Frequently Asked Questions

A: Sound Therapy is a portable home-based listening program to rehabilitate the ears and brain. It enhances the ear-brain connection with many beneficial results.

Listeners simply play the music on a personal player through earphones during daily activities or sleep. It is at low volume and requires no attention. The specially filtered and activated sound has a number of specific effects on the ear, brain and nervous system to bring about recovery for many ear or brain related conditions. The specific way the music is filtered, based on techniques developed by the French ear specialist, Dr Tomatis, make it very different to music therapy or other forms of ‘sound therapy.’

A: Sound Therapy music is filtered using specific algorithms to activate the ear and stimulate the brain. The program is progressive and gradually introduces the ear to higher frequencies for greater stimulation. You will notice tonal fluctuations and changes in pitch as you progress through the program. Most listeners find the music very enjoyable.

The music is very non-invasive so you can turn down the volume, and feel free to have it on while you are doing other things. Even if you go into an environment where the Sound Therapy is drowned out by other noise it is still effective. You can even listen to other music or watch TV with it on. Just keep it at low volume and know that it is doing you good!

A: High quality analogue live recording captures as much as possible of the true essence, variation and power — and of course the high harmonics — in the music.

Activation with Electronic Ear keeps the power and variation in tone intact. This process activates the ear muscles and stimulates the entire nervous system.

Progressive filtering reflects the natural sound heard in the womb, where the high frequencies are augmented and brain is energized, gradually training the ear and brain to greater gymnastic and acoustic heights.

Studio Mastering is a vitally important way to retain sound integrity while balancing and fine tuning the whole production.

Playback. This final stage of portable playback technology is now offered on a miniature music player for optimum portability and ease of use.

A: Rafaele and Patricia Joudry’s books will answer most of your questions about the program. Request a free Ebook to get all your questions answered.
When you read the book it allows you to become your own sound therapist and saves you thousands of dollars!

Rafaele and Patricia Joudry’s first book: Sound Therapy: Music to Recharge your Brain gives a full overview of the history and science and the latest updates on portable Sound Therapy. Rafaele’s second book Triumph Over Tinnitus details how Sound Therapy and many other natural approaches can benefit those with tinnitus, hyperacusis or dizziness.

If you are using Sound Therapy for your children then we recommend Rafaele Joudry’s third book, Why Aren’t I Learning? Which is a complete guide to Sound Therapy and other sensory integration therapies for children.

If you would like to read one of Rafaele’s books now, request a free Ebook.

A: The ear is a very nutrient rich organ, and requires specific nutrients to function optimally. Rafaele Joudry explains why it is vitally important to use our nutrition for the ear when undertaking Sound Therapy listening. The stimulation created by the music requires the ear to begin functioning at a much higher level of muscular and vibratory activity than previously. Unless extra nutrition is provided at the same time, the ear is struggling to suddenly improve its performance. Athletes require more concentrated nutrition. Now you are becoming an athlete of the ear!

For more information on supplements which may assist tinnitus and hearing, please review the Free Report: “Nutrition for the Ear: The remarkable science of audio biochemistry” by Rafaele Joudry or the chapter on nutrition for the ear in Triumph Over Tinnitus. Supplements called ‘nutrition for the ear’ which meet these requirements are offered by Sound Therapy International. Read more at this link.

A: Sound Therapy can help anyone with ears. If your inner ear mechanism (the cochlea) has been destroyed or removed, Sound Therapy cannot give you hearing in that ear. However, if you have hearing in your other ear, then Sound Therapy can help you through your good ear and can still access your brain and potentially bring you all the other benefits it offers.

A: In this case your doctor may recommend an MRI to check for a tumor on your auditory nerve.

Whether you experience tinnitus in your left ear, your right ear on in the middle of your head, you will still use Sound Therapy in the same way. It works on both your ears and some people get improvement first in their right ear, some first in their left.

The fact that the music is louder in the right ear does not mean it is working more on the right ear than on the left. The right ear emphasis simply helps the brain to process sound more easily.

To assist with tinnitus we also recommend that you use our Nutrition for the Ear at the same time as Sound Therapy. We do find that people often get better results with tinnitus, as well as an improvement in general wellbeing, if they use the Nutrition for the Ear as well. Please consider adding these products to your listening program. To learn more about nutrition for the ear visit our Nutrition for the Ear page.

