Remote counseling can have benefits for some.
Ann Perreau, professor and co-chair of communication sciences and disorders at Augustana College, examines one.
Dr. Ann E. Perreau is a professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Augustana College (Ill.) and an audiologist in the College’s Roseman Center for Speech, Language, and Hearing. In 2023, she was awarded a grant from the Department of Health and Human Services’ National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders for her three-year project to research remote counseling and sound therapy for individuals with hyperacusis. In 2025, Dr. Perreau was elected to a three-year term as President-Elect for the Illinois Academy of Audiology.
Hyperacusis
Many people living with sound sensitivity disorders, or hyperacusis, are discouraged by a lack of resources and support from the medical community. There is also widespread uncertainty in treatment recommendations and outcomes. To address these issues, my collaborators and I embarked on a new line of research to develop and test the effectiveness of remote counseling and sound therapy for hyperacusis.
Similar to our successful program for tinnitus, our novel Hyperacusis Activities Treatment (HAT-Online) program includes four weeks of remote counseling that uses a comprehensive approach to management of hyperacusis. We focus on: (1) basic education on hyperacusis, (2) changing reactions to sounds; (3) thought analysis and restructuring; (4) relaxation and mindfulness; and (5) sound therapy and use of hearing protection. The program includes over 20 educational videos, reflection exercises and quizzes, and helpful resources. We also host weekly online discussion forums with the participants which provides a space for community building and sharing of ideas on how to best manage hyperacusis.
Following the four weeks of counseling, participants complete a four-week trial using gradual exposure to everyday sounds, or listen to white noise via sound generators. We use a customized approach where each participant can gradually increase the level of sound exposure and listening time over four weeks. We coach them through this process and track their progress using daily listening logs.
Preliminary results from 54 participants show a significant reduction in symptoms on our primary outcome measure. We see lower scores after counseling, and even lower scores after use of sound therapy.
My team and I continue to gather evidence to assess the effectiveness of HAT-Online for reducing reactions to sounds and improving everyday lives for more people.
Read More:
Hear-T (Hearing + Tinnitus) Lab
The Roseman Center for Speech, Language, and Hearing
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