Hearing Therapy
I am an RCCP (Registration Council for Clinical Physiologists) registered Hearing Therapist with 26 years of experience working with adults who have tinnitus, hyperacusis, vestibular (balance) problems and/or hearing loss
TINNITUS MANAGEMENT | COGNITIVE THERAPY | COUNSELLING | RELAXATION | MEDITATION | MINDFULNESS | HYPERACUSIS | ACOUSTIC SHOCK INJURY (ASI) | VESTIBULAR REHABILITATION | AUDITORY TRAINING | HEARING AID ADJUSTMENT (ADJUSTMENT TO AMPLIFICATION)
My extensive additional training in psychotherapy is helpful for individuals who have additional - often longer term - issues with anxiety, panic or depression
Hearing Therapy is a specialist rehabilitation service - often closely associated with Audiology services - that was introduced in 1972 to help adults who have acquired hearing loss, either suddenly or gradually, to come to terms with and manage their hearing loss, improve the use of their hearing in conjunction with hearing aids where necessary and/or other assistive technical devices
As the Hearing Therapist's role developed in to a specialist area of work closely associated with audiology, Hearing Therapists became the main provider of Tinnitus Management (for noises in the ears and/or head) in order to enable people to reduce tinnitus distress; most Hearing Therapists are also able to help when people need rehabilitation for other hearing related disorders including vestibular rehabilitation and hyperacusis management
Here are some further details about the work undertaken by Hearing Therapists:
Auditory Training in a variety of formats to improve listening for:
Speech Discrimination (improves ability to hear differences between speech sounds)
Speech Discrimination in noise (improves ability to hear speech in background noise)
Improving concentration whilst listening and speechreading (lipreading) Improve and enhance hearing aid use
Desensitisation to new amplification (following fitting of hearing aids for first-time users where necessary)
Desensitisation to noise-induced tinnitus
The above treatments vary in length from 8 – 24 weeks (4 – 12 hours)
Assertiveness Training for Adults with Hearing Loss
Available as a 6 week (12 hour) course working in small groups
Management of Hyperacusis (over-sensitive hearing)Individual courses of treatment (varies in length dependent upon the cause of hyperacusis for each individual)
Management of Tinnitus
Individual tinnitus management includes a full assessment followed by most commonly 6 or 12 one hour sessions that may or may not include use of white noise generators or hearing aids. Cognitive Therapy or a different counselling approach is required to address complex underlying issues e.g. anxiety disorders and depression
Cognitive Therapy for Tinnitus Patients
Based on individual need (usually 12 individual one hour sessions - it can be more depending upon complexity)
Cognitive Therapy is an evidence-based therapy for tinnitus, recommended as part of the Department of Health Commissioning Pathway for tinnitus
Patients attending for Hearing Therapy are encouraged to involve their partners and families in their treatments. Hearing loss and related problems affect family and friends as well as the person who has the hearing loss, tinnitus, hyperacusis, or balance problem