A: Whether you have hearing loss in your left ear or your right ear, you will still use Sound Therapy in the same way. It works on both your ears and some people get improvement first in their right ear, some first in their left. The fact that the music is louder in the right ear does not mean it is working more on the right ear than on the left. The right ear emphasis in our programs simply helps the brain to process sound more easily. You should set the volume so that you can hear something in at least one ear. It will then be playing into both ears and there is a chance that, in time, it will even help an ear with severe problems. If you can only hear the music in one ear that is OK. You do NOT have to turn it up so high that you can hear it in both ears.

A: Sound Therapy has been reported to help those with high frequency hearing loss. Many people have experienced some improvement in their high frequency hearing when they use Sound Therapy. The music on the albums is specially filtered to exercise the muscles in the middle ear and stimulate the hair like cells (cilia) in the inner ear, as well as enhancing the brain pathways that process sound.

There is a good chance that you will have noticeable improvement in your hearing from using the program. We do find that people often get better results with hearing loss if they use the Nutrition for the Ear as well. Please consider adding these products to your listening program. For more detailed information on Nutrition for the Ear please visit this link Nutrition for the Ear.

A: Sound Therapy is recommended for low frequency hearing loss. Although the albums emphasize the high frequencies, they are also strengthening the ear’s ability to deal with the full range of sounds. Dr Tomatis did see results in people with low frequency hearing loss, so there is a possibility that it will improve your experience of hearing with this condition.

A: If you hear your tinnitus like a pulse then what you have is called pulsatile tinnitus or objective tinnitus. For more information on different types of tinnitus and how to treat them refer to Rafaele Joudry’s best selling book Triumph Over Tinnitus, newly released in 2007 and now available as an eBook. This type of tinnitus may be related to stress in your circulatory system. Sound Therapy has the potential to assist with this type of symptom as it reduces stress and may assist high blood pressure.

Nutritional supplements can also improve circulation. Anti-oxidants are one type of supplement known to assist circulation, and these typically include ingredients such as vitamins A, C, and E, pine bark extract, ginko biloba, grape seed extract and circuminoids. It is important to take these substances in the right combination and proportions for a therapeutic dose. For more information on supplements which may assist tinnitus please review the Free Report: “Nutrition for the Ear: The remarkable science of audio biochemistry” by Rafaele Joudry or the chapter on nutrition for the ear in Triumph Over Tinnitus. Supplements called ‘nutrition for the ear’ which meet these requirements are offered by Sound Therapy International. Read more at this link.

A: For adults there are three choices for new listeners which you can view in our store.

For children, we recommend the family program.

A: In some major cities the original Tomatis method is offered as a clinical treatment which requires your attendance for 3 hours per day for an initial program of about 6 weeks. Your program is supervised by a trained Tomatis therapist. The clinical treatment achieves fantastic results and we highly recommend it if you have the time and money to invest in this program.

Our method is about 10% of the cost of the clinical method, and being a self-help method, there is no direct face-to-face supervision. However, our listeners have the advantage of long term treatment over many years, which for most people vastly enhances the benefits they receive. We also provide excellent support via email and phone which is very convenient for the modern busy lifestyle. A full explanation of the difference is given in the book: Sound Therapy: Music to Recharge Your Brain. Order the book here, or download the free Ebook here.

A: Sound Therapy falls in the discretionary area, meaning that it depends on your level of cover and how many claims you have made. Contact your health fund and discuss it with them and one of their officers will make a decision.

A: Veterans affairs has funded the Sound Therapy for a number of Veterans. Decisions are made on a case by case basis so you will need to contact Veterans Affairs and put your proposal to them.

A: For two reasons. One is that the high frequency sounds are so subtle that unless they are played directly into the ear they would not reach the ear at all. The other is that training for right ear dominance is achieved by having more sound go into the right ear. A full explanation of the reasons for right ear emphasis is given in the book: Sound Therapy: Music to Recharge Your Brain. Or the book Why Aren’t I Learning?

A:  First, please understand that listening to Sound Therapy takes not time out of your day at all, as you can listen during any normal daily activities, such as conversation, watching TV, exercising, travelling, quiet work or manual work. Later on you can even listen during sleep.

