The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is a powerful listening therapy designed to help regulate the nervous system, so you can better connect with yourself, others and the world around you. Developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, originator of the Polyvagal Theory, the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is derived from nearly four decades of research on the relationship between the autonomic nervous system and social-emotional processes. It provides a long lasting and comprehensive approach to healing, through a journey that brings together the client, therapist and the SSP auditory journey to create a safe space for brain and body integration and healing to achieve deep resiliency, regulation and connection.
Humans need social connection and the SSP is a listening therapy that supports and restores our capacity to self and co-regulate so that relationships can be safe connected places (whether with ourselves or others).
Subconsciously, your nervous system is always looking for cues of safety or threat from other people through things like body language, facial expression or tone of voice. However our ability to accurately read and receive thee question and to connect can be impacted by a variety of things: including depression and anxiety; neuro-developmental differences, sensory processing differences; nervous system dysregulation and trauma.
If you have a harder time interpreting cues of safety or feeling safe or present with yourself or others due to past experiences or the way you take in information, your brain and body can be helped out of a stressed fight or flight response and back into regulation and receptivity to ques of safety and connection, and a deeper capacity to be there with yourself, as well as with others.
How does the SSP work?
Through the specially filtered music, the SSP sends cues of safety to your nervous system, building the foundation for awareness, embodiment and resilience. The SSP uses music that you may already be familiar with. The music is filtered through an algorithm that enhances intonation changes within the frequency range of the human voice, training the auditory processing system to attune to cues of safety.
As you listen to the music of the SSP, these highlighted frequencies send cues of safety to retune your nervous system, which can help you feel more settled, engaged and balanced .
A classical playlist is also available as a non-vocal, trauma-sensitive and accessible alternative that maintains the essential elements and original algorithms of the SSP.
The SSP may be helpful in reducing symptoms and supporting overall health and resiliency for people seeking support for:
- Depression and anxiety
- Neurodevelopmental differences, such as autism, hyperactivity and attention
- Learning difficulties
- Sensory processing differences
- Trauma history
- And more
It is safe and effective for all ages and families and has helped over 100,000+ children, adolescents and adults in more than 70 countries worldwide. Uniquely, many families experience the SSP together and in support of one another. The music is divided into five hour-long sections. While you are not required to listen to a full hour each session, the filtration of the main SSP program is dynamic and progressive so it is important to listen in order and not repeat any sections without guidance from your SSP provider.
Just as the brain is plastic and can change based on experience, the autonomic nervous system is also plastic. As the listener learns to process these speech-related frequencies, it improves the functioning of two cranial nerves that are important for promoting overall comfort and social behavior. Cranial Nerve VII (Facial Nerve) helps individuals focus on the human voice and tune out irrelevant frequencies. Cranial Nerve X (Vagus Nerve) enables self-soothing and autonomic regulation. The Safe and Sound Protocol has been shown in peer-reviewed research to significantly increase vagal regulation of the heart, leading to better control of state. Since our state is critical to how we approach a task at hand, by calming the physiological and emotional state, the door is opened for improved communication, improved quality of life and more successful therapy.
A few testimonials:
“After the Safe and Sound Protocol], I feel like I could finally connect with myself, recognize and accept who I actually am, and all of a sudden know what my needs are.”
— Client, 30, who presented with hypersensitivity and anxiety
“So much of what people are taught about therapy reinforces that they have to think it out and work it out in their minds. Kids and adults alike over-intellectualize therapy. The SSP is a lovely invitation into your body.”
— Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and Registered Nurse (RN)
“I truly believe that the SSP resets the nervous system, and has my son feeling safe rather than being in constant fight or flight.”
— Parent (and occupational therapist) of son with autism
“I am extremely thankful for the SSP and the reduction in depression, anxiety, and intrusive thoughts it has given me. I am able to enjoy life again and experience calmness. I have motivation to change my lifestyle, and I’m even optimistic about the future.”
— Client, 22, with intrusive thoughts, generalized anxiety, and dissociation
Some benefits of nervous system regulation
Improved response to stress: When our nervous system is regulated, it’s easier to sleep, eat, digest, rest, concentrate, communicate, and participate in meaningful relationships with others. We can better respond to difficult situations and move past them instead of reacting and getting “stuck” in them.
Better emotional regulation and resilience: Become attuned to and more in control of emotions, so you can move through challenges with more flexibility and ease.
More social connection and deeper relationships: By activating the part of your brain that allows us to be more social, affectionate and connected, the SSP can help shift you into a state where you are more comfortable and at ease engaging with others, leading to deeper and more meaningful relationships.
The SSP can be combined with and is supportive of other therapies, including:
- Neurodevelopmental treatment, such as occupational therapy, play therapy and sensory integration therapy
- Other forms of mental health and trauma therapies, such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Somatic Experiencing® (SE™), and Internal Family Systems (IFS)
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and other forms of talk therapy (e.g. DBT, MCBT, etc.)
Session Structure
As the listener, all that is required of you during a session is to simply listen to the music and to let me (your practitioner) know of feelings or sensations, whether emotional or physical, that may arise.
The sessions are structured so that we engage with some regulation practices and psycho-education around the nervous system, perhaps even creating a personal nervous system profile before beginning the listening protocol. In this way, we both are more aware of your nervous system: how it regulates and how it feels when you start to dysregulate; as well as what supports you.
Every journey is unique. During the listening sessions you may engage in gentle restorative practice such as stretches, breathing exercises, or drawing; or you may choose to sit silently or gaze into nature. Your listening plan will be adjusted to suit your needs and I will support and work with you to find the right pace and conditions for the optimal listening experience for you. (If you are a parent or caregiver, you may be the primary listening partner for your child and I will support you in this and how to guide your child).
The Safe and Sound Protocol involves a total of five hours of specially processed music that can be administered in 1-hour increments over 5 consecutive days or 30-minute increments over 10 consecutive days. However, some clients choose or need to space their sessions further apart.
Review:
When we are our nervous system is challenged our fight or flight responses are also hyperactive and we tend to perceive our world, others and our inner experiences as threatening, annoying, overwhelming, confusing, scary – essentially something to disconnect from.
Our nervous system almost starts to orient and scan for ques of threat, rejection, aggression, etc -which only leads to more disconnection and dysregulation.
The SSP works to nurture nervous system regulation and its ability to orient to environmental and social ques of safety; to perceive and hear the human voice and sounds in a way that regulates rather than dysregulates the system.
Research has shown significant results with just five hours of intervention in the following areas:
- Auditory sensitivities
- Social and emotional difficulties
- Inattention
- Depression and anxiety
- Neurodevelopmental differences, such as autism, hyperactivity and attention
- Learning difficulties
- Sensory processing differences
- Trauma history
Pricing
The subscription fee for the platform for the first six months is 400 pounds; which includes access to all tracks (core; balance and connect (which is unfiltered music)) as well as the possibility to revisit the SSP core down the road in a few months as a solo listener or in combination with sessions (charged at standard session fee). To add additional family members costs a flat fee of 100 each.
Regular session fees apply outside of this flat rate subscription fee.
Please contact me for more information or to schedule a series.
You can contact me by phone 07.57.09.88.69 / or email: eliseannmartin@gmail.com to book an initial consultation, or book directly here.
