sound
Processing
Connections
3. Specific Auditory
Processing Skills
Developmental Flow
1. Sense of Hearing
2. General Sound
Processing
Connections
3. Specific Auditory
Processing Skills
4. Academic skills
Developmental Flow
1. Sense of Hearing
2. General Sound
Processing
Connections
3. Specific Auditory
Processing Skills
4. Academic Skills
5. Overall body
stability and
maintenance
The Davis Center

Sound Therapy;
Education
Division

Root
System
(AIT)
Auditory Integration
Training
 A ten day program
listening for ½
hour 2 times a day
 Uses special music
and equipment to
stimulate a muscle
in the middle ear
 Should be done
with little
additional sensory
stimulation
Auditory Integration Training:
Hearing Sensitivity Audiogram
The Davis Center’s Research

 1. Measuring pre and post acoustic reflexes

Subjects: 259

 91% made change from very low to

normal

 8% made change almost to

normal

 1% stayed same or regressed

 AIT: What are the benefits?
 Improved “sense of hearing”
 Increased attention to auditory stimuli
 Better eye contact
 Improved “sense of self”
 Improved language skills
 Improved articulation
 And anything else related to improved
‘hearing’ of sound stimulation
The Davis Center

Sound Therapy;
Education
Division

Seed
(REI®)
REI
 Rhythmic Entrainment Intervention
(REI)-- a MusicMedicine therapy
program
 Uses auditory rhythmic stimulation
 Includes two custom-made audio CDs
 Listen 20 minutes per day for 10
weeks
What are REI® Benefits?
 Reach basal body rhythms for difficult
to treat
 Offer a continuum of service at home
 Help maintain focus and attention
 Can be used before or after Roots,
Trunk, Leaves and Branches, and
Maintenance
The Davis Center
Sound Therapy;
Education
Division

Root System
(AIT)

Trunk
(Listening
Training
Programs:
Tomatis®,
EnListen®)
The Tomatis Method

 Dr. Alfred
Tomatis, a
French physician
and researcher,
developed the
“Tomatis
Method” after
years of
research
The Tomatis Effect

 The voice can only

produce what the ear
hears.
Tomatis Listening Test
While listening:
 Draw
 Work puzzles
 Play games
 Engage in dialogue
 Activities to integrate reflex and
sensory systems
Draw
Work Puzzles
Play Games
Engage in Dialogue
Sensory Activities
The Program
 Typical Program:
15 days listening
2 hrs per day; 3-
6 wks off; 15
more days
listening 2 hrs
per day
Results

 Improved attention and focus

 Improved communication skills
 Improved oral motor skills
 Improved facial muscle tone
 Improved vestibular balance
 Improved posture and rhythm
 Improved social interaction
 Improved reading
 Improved handwriting
100 Autistic Children:
Percent of Positive Change
Reported by Parents Post Tomatis
Tomatis: What are the
benefits?
 Decreased hypersensitivities
 Improved language skills
 Less aggressive behaviors
 Improved social skills
 Better eye contact
 Better Self Image
 Improved Learning Skills:
reading, writing, spelling,
 And so much more!!!
The Davis Center Sound Therapy;
Education
Division

Root System
(AIT)

Trunk
(Listening Training
Programs:
Tomatis®, LIFT®)

Upper Trunk/
Lower Leaves
and Branches
(TLP™: Interactive
Metronome®,
Samonas™)
The Listening Program
 The Listening
Program is a
generic listening
program that can
support and
enhance listening,
attention, focus,
organization, and
learning skills.
TLP: What are the Benefits?
 Generic program for multiple learning
disabilities.
 Short and simple to introduce and
administer
 Students can use independently
 Changes seen for learning and sense
of self
 Helps make higher functioning
changes
 Can be used at home or at leisure
 Used as a support to maintain change
after Listening Training Programs
Interactive Metronome
 Uses metronome
beat and
interactive
response to
develop rhythm
and timing
 Impacts
organization and
focusing skills
What are IM® Benefits?
 Increased attention without
distraction
 Improved planning and sequencing
skills
 Improved mental concentration
 Improved physical motion skills
 Improved cognition and academic
performance
 Better control of aggression
Samonas®
 Developed by Ingo Steinbach, a
sound engineer
 Used spectral technology to
heighten listening attention to the
structural elements in natural
sound—called this SONAS (sounds
of optimal natural structure).
What are Samonas™ Benefits?
 Used to help stimulate all levels of
foundational change
 Best if used after Listening
Training Programs
 Can be used in home
 Sound Therapy;
The Davis Center Education
Division
Root System
(AIT)
Upper Trunk/Lower
Leaves and Branches
(TLP™: Interactive
Trunk Metronome®, Samonas™)
(Listening Training
Programs:
Tomatis®, LIFT®)

