Tomatis Effect:
A Unique Listening Training and Auditory Integration Method
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Dr. Alfred Tomatis, a French Ear, Nose and Throat physician and
surgeon, is a researcher in and creator of the field of
Audio-Psycho-Phonology and the Tomatis Method. For over a
half-century he continuously searched for answers involving our
listening ability and its role in many areas of our life. His work and his
listening training techniques provide answers and help to many of the
questions related to the quality of the listening function with its
multiple listening abilities such as:
- Why are some of us able to engage in multiple tasks or follow verbal
directions at the same time while others spend so much energy to only
focus on one single task, thought or person?
- Why are some of us able to use our bodies so effectively and
convincingly when moving and communicating with a group of people
(in a social context), while others are overtaxed with social
communication (missing important parts of the verbal/nonverbal
interaction) or have difficulties with their body organization in
relationship to space and conversation partners, especially when
paying attention to what is being said?
- Why do some of us have an ability to hear the nuances when
learning a foreign language, while others struggle to pronounce even
the most simple words and need so much more work to achieve
progress?
- Why do some children or adults tire much sooner than others even
though they are performing the same activity, after which some of us
remain energetic and ready to move on while others need a break and
recovery time?
- Although we all enjoy music, some of us are able to perceive the
individual instruments in music and even replicate the melody while
others can only say, "The music sounds good to me but do not ask me
to hum because I have never been able to remember or sing a melody."
Why is this so?
Tomatis Effect Listening Training
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Enhancing Our Listening Abilities and Skills - Using the Listening
Method Developed by Dr. Alfred Tomatis
Dr. Alfred Tomatis has extensively studied for more than 50 years the
listening function and its relevance to emotional, cognitive, social and
motor learning in children and adults, creating a new and the most
comprehensive understanding today of how good or poor listening
affects our lives.
Listening, distinctly defined for the first time by Dr. Tomatis as
separate from hearing, is an active, voluntary and complex process. As
opposed to simply hearing, through listening we can decide which
information we want to take in and which we need to filter out in the
context of every situation. He developed a series of techniques and
technologies to educate and strengthen our listening abilities. This is
often called the Tomatis Method.
Dr. Tomatis discovered that our listening abilities affect our
psychological development and our expression and communication
capabilities. He recognized the strong impact of neuro-psychological
aspects of good and poor listening skills for learning and personality
development, and stressed that internal motivational aspects are
equally important when learning to listen efficiently. He also
emphasized the interactive relationship between a well-developed
vertical posture and good listening and communication skills.
In his fifteen books and many journal articles he theorized his unique
perspective of hearing and listening and shares his clinical experience
about the many different areas in which listening abilities are involved
and can be enhanced:
- School learning (reading, writing, math, etc.)
- Social interaction and communication, such as peer interaction or
child-parent interaction, especially in adoption and international
adoption cases, work in teams, PDD, Autism, and other areas
- Concentration and attention skills such as exam and test
preparation, or in children and adults with ADD or ADHD
- Communication in foreign cultures (learning foreign languages in
their entire aspect: body language, language melody, pronunciation,
grammar, and syntax)
- Boosting energy and creativity (based on the ear's important role in
providing the brain with energy especially in intense periods of work,
highly demanding professions and jobs)
- Singing and musical performance (refining musical skills)
- High sports performance
Tomatis Effect - Listening Education Programs™
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Sacarin Listening, Movement and Development Center
The Tomatis Method has a long history in Europe, with a Tomatis
Center in many major cities there. Today, there are over 250 Tomatis
Centers worldwide.
The Sacarin Listening, Movement and Development Center uses the
method developed by Dr. Alfred Tomatis in the center's work to help
develop and enrich listening skills as a means to expand learning
potential in both children and adults.
In addition to the Tomatis Effect our other techniques at the Sacarin
Center are Psycho-Motor Integration™ and Sensory-Motor
Education™, using movement and neuro-cognitive development. We
also provide our clients' parents, educators and therapists with
Consulting and Training on listening, and movement development,
and their key influence on learning, language, communication skills
and social behavior.
We work with a variety of clients who search for us to help with a
diverse set of problems such as Attention Difficulties (ADD), Learning
difficulties (dyslexia, dyscalculia), Sensory Integration and
Developmental Disorders (PDD, Autism, Asperger's etc.),
Communication and Social Interaction challenges (developmental
language and communication challenges, interaction in adoption
cases), Emotional Disquiet (Stress, anxiety, low self-esteem and energy
levels), Neurological Problems and Genetic Syndromes (CP, Stroke,
Down Syndrome), etc.
Other children and adults of all ages also approach us with the simple
desire to enhance their existing abilities and reach their full potential
profiting from our Tomatis Effect- Listening Learning Programs™ and
our counseling. Their goals are to learn foreign languages, expand
personal listening in communication and learning strategies, refine
their personal interaction skills, develop voice and body control in
professional vocal expression (singers, actors, and public speakers),
perfect movement control in high-performance sports, increase energy
and creativity levels as well develop listening and a sense of wellness
(for adults, mothers-to-be and senior citizens).
Our mission is to facilitate cognitive, emotional and social learning,
creating a solid foundation through effective movement and listening
skills. These skills enhance potential and support positive change in
children and adults of all ages. We offer the highest quality
professional support based on our qualifications and substantial
experience using an integrative holistic approach and drug-free
educational and therapeutic techniques.
The Sacarin Listening, Movement and Development Center is located
in Seattle, Washington. Visit our main website to learn more about
our Center and its activities
Various Educational Applications of the Listening Training
Method Based on Dr. Alfred Tomatis' Research
by Liliana Sacarin PsyD, CC, LMHCA
Sacarin Listening, Movement and Development Center
in Seattle and Bellevue, WA
Contents Copyright© 1997-2014 by Liliana Sacarin