As a Tomatis practitioner, I have long understood the benefits of refining the overall function of your listening system. The listening system is a whole person event and starts with the ear but includes posture, attention, and communication. The neurological impact of fine-tuning the auditory system as it pertains to your whole body experience runs deep.
More recently studies have shown that “hearing loss is the largest modifiable risk factor for developing dementia, exceeding that of smoking, high blood pressure, lack of exercise and social isolation.”
So how do we keep our listening system healthy? I recommend using alternative approaches, being open to an audiological evaluation for early intervention, and protecting your hearing against damage.
ALTERNATIVE: The Tomatis Method has been successfully used for over 60 years for improving attention and communication. Psychiatrist Norman Doidge dedicated an entire chapter to the Tomatis Method in his book The Brains Way of Healing. One simple way to benefit from this method is through a device called Forbrain. I’m a fan - it’s an easy way to keep your listening system sharp. Contact me for more info and a potential discount.
EVALUATION: Seek out free hearing tests. More places are offering them as we recognize the need to maintain the stimulation that sound offers the brain. If you have always struggled with sensitivity to noisy environments, you should consider having a Tomatis assessment with me to understand how you interpret sound and manage the listening process with your whole body. This is different from a pure audiological evaluation.
PROTECTION: Carry earplugs on the plane and to events with amplified music.
Our connection to sound is the foundation for our connection to other people. The way we feel the lower frequencies through our bones and skin, the way we are transported by the movement of music, the way we make sense of ideas that are communicated through speech, the way our brains are renewed through the audio-vocal feedback loop - these are all built upon the foundation of the health of our listening system.