You will have the music playing through headphones, at low volume, and will hardly notice it most of the time.

As a general guideline, here is how much listening is recommended:

Adults: A minimum of three hours a day for six weeks to three months.

Children: Half an hour to an hour a day for six weeks to three months.

After that a maintenance program of 90 minutes per day or a few hours a week is recommended.

For a program specifically designed to suit your own ear and brain health, please refer to the Personal Listening Routine Assessment in the Listeners Workbooks which accompany each program.

A: Children, depending on their age, should listen for half an hour to an hour a day for six weeks to three months. After that a maintenance program of 30 to 45 minutes per day or a few hours a week is recommended.

However, as with adults, children an listen during other activities such as homework, watching TV, travelling in the car or sleeping, so it does not need them to take special time out of the day to listen.

A: The time it takes for Sound Therapy to have effect varies enormously between individuals. Many people notice an improvement in their sleep the very first night. A shift in energy often happens in the first six weeks to three months.

For tinnitus, people have had results in as little as two hours or as long as twelve months. Improvements in hearing loss have been noticed after a few weeks or after several years of listening. The same is true for epilepsy, autism, memory and other conditions related to brain function.

It is impossible for us to predict how long your particular condition will take to treat, but most likely your listening process will be a wonderful journey of discovery and self development. To read about a wide range of listeners and their remarkable results in many different areas, we refer you to the books by Rafaele Joudry, each of which contain numerous letters and interviews with listeners.

To increase the benefits you experience from Sound Therapy and to speed up the results, we also recommend that you use our Nutrition for the Ear. This supports the ear and nervous system to be able to successfully integrate the changes caused by the Sound Therapy.

A: Adjust the volume so you can just hear the music in a quiet room. Do not turn it up when you go into a noisy environment. If you have hearing loss, turn it up so that you can hear at least some of the sound in one ear at least. More detailed instructions on how to listen are included in each of Rafaele Joudry’s books, which are an essential companion for the listening program.

A: If you use a hearing aid there is a good chance that Sound Therapy will help you. We recommend that you do some of your listening with, and some without your aids. Sound Therapy has helped people with hearing aids to use and benefit from their hearing aids more successfully. Occasionally people have experienced such an improvement that they find they no longer need the aid.

A: Earphones or headphones are provided with our Sound Therapy programs. We provide quality earphones in a style that most listeners find convenient.

If you wish to use a different headphone that will be fine, as long as it is of good quality. The most important factor is that they are comfortable and convenient enough that you will use them. If your head phones cause you any pain or discomfort, try another model.

Most headphones are adequate for the therapy to work. Sound Therapy International sells a range of different models including high quality mini ear buds, light weight headband style or the full sized studio models. In our promotional photos we show a variety of different models as any of them are suitable.

However, it is true that a better headphone will produce a better therapeutic result. We do not recommend using a very cheap model from a ‘remainders’ store. The earphones that came with your mobile phone or standard personal music player will not be suitable for Sound Therapy. Most reasonable headphones will cost at least $30.00 or more. It is also true that the more you spend, the better quality you get, and better brands generally produce better sound. The brand we recommend is Sennheiser. Check our website for our favourite headphone models or talk to your personal Sound Therapy Consultant.

If you wish you can swap the headphones around. If you can hear it in both ears, that is best. Otherwise, if you need hugely different volumes in each ear, you can listen sometimes with your right ear and sometimes with your left ear, so that each ear receives the music at a tolerable and enjoyable volume.

If you are caring for a family member and giving them technical and personal support, it is fine to share your files with them.

If you have a friend who wants to use the program independently, please ask them to purchase their own. Your friend will be more successful if they deal with our company direct and have their own access to all of our support materials.

Yes, using your phone does expose you to EMF radiation. For most people, mobile phones are the most significant EMF exposure they have day to day. The most important thing is not to hold the phone up to your ear. Having it 1 metre away from you significantly reduces your exposure.

If you have listened more than your prescribed routine recommends, or if you have followed the routine and had some difficult results, here is what you can do.

Go back to the beginning. Start again and go slower. Think of it like an exercise program. If you do exercises and feel sore, back off, do it more gently.

