ALP/Playground approach and tools - Intensive course

About the Program

"Autism is not a language barrier; it is simply a different language" (Haley Moss). As Mel Baggs, a prominent autism advocate, wrote: "I communicate best outside of language altogether, but there are no tools to interpret that." What if we did have the tools? What if we could unlock a shared code of connection—one that transcends words?

Communication is far more than verbal exchange. It includes language, gestures, touch, rhythm, and sound—forming a rich, multidimensional fabric of expression. For many, especially those on the autism spectrum, communication challenges can disrupt connection—with themselves, others, and the world. And yet, communication is the very foundation for building trust, calm, joy, confidence, and co-regulation—the core ingredients of learning, growth, and meaningful relationships.

Research shows a high prevalence of synesthesia among neurodivergent individuals, particularly autistic people. Synesthesia—the blending of sensory inputs—can make the world intensely rich and sometimes overwhelming. At the same time, play has been proven to support the development of physical, emotional, and social capacities, especially in those for whom traditional communication modes may be inaccessible. Neurodivergence—whether expressed as ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, OCD, Tourette’s, or autism—presents both challenges and creative potential in how individuals perceive, feel, and connect.

There’s something magical that happens when communication moves beyond just words. In the ALP/Playground, we explore how synesthetic communication becomes a language of its own—where sound can turn into color, movement can carry emotion, and silence can say everything. It’s a way of translating experiences across the senses, letting us connect in a way that feels true, especially for people whose worlds don’t fit neatly into verbal boxes.

To make that kind of deep connection possible, we practice reflexive listening—not just hearing what someone says, but sensing how you’re being heard. It’s listening with your breath, with your timing, with the space between your words. You tune in not only to meaning, but to rhythm, tone, pause, and feeling. And as you do, you begin to hear the relationship itself, like a melody between two people.

That’s when reflexive attunement takes shape. It’s the art of sensing how you're being sensed in return. You become aware of the feedback loop between you and another—between how you move and how they respond, how you speak and how they shift. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about being present enough to notice. In that shared noticing, something new can emerge: trust, timing, play, and a connection that doesn’t need explaining.

Donald Winnicott described play as "an end in itself, not merely a means to an end." For him, play was the birthplace of selfhood. The ALP/Playground Approach draws on this ethos—treating play not as an escape from reality, but as a mode of being. In a world that often demands conformity and explanation, we reclaim the ability to play—to listen, to feel, to improvise, and to relate.

The ALP/Playground Approach was developed by composer and conductor Keren Rosenbaum, known for her pioneering work in Reflexive Music and The Invisible Score, both shaped by her own experience of synesthesia. For Rosenbaum, sound, movement, and meaning are always interwoven in an infinite play—a sense of aliveness that can be shared. She developed the theoretical framework in close collaboration with senior social worker, psychotherapist, and supervisor Miriam Ben-Oz, blending insights from developmental psychology, expressive therapies, social work, and neurodivergence.

The ALP (Active/Attune Listening Playground) is more than a method—it is a language, a mindset, a performative stage. The ALP tools foster social-emotional fluency, stimulate curiosity and surprise, and invite each person to co-create connection in their own expressive way. What began as a musical practice has evolved into a full therapeutic and developmental approach grounded in synesthetic communication, reflexive listening, reflexive attunement, and playful co-regulation.

The course introduces participants to ALP not just as a technique, but as a way of perceiving life. Through open-ended exercises, improvisational flow, and shared sensory play, participants learn to listen with their whole bodies and to communicate what words alone cannot convey. The approach is already in use across educational settings, therapeutic environments, arts programs, and community initiatives.

Playfulness, in this context, is not frivolity—it is a neurological and relational capacity. It fosters a sense of agency and timing, helping regulate both sensory input and emotional states. Synesthetic awareness allows individuals to translate inner experiences into expressive forms, making space for what is often felt but unseen. In the Playground, these forms become shared languages.

Especially effective for professionals working with autistic individuals, the Playground Approach equips therapists, educators, artists, and caregivers with a new repertoire of tools—ones that resonate with the non-verbal, the intuitive, and the sensory. Its impact reaches beyond therapy: it nurtures empathy, awakens imagination, and creates moments of true connection.

This intensive course offers a deep dive into the theory and practice of the ALP/Playground. Participants will explore how reflexive listening, reflexive attunement, synesthetic communication, and inner playfulness serve as keys to co-regulation, creativity, and human connection. Together, we will learn to listen beyond words—and to speak the language of the senses.

Photo: Kiki Ylimutka*