The Davis Model of Sound Intervention
The Davis Center is recognized as the world’s premier sound therapy center and incorporates The Davis Model of Sound
Intervention as its philosophy. This model evolved from the research of The Davis Center’s founder and president, Dorinne S.
Davis, MA, CCC-A, FAAA, RCTC, BARA, her work with Davis Sound Research Associates, LLC and the many successes of
The Davis Center clients.
Ms. Davis has combined her 40+ years of experience as an Educational and Rehabilitative Audiologist, her experience as a
teacher, with her credentials in 20 different sound-based therapies to develop the model for the current and future application of
any sound-based therapy. Sound-based therapy is defined as using sound vibration with special equipment, modified music,
and/or specific tones/beats, the need for which is identified with appropriate testing. Sound-based therapy goes beyond
hearing, beyond auditory processing, and beyond music. Sound-based therapy utilizes the energy of the person and supports
change with the person’s natural form and function by repatterning this energy.
The concepts underlying this entire process revolves around 3 key points:
1) There are 5 laws which connect the voice, the ear, and the brain. Summarized, the voice produces what the ear hears,
and the ear emits the same stressed frequencies as the voice. If one is modified, the other changes and the brain sends
the correcting response to the body. These laws are known as The Tomatis Effect and The Davis Addendum to the
Tomatis Effect.
2) Every cell in the body emits and takes in sound frequencies, thereby portraying the body as one’s “Signature
Symphony of Sound”. If there is an ‘out of tune’ frequency, the ‘instruments (cells)’ of the body are not supporting
the symphony and the music is discordant. The ‘out of tune’ frequencies are identified. The sound is introduced to the
body and the brain then introduces the correct frequency to the cell to ‘tune it up’.
3) The ear is viewed as the body’s global sensory processor and not just a hearing mechanism, as all of the body’s senses
are stimulated either directly or indirectly through the ear. Sound vibration is also processed through bone response,
cell response, the nervous system, the circulatory system, and the soft tissue network of the body. The body as a
whole is considered a vibrational frequency entity.
The diagnosis of the person seeking to make change does not matter, for it is the sound energy patterns of the body that
determine the possibilities for change for each individual. In other words, sound-based therapies force the evaluator and the
client to focus on the energy patterns of the body, not the disability—neither medical nor educational. The disability or
challenges that are helped by the therapies are as a direct result of the 3 key points within the underlying concepts of the
process. The symptoms, disabilities and challenges are not what are addressed. Each person is helped as an individual energy
entity.
The Tree of Sound Enhancement Therap® evolved as the developmental flow chart for the correct administration of any soundbased
therapy. While there are many different sound-based therapies that can be administered individually with some level of
success, the best outcomes are evidenced when The Tree analogy is used. The Tree has 6 basic parts:
1. The “Root System” addresses one’s sense of hearing. The therapy(ies) offered at this level are a form of Auditory
Integration Training, which repatterns how the acoustic reflex muscle in the middle ear responds to sound, and
subsequently supports the reception of sound in the cochlea. These therapies are modeled after the work of Dr. Guy
Berard. The changes evidenced are a result of better sound reception.
2. The “Seed” is the foundation for all sound response in the body as it addresses our basal body rhythms, such as the
heart beat or breath stream. The therapies at this level of The Tree can be utilized at any time in the person’s protocol
of sound therapies because these skills bring the person back into focus and keep them feeling positive at their core
level. These therapies introduce rhythmical patterns to which the body responds physically and emotionally.
19 State Route 10 East, Ste 25, Succasunna NJ, 07876
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3. The “Trunk” addresses all responses of the ear for general sound processing stimulation, not hearing. The programs at
this level are called Listening Training Programs and are modeled after the work of Dr. Alfred Tomatis who
established the Tomatis Method. The changes evidenced are a result of the vibrational stimulation through the parts of
the ear: cochlea, semi-circular canals, and vestibule, as well as the bones, circulatory system, nervous system, softtissue
network, and cell structure of the body.
4. The “Lower Leaves and Branches” address specific auditory processing skills such as memory, sequencing, and
discrimination. These skills are inherent in how the brain receives information from the auditory pathway to the brain,
specifically from the cochlea to the auditory reception centers in the brain. There are numerous sound-based therapies
that address these skills either in a specific skill area such as temporal sequencing, or with general overall auditory
processing skills.
5. The “Upper Leaves and Branches” address the academic areas such as reading, spelling and handwriting skills, which
can only be maximally achieved when the foundation of The Tree is in place. People can have these skills as splinter
skills but not always process them in their entirety. The programs suggested at this level must include an auditory,
visual, and language combination of instructional skills, thereby allowing for full integration of the foundational skills.
6. The “Overall Maintenance of The Tree” addresses one’s wellness or body support for maintaining the learning and
developmental changes obtained with the therapies at the various parts of The Tree. The Maintenance of The Tree is
depicted with a head surrounding The Tree because it is the voice that reflects how the body is functioning. This
surrounding head reflects the combination of the Voice, the Ear, and the Brain supporting each other for the learning
and developmental changes. Currently the voice identifies the body’s imbalances and then the ear sends the correcting
frequency to the brain and body so that the body can make foundational change. This part of The Tree can also be
utilized by itself if one wants to address wellness challenges only.
“The Tree of Sound Enhancement Therapy” is used as the developmental flow chart for the correct administration of any
sound-based therapy. However, the “Diagnostic Evaluation for Therapy Protocol (DETP®)”, following this Tree analogy, is
used to identify if, when, how long, and in what order, any or all of the many different sound-based therapies can be
appropriately applied. Depending upon the presenting skills, either the full or partial DETP will determine if sound-based
therapies can be supportive in making positive change for the individual. According to “The Davis Model of Sound
Intervention”, once the determination is made, then the correct sound-based therapies are introduced in the appropriate order.
The diagnostic evaluation identifies the current issues at the time of the testing. As the person begins to make change, repeat
testing is often indicated to determine if more underlying issues may be impeding the overall success of the therapies. This is
an important part of The Tree process as root cause issues may be masked by the body’s response at the time of testing. As the
layers built up over time are peeled away, the core issues become more noticeable and then they must also be addressed. Once
core issues are stimulated and enhanced, the person can begin to build their developing foundational skills.
It has been consistently demonstrated by The Davis Center’s clients that when a therapy protocol, based on thorough diagnosis
and evaluation, is administered in the correct sequence, positive changes have resulted. Further, when a client has discontinued
their therapy protocol, successes have been limited. It is, therefore, important to commit to an overall program to achieve
maximum positive change.
Sound-based therapies hold great potential for making significant learning, development, and wellness changes for any
individual. The paradigm established with The Davis Model of Sound Intervention provides an opportunity for each person to
make natural self change by repatterning their energy patterns.
©Davis2008