Therapeutic Listening Programme

What is therapeutic listening?

Listening plays an important daily role with not just the ears but the whole body in the process of sensory integration. Research and clinical experiences over the years have shown that using sound-based interventions for those with sensory processing difficulties (SPD) can increase the success of treatment.

What makes therapeutic listening unique?

Everyone is different with how music makes us feel and interact in our world. Music affects our senses consciously and unconsciously ie tapping your feet, wanting to dance or singing along. The programme helps us to organise ourselves and be able to deal more successfully within our environment.

The music used for the programme vastly differs from other music you listen to. It is altered to grab parts of the brain that process and attend to sound, focusing on engagement in the world.

There are a large variety of music selections which are modified to highlight parts of sound that would expect to capture your attention. Some of the music will include songs you already know or natural sounds such as birds, the ocean etc.

Each child/adult is given a protocol that works best for them which is used daily and monitored by your therapist. Often the music will be changed and new targets set when necessary.

What is the Occupational Therapist looking for? What are the benefits?

The therapist will look for changes in:-

An increase in focus and attention
Less fidgeting
Improvement with food
Less anxious behaviours
Improved handwriting
Be able to tolerate noise
Fewer meltdowns
Improved communication and organisational skills
Better sleep pattern

Typically, through gathering a developmental and sensory motor history and clinical observations made during the evaluation, the therapist will select a starting musical progression that will best meet your child’s needs.