What to Expect from Buffalo Model Auditory Training Online
If you’ve been diagnosed with auditory processing disorder, or you’ve struggled to follow conversations for years even though your hearing test came back normal, you may be wondering what treatment involves. At Auditory Pathway, Buffalo Model auditory training is delivered online through live telehealth sessions with Dr. Kaitlyn Lepore. Knowing how the process works, from the first phone call to the final training session, can make the first step feel much more manageable.
What Buffalo Model Auditory Training Is
The Buffalo Model was developed by Dr. Jack Katz, an audiologist who spent decades studying how the brain processes speech. It treats the decoding of speech sounds as the most basic level of auditory processing, so training begins with phonemes, the smallest units of sound in spoken language, and builds upward from there. Buffalo Model therapies include phonemic training and phonemic synthesis training, which work on recognizing individual speech sounds and blending them into words.
Many auditory training programs start at the word or sentence level. Starting with phonemes allows Dr. Lepore to target the specific sounds and skills your evaluation identified, in a deliberate order.
Before Your First Training Session
Every patient starts with a complimentary 15-minute discovery call. It’s a relaxed conversation about what you’ve been experiencing, how it affects your daily life, and whether Auditory Pathway is a good fit. No referral is needed.
Training is built from the results of an APD evaluation. The APD evaluation at Auditory Pathway takes place over three telehealth appointments. The first explores your listening challenges and how they affect you, and it confirms your computer is ready for testing. The second is the Central Test Battery, a comprehensive processing evaluation developed by Dr. Katz. The third is a detailed review of your results and recommendations. If you’ve already completed a comprehensive APD evaluation elsewhere, Dr. Lepore can review those results and let you know whether any additional testing is needed.
You’ll also need a hearing test dated within the last 12 months. Adults with hearing loss, hearing aids, cochlear implants, or auditory brainstem implants can still be evaluated and can take part in training.
Getting Set Up at Home
Because every appointment happens by video, your setup matters. For APD testing, wired headphones and a laptop or desktop computer work best, and the first evaluation appointment includes a check that everything is working so there are no surprises later. A quiet room where you can focus without interruption will also help you get the most from each session.
What a Training Session Looks Like
Each session takes place in real time with Dr. Lepore on a video call. Sessions are structured similarly to circuit training; short focused tasks covering each area of auditory processing. Listening tasks are presented starting at the phoneme level, Dr. Lepore watches and listens to your responses as they happen, and adjusts the difficulty based on what she observes. That live feedback means each session is shaped by how you’re performing that day.
Sessions follow a planned sequence based on your evaluation. Work moves to the next level once the foundation underneath it is solid, so the pace reflects how your auditory system is responding.
How the Program Unfolds Over Time
A typical Buffalo Model training program at Auditory Pathway is 12 sessions, although the right length depends on your evaluation results and how your skills develop. Early sessions focus on the speech sounds and processing skills your evaluation flagged. As those become more reliable, later sessions build on them in the order your plan lays out.
Dr. Lepore tracks your progress throughout the program and adjusts the plan as your skills build. You’ll know what each stage is working on and why, and you’ll have a specialist to talk through questions with along the way. Because every person’s processing profile is different, she’ll discuss realistic expectations with you once she has reviewed your evaluation results. For details on program costs and payment plan options, visit our pricing page.
Start Buffalo Model Auditory Training Online with Auditory Pathway
Dr. Lepore founded Auditory Pathway for adults who have been told nothing more can be done about their listening difficulties, including those with hearing loss. Buffalo Model auditory training is delivered 100% by telehealth, with weekday appointments, flexible scheduling, and no referral required, so you can begin from home in New York, Oklahoma, Maryland, Florida, California, Arkansas, or anywhere in Ireland.
To book your complimentary 15-minute discovery call, please get in touch.
US: (914) 228-2231
Ireland: 021 603 6160
