Safe and Sound Protocol

Might your nervous system need some support?

The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is an acoustic intervention designed to reduce stress, auditory sensitivity and facilitate social engagement and resilience. It is based on Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory and 40 years of research regarding the relationship between the autonomic nervous system (the system at the center of our self-regulating process, influencing important systems in our body, including our heart, respiration rate, and digestion) auditory sensitivities, and social-emotional processes.

The SSP is a 5-hour listening program of specially filtered music that stimulates the vagus nerve through the middle ear muscle. Stress, trauma, and other conditions can overload our nervous system, leaving us in various states of fight/flight/freeze, which can impact how we interact with others, our environment, and how we feel inside ourselves. The SSP is like a workout for your vagus nerve, giving your nervous system more flexibility.

The SSP can benefit children, adolescