8885 Venice Blvd. Ste. 105                                                         Tel:310-838-1552
  Los Angeles, CA 90034                                                              Fax 310-838-1553
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                     Contact: Lori Granieri, (831) 373-3553
May 17, 2005                                                                     Sharmila Herr, (310) 838-1552

Autism Treatment Alternative Combines Therapies, Filtered Music, Sound
ITS First, Only Southern California Center to Offer “Awaken Listening” Therapy

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Recognizing the need for more comprehensive treatment options for individuals with autism and other neurological disorders, Integrated Therapy Solutions (ITS) has added “Awaken Listening” therapy to its menu of non-medicine-based services. This sound-stimulated re-education program combines several traditional therapies – Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language, Early Intervention and Social Skills Training – along with filtered music and an audio-vocal component to engage individuals’ listening responses.  

 “Awaken Listening” was created based on the work of the late Dr. Alfred Tomatis, who in the 1940s pioneered research in auditory retraining, or Listening Therapy, to stimulate the neural pathways into, from and within the brain. Building on Tomatis’ protocol, “Awaken Listening” uses the music of Mozart, Gregorian Chants, the voice of the individual’s mother when appropriate, and the individual’s own voice.  With Dynamic Listening Systems, these sounds are filtered and otherwise manipulated to stimulate the brain’s processing regions.  A gating mechanism allows the ear to pay attention to ever moving and changing sound frequencies.  This combination builds strong listening skills through auditory stimulation, and improves learning and language abilities, communication, creativity, social behavior, posture and motor coordination. 

 “With one out of 166 children in the United States suffering from autism, and many more with other neurological or learning disorders, there is clearly a need for new treatments. We must do what we can to reach this population, and this program really works,” says Sharmila Herr, ITS founder, certified Dynamic Listening Systems Practitioner and mother of an autistic child. “We are excited to now be able to provide this opportunity in Southern California.”

 Based in Beverly Hills, ITS offers several treatment options for children and adults with Autism, Aspergers, ADD/ADHD, Auditory Processing Disorder, Dyslexia, Post Stroke, Depression and Anxiety. Services include Occupational Therapy, Fast ForWord, Speech and Language Services, Social Skills Groups, Early Intervention, Auditory Training, Sensory Integration Training, parent seminars and classes. For more information, visit www.itssca.com, or call (310) 289-1157.

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• (Note to press: For more information on Awaken Listening or ITS, or to interview Sharmila Herr, please contact Lori Granieri at (831) 373-3553)