If even following the Sensitive program seems too strong for you, back off, just do half of the recommended listening, or just stick with Album One until you have adjusted. You can even start with as little as ten minutes a day if you need to, and gradually build up. You will be the best judge of what works for you, by observing your own symptoms.

In general its best to start slowly, so we recommend filling in the Listening Routine Assessment and following the routine that is tailored to your answer.

If you don’t have your workbook, just start gradually and build up. Start with Level 1, if you have it, Album one, and gradually build up from there. If you feel like its too much, do less. If you feel like you can go faster, go faster. Observe the effects, and modify your listening accordingly. You will be the best judge of how much to do.

Most of the effects of Sound Therapy are positive, but occasionally some people may have some temporary adjustment issues. It is possible that your symptom was caused by Sound Therapy, as there are some temporary adjustment issues which some people experience, as covered in our Workbook for the Listening Foundation Program. The best way to find out is to reduce or even stop your listening for a while and see if the symptom subsides. Then gradually increase your listening and see if it triggers the symptom again. Also think about other possible causes in your environment or lifestyle and test those as well. Most adjustment issues will pass if you continue to listen, but decreasing the time, or going back to the lower albums is a good way to help your adjustment.

On the main Music menu, select Resume. The music will start playing.

To fix the problem more permanently do the following steps:

Go down to 9^th menu item (bottom of list) 'Built in files'

Select (play button)

Go back (Back button)

Go to 7^th item on list (up 2) 'Update playlist'

Select (play button)

Album names will appear.

Play one of the files.

Then turn it off and it should work again when you turn it back on.

This may mean that a reset is needed.

Hold down power button for 30 secs (time it). The screen may light up with a faint glow at the end.

Then recharge for several hours.

In most cases the player will now work normally.

If it doesn’t work, repeat the process.

Charge overnight if necessary.

If you have a player that has stopped working, we can only replace your music files on microSD card.

Step one: check all tech support questions to troubleshoot your player. 80% of the time, an issue can be fixed by carefully following our instructions.

If you would like to use your music files on a different device, try our microSD card option which allows you to play your files on any device.

Our microSD card option opens up a lot of Sound Therapy listening possibilities. As long as you are using headphones, you can listen on:

• your laptop or computer
• your phone or tablet
• a portable music player (eg. Mp3, Mp4 or iPod), that can play WAV files.

And, if you have our Sontegrity player, you can add new Sound Therapy files to it directly from the card.

How to transfer files from your microSD card to your chosen listening device

To get started, please read and follow the instructions below.

Please note: We have tried to cover as many situations as possible, however, because there are so many options – and many different devices used by our listeners – we are not equipped to provide extensive technical support.

After carefully following the instructions below, if you are still experiencing issues we recommend these options:

• Ask a young friend or family member to assist
• Print this page and take it, along with your card, to your local computer or mobile service store
• Post your question on an online tech community forum such as Quora, Tom’s Hardware or TechSpot.

The most common way that listeners transfer Sound Therapy files to their devices is via the following two-step process:

Step 1: Copy files from the microSD card to the computer.
Step 2: Copy files from the computer to the device.

Before you start: Make sure you have enough space on your computer and device.

Each program is around 4Gb - and the All Adult program is 7 programs, which really adds up! You would need around 28Gb to transfer all of them so keep in mind that you don't have to copy everything at once, just what you are currently listening to.

Step 1: Copy files from microSD card to computer

In your package, we have provided a small USB adaptor for this purpose. One end of the adaptor is a microSD card slot (for reading the card) and the other end is a USB plug (commonly found on computers and wall chargers).

1. Insert the microSD card into the USB adaptor.
2. Insert the USB adaptor into a USB port on your computer.
3. Open a folder on your PC or Mac and locate the adaptor in the navigation pane (it will display just like an external USB storage device).
4. Double click to open.
5. Copy and paste (or drag) the files to a folder on your computer.

Step 2: Copy files from computer to device

1. Connect your device to your computer via a USB cable (this will generally be the cable you use for charging).
2. Locate your device in the navigation pane on your PC or Mac.
3. Double click to open.
4. Copy and paste (or drag) the Sound Therapy files on your computer to your phone's internal storage.

