How does a complete rehabilitation with the Tomatis Method take place?

This article outlines the standard protocol for the application of the method, including the steps and duration of the treatment, as well as the individualization of each program.

That's THE question we're asking! Although each program is individualized, we can still present to you what constitutes the standard protocol for the application of the Tomatis® method. What is standard here: the steps and duration of the treatment. However, the content (type of music, settings, progression, etc.) is specific to each person.

1- It all starts with what we call the "Audio-psycho-phonological assessment“

This assessment is your first contact with the method. We will evaluate what Tomatis calls the "listening posture". Simply put, this is everything your brain does when you listen to someone talking, when you listen to music, or even just a sound. It is the mechanism of listening, which involves several things: attention, learning, working memory, fine motor skills, coordination, sensory, emotional and motivational skills. As you can see, many parameters are part of listening and can be evaluated during this test. You will learn a lot about how you function emotionally, cognitively and motorically.

It is from these results that we will be able to see how we will work together: type of listening posture rehabilitation, number of sessions, duration and cost.

2- You start your rehabilitation with your first listening session.

What is called a "listening session" is the heart of rehabilitation. It's about teaching your brain to listen differently, it's a bit like learning a new language: you repeat until you remember. You will therefore listen to classical music, specially filtered, at a rate of 2×40 minutes per day, for 10 to 13 days.

This can be done at the centre, or at home. In both cases, we encourage creative and playful activities while listening (drawing, painting, construction games, play dough, crafts, etc.).

3- Between the listening sessions, you do an integration phase lasting at least one month.

After your first listening session, comes the so-called "integration" phase. In fact, it's all about putting into practice what you've learned! You don't do anything in particular, and you take the opportunity to observe the first changes in your listening posture. What do you notice? A change linked to everything that revolves around listening: mood, desire to communicate, emotional stabilization, motivation, dynamism, posture, balance, learning, attention, memory, coordination, ... These changes vary from one person to another, but are always present.

4- After the integration phase, a control assessment is made and a second listening session is started.

The check-up is an audio-psycho-phonological assessment that allows us to validate the changes observed in the field. We will be able to compare the results, and refine the parameters of the second listening session.

The second listening session is based on the same principle as the first one: an adapted and personalised musical programme lasting 2×40 minutes for 10 to 13 days. We assume that your ear is better trained, and we will increase the difficulty. Remember, it's like learning a language! And for this, we will also add audio-vocal training.

Audio-vocal training, quezako? These are sessions of reading aloud in addition to listening to music. We will apply the Tomatis effect to your own voice. Nothing is recorded, don't worry! All you have to do is read a text of your choice, for 10 to 15 minutes a day. This will improve your voice (accuracy, timbre), your elocution (word decoding, reading speed), as well as your self-confidence. And yes, a well-placed voice is a guarantee of confidence.

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

Following the integration phase, it may be necessary to do a 3rd listening session which will be built in the same way as the second one. A duration of 10 to 13 days, 2×40 minutes of music listening and audio-vocal training. The difficulty will be one level above the second session, both for music and reading.

A complete rehabilitation usually ends with a discharge assessment, which allows us to validate the progress obtained and observed in the field.