Lower
Leaves
and
Branches
(Fast ForWord®
Earobics®)
Fast ForWord

 Developed from Dr.’s Tallal and

Merzenich’s research
 Parent company is Scientific
Learning Corporation
What are FF® benefits?
 Improved temporal sequencing
skills
 Faster response time receptively
 Enhanced learning skills
 Improved reading skills
 Improved listening in background
noise
 And any other skill that uses
better processing skills
The Davis Center

Sound Therapy;
Wellness Division

Maintenance
of Tree
(BioAcoustics®,
The Voice)
The body is an orchestra comprised of
many different instruments.
As long as the instruments are
in tune, the body is in tune.
How can we determine if your
body is in tune?

 We use your
voice.
 In reality, each of our body’s
‘instruments’ represent a specific
frequency or sound. Every part of
our body is made up of atoms and
molecules. By their very nature,
these particles move. Where there
is movement, science knows there
is friction. Where there is friction,
there is frequency; and where
there is frequency, there is sound.
 So, our body represents many
thousands of frequencies!! The
easiest way to determine if our
body’s frequencies are staying in
tune is through vocal analysis.
 Voiceprint

 When the frequencies of the

body become distorted, the
voiceprint will display these
distortions.
BioAcoustics explores the
potential that the voice is a
mathematical representation
of the body.
Vocal analysis has supported
the notion that the Body is a
Mathematical Matrix of
Predictable Frequency
Relationships.
 Frequency Equivalents tm

A numeric representation of an
element, compound or
structure within the body;
Including muscles,
biochemicals, nutrients, toxins,
connective tissue, nerves,
organs and pathogens.
Before Sound
Presentation

After Sound
Presentatio
n
Vocal Analysis Printout
 Comparison to urinalysis
 Vocal analysis  Urinalysis
 Arsenic HH  Arsenic present RR
 Bismuth H  Bismuth present RR
 Boron H  Boron present RR
 Chromium Picolinate  Chromium Pico-
H linate present RR
 Cobalt Hydrocarbonyl  Cobalt present RR
H
 Copper Arsenite H  Copper present RR
 Lithium Acetate H  Lithium present RR
 Potassium H  Potassium present RR
 Sodium I  Sodium present RR
 Zirconium L  Zirconium present RR
What are BioA™ benefits?
 BioAcoustics assists the body in
supporting its own natural form and
function
 overall wellness
 muscular/skeletal issues
 enhanced learning skills
 Specific wellness issues
 Vaccination concerns
 Hormonal issues
 complement or supplement to other
wellness practitioners
What becomes important?
 The connections
between the voice,
the ear, and the
brain
 The cell’s response
to sound
 The Diagnostic
Evaluation for
Therapy Protocol
(DETP™)
DETP®
Provides solutions to
understanding the
complexities of sound-
based therapies
Stability Progression
1. Sense of Hearing
2. General Sound
Processing
Connections
3. Specific Auditory
Processing Skills
4. Academic Skills
5. Overall body
stability and
maintenance
 Perceptual Growth

LEAVES
Fast ForWord®
TRUNK Interactive
Tomatis® Metronome®
EnListen®
ROOT SYSTEM
Berard Auditory
SYSTEM Integration
MAINTENANCE Training
BioAcoustics
The Voice
 It is not the disability that is helped.
Sound-based therapies, as directed
by The Tree of Sound Enhancement
Therapy™, address the challenges of
many learning, development, and
wellness issues.
Can we make change?:
Autism Characteristics
 Hypersensitivity to sound
 Vestibular imbalances
 Balance and coordination issues
 Social connectedness
 Receptive/Expressive language
 Pragmatics of Language
 Awareness of the world around them
Autism continued
 Eye contact
 Handwriting
 Listening skills
 Fine and Gross motor skills
 Oral motor skills
 Tuning out the world
 Attention and focus
In Summary

 All sound therapies are not

the same!
 Although any sound therapy can
make change, it is the correct
order of the administration of
sound therapies that can make
the greatest impact. The order is
identified from testing.
 It is important to combine
 The Voice-Ear-Brain Connection
 The scientific biological principles of our
body’s cell structure
 Sound Therapies administered in the
correct order

 To Make Positive Change in Learning,

Development, and Wellness
www.thedaviscenter.com
Order: The Davis Center
862-251-4637,
or www.thedaviscenter.com
Contact Information
 Dorinne Davis
 ddavis@thedaviscenter.com

 The Davis Center

 19 Rt 10E, Unit 25
 Succasunna, NJ 07876
 862-251-4637

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