This can occasionally be a problematic stage of the process. There are many reasons and it varies from device to device. You may not be able to see the device, or not be able to see its internal file system (or only see part, such as photos but not other file types).

If you are having issues at this point, you may want to ask for assistance from a friendly tech savvy friend or family member.

Some possible options to try are:

• Try a different USB cable, which may be faulty.
• Check your device to see if it is asking you for permission to transfer files. If it is, select yes to provide permission.

There are also a number of easy-to-use file transfer software programs available for this purpose:

• AirMore: Windows computer to Android/iOS device (free, proprietary)
• OpenMTP: macOS computer to Android device (free, open-source)
• AirDroid: MacOS/Windows computer to Android/iOS device (paid)
• MobileTrans: Windows computer to Android/iOS device (paid)

If you have a microSD card slot or microSD card reader on your computer:

Some models of MacBook Pro and MacBook Air have a microSD slot, and many Windows laptops have a microSD slot. If you have one of these, you won't need to use the USB adaptor. Simply insert the card straight into your computer or reader. Note that the card is microSD, not the larger SD card format. However, if you have the larger sized SD reader, an inexpensive adaptor will allow you to insert a microSD card into an SD card slot.

If you have a microSD slot on your phone/tablet:

Some phones and tablets are equipped with a microSD slot (most Samsung Galaxy phones, for example). If you have one of these, rejoice! Just insert our microSD card into your phone or tablet and start listening right away on your usual music player app. You can transfer the files from the card to your device's internal storage and then remove the card, or leave the card in place and play the files from the card. (We recommend the first option in case of loss of your device.) If your phone does not have a microSD slot (we are looking at you iPhone), an adaptor will be required.

Taking care of your microSD card and Sound Therapy files 

When you've finished transferring the files, we recommend finding a safe and secure place to store your microSD card, as well as on your computer if you have the space, so that both can be accessed easily in the future. Then, if you lose your device or purchase a new one, all you need to do is refer to your back up copies on the microSD card or computer. We can't guarantee that we will always be around, but you can take care of your ears forever by taking care of your precious Sound Therapy files.

Apple and iPhones are a special breed sometimes, and we have highlighted them specifically in this FAQ. The short answer to the question is yes, but it may not be as straight forward as expected.

Firstly, unlike some Samsung models, the iPhone does not have a MicroSD card slot. To enable the iPhone to read the MicroSD card directly, an iPhone/MicroSD adaptor is required. These can be purchased from your Apple store or alternate electrical store.

To place your Sound Therapy files directly onto your iPhone, we require a two-step process, firstly to your computer and then to your iPhone. As the Sound Therapy files are large, will there be enough space on your iPhone? If not, you may need to free up some space. Converting the WAV files to MP3 is another option, but it may reduce the full benefits of the therapy.

Transferring from your computer to iPhone can be done in a number of ways. You can connect your iPhone directly to your computer, you can transfer via the Cloud, or if you are transferring between an Apple computer and an iPhone, using the Airdrop facility is an option.

Turn the Sontegrity player on.

On the left side on the player is a slot for the microSD card, which is inserted upside-down. Push the card in until you feel a click. You may need to use your nail to push it in far enough.

On the main Music menu, go down to the bottom option, which should be 'Card Folder'.

Select (play button).

You will be asked the question, "Create list or not". Select yes.

The screen will display "Searching".

If successful, the music albums will display and will be able to be played.

Yes, you certainly can. We will use the example of having LF (Listening Foundation) albums preloaded, and EBC (Ear Brain Connection) albums on the microSD card.

Prior to inserting microSD card, if you select 'All songs' from the main Music menu, you will see the LF albums.

On the left side on the player is a slot for the microSD card, which is inserted upside-down. Push the card in until you feel a click. You may need to use your nail to push it in far enough.

Playing albums from the microSD card

On the main Music menu, go down to the bottom option which should be 'Card Folder'.

Select (play button).

You will be asked the question, "Create list or not". Select yes.

The screen will display "Searching".

If successful, the music albums will display and will be able to be played.

At this point, if you select 'All songs' from the main Music menu, you will now see the EBC albums. Don't be concerned, the LF albums are not lost and are still on the player.

