How The Listening Program® Helps Reduce Auditory Hypersensitivity

Auditory hypersensitivities make some sounds painful and unpredictable, but it is possible to develop a healthy relationship with sound.

Children and adults can experience varying degrees of sound sensitivities, but in many situations sounds can become so uncomfortable that their systems “shut down” and stop taking in what they hear, or they fight not to listen or run away from listening situations.

Auditory hypersensitivities can be difficult to manage due to the combination of specific sound triggers and the undesirable stress-related responses to those sounds. Over time, the brain can become accustomed to these habituated responses that can eventually be instigated by visual reminders of the offensive sounds.

When this pattern develops, it is important to think about a form of therapy that not only assists the brain with revisiting the way it processes an “offensive” sound, but also with resetting it’s response to that sound.

In this article, “Auditory Hypersensitivity and The Listening Program”, published in the Autism Magazine, we share how The Listening Program is used to recondition the brain’s interaction with sound to make it something comfortable and welcoming instead of something scary and unpredictable. Once the person is able to feel safe and secure, they will reach a state of well-being.

To learn more, please read: “Use of Acoustically Modified Music to Reduce Auditory Hypersensitivity in Children”, published in the Music & Medicine Journal.