About the Author

Robin Abbott has been an occupational therapist for over 20 years. She did not learn about the benefits of auditory and controlled vestibular therapy during either her Bachelor's or Master's degree training in occupational therapy. After post-professional training in advanced Therapeutic Listening(c) and Astronaut Training(c), having seen some of the therapy-accelerating effects of these treatments, she was curious about why these treatments were so uniquely powerful. She began cobbling together the available research in her field, as well as neuroscience, audiology and rehabilitation science, creating a more objective picture of the effect of this therapy that confirmed the wonderful improvements she was seeing in her clients.As she practiced with children throughout the country (having moved a variety of places with her military spouse, Chris) she realized that these effective therapies were not commonly practiced. Historically, other effective treatments have not become widely available without the active involvement of parents, educators, and clinic-based therapists; all of whom insist on the availability of therapy that will help the children they care about. Auditory and controlled-vestibular therapy needed this type of grass-roots push! This book is Robin's effort to inform and enlighten the child-caring community about this treatment, so that they can be the best advocates for their children.Robin has presented these ideas to parents, therapists and students throughout the US and internationally. She has a TedX talk available online and is the founder of Dovetail Therapy. Now retired, she lives in Iowa with Chris. Still involved in healing, she is a practicing massage therapist and yoga teacher. She has two grown children and enjoys backpacking, reading, and gardening. Visit her online at http: //www.booksoundadvice.com/

Reviews

"Robin Abbott has put together a wonderful book about how to identify, support, and address numerous sensory issues that are evidenced in people who range from "on the autism spectrum" to "everyday people." Her emphasis is on those who have auditory/vestibular-related issues and can provide support to parents, professionals and individuals who either knowingly or unknowingly have the many related symptoms she describes. She provides personal information about how she became interested and knowl-edgeable in the subject, puts together nice descriptions of how the ear, the brain and the body work together and shares many ways for individuals to better support a person's specific challenges as they pertain to the auditory/vestibular functioning within the body. Parents will benefit from understanding the auditory/vestibular system better and to know what possibilities are available for help." -Dorinne Davis, author of Sound Bodies through Sound Therapy and The Cycle of Sound: A Missing Energetic Link, The Davis Model of Sound Intervention. The Davis Addendum to the Tomatis Effect, The Davis Center, Fayetteville, NY"I truly enjoyed this book and recommend it to parents everywhere, not just parents of neurodiverse children. Other stumbling blocks of child rearing, such as mealtime behaviors, echolalia, removing clothing and toe-walking, are also addressed. As the parent of two children who each fell into certain categories, I wished I had read this book when my kids were going through those stages! These days, with both kids equipped with diagnoses, medication and therapy, I am wiser to their unique traits and functions, but having the knowledge in this book related to such things certainly would have helped back then! But it's not too late for everyone else, least of all the children and teens out there whose parents are at their wit's end. Sound Advice by Robin C. Abbott can help, as it can serve as a useful tool in promoting such therapeutic and healing techniques in more clinical settings." --Dawn Colclasure for Reader Views"Sound Advice is an important book for OTs and PTs-and hopefully for parents and educators. Robin Abbott's book really helped me understand many of the difficulties we see in children. I have always known how important hearing and the vestibular system are for ease of learning. Thank you for your dedication." -Carla Hannaford, PhD, author of Smart Moves: Why Learning Is Not All in Your Head and Playing in the Unified Field"Before meeting Robin, my son was diagnosed with sensory processing disorder (SPD) and had been treated for it for nearly two years with little progress with occupational therapy only. Robin con-tinued his OT but added an auditory therapy component that made all the difference. In less than one year's time, he was able to handle disappointments without meltdowns and was able to interact normally with stimuli out in the world. After years of trying to find a way to help him, suddenly he was fine! Auditory therapy works, it changes lives and this book explains how." -Britta, mother of Taiten