Playing preloaded albums

To return to the LF albums, go down to 9^th menu item (2nd from the bottom of list) 'Built in files'

Select (play button)

Go back (Back button)

Go to 7^th item on list (up 2) 'Update playlist'

Select (play button)

Album names will appear.

Play one of the files.

You are able to leave the microSD card permanently in the Sontegrity player, and alternate between the albums using the steps above

Any good quality headphone is suitable for Sound Therapy, and all headphones intended for music listening are marked with Right and Left channels.

One program (usually four albums) is approximately 4GB.

WAV files.

Yes, no problem, you can use it on any type of device you wish.

There may be some loss of high frequency sound fidelity using Bluetooth. To get optimum sound quality (which may enhance your results) you may choose to use high quality, wired headphones.

Yes, any headphones are fine to use, as long as they are of good quality. The better the headphone, the better the result you are likely to achieve from the therapy. NOTE: the earphones supplied with mobile phones are not geared to high fidelity music listening and are not the best choice for Sound Therapy.

On the inside of the earbuds, there is a 'R' and 'L', plus there is a small bump on the left earbud

A: Sound Therapy is a program that offers an unexpected range of benefits including sleep, energy, listening, hearing, learning, brain function and more. As our listeners use the program throughout their lives, they often find that new and unexpected benefits develop over the years. Each of our advanced programs is more highly filtered than the one before it, so increased benefits can be expected from the more advanced levels.

The human ear is capable of hearing an extraordinary range of sounds. The loudest sound we can tolerate is a trillion times more powerful than the softest sound we can hear. Yes -- a Trillion! The highest frequency (pitch) we can hear is twenty thousand times higher than the lowest frequency we can hear. This explains why our introductory Sound Therapy program could not cover the full range possible for the ear, as our delicate ear mechanisms need gradual and progressive retraining. Just as kindergarten could not cover all of the information offered in a university course. Therefore our progressive, advanced programs can bring new levels of response to the ear and benefits to the listener.

Those who use the program longest often report the greatest benefits. It is more enjoyable and also more stimulating for the brain, to have a wide range of music so that it does not become too familiar and repetitive. Listeners often report a new level of benefit when they begin with a new program. Sometimes a stubborn condition may not give way on the first level but with renewed and continued listening commitment and the higher levels of filtering in the advanced levels it may shift when a new program is introduced.

Our listeners each have different reasons for using Sound Therapy and may, after the initial three or more months want to develop more benefits in a particular area, whether that be energy, memory, concentration, hearing, physical performance, deep peace or emotional harmony.

A: As a general rule we recommend that you spend three months listening to each level before proceeding to the new one. However, if you wish to move on sooner for a particular reason, this should not be a problem unless you are particularly sensitive to the sound and have had to curtail your listening program.

Another way of determining that you are ready to proceed is if you have experienced a breakthrough or change in your hearing, energy or brain function. Once you have experienced a noticeable breakthrough you are ready to move to the next level if you wish, even if you have not completed three months on your current level.

A: If you are using Sound Therapy for ear or hearing related issues, you will follow the Natural Hearing Improvement Series. If you are using it to enhance general wellbeing, brain function or stress reduction, you will follow the Emotional Intelligence Series.

It is important to work through the levels in order within each Series, be it the Natural Hearing Improvement Series or the Emotional Intelligence Series.

For more information on the specific applications of each program please refer to the detailed descriptions in the shopping cart.

A: Yes, for information for practitioners visit www.SoundTherapySynergy.com

The distance training course we offer has been developed by Rafaele Joudry and Sound Therapy International based on our 20+ years of experience in working with practitioners to help bring Sound Therapy to their clients. Since this is a very unique and innovative field, Sound Therapy International, as the developer of the program, is in the best position to present training on the application of Sound Therapy to your clients. To learn more about becoming a Sound Therapy Consultant please visit www.SoundTherapySynergy.com or email synergy@mysoundtherapy.com

A: Yes we welcome referring practitioners. If you would like to refer your clients to us please give us a call and we will be happy to send you our referring practitioner pack and keep you informed of updates from time to time. Or register as a referring practitioner.

When you refer your clients to us we will offer them a free telephone consultation with one of our Qualified Health Consultants and will support them throughout their listening program with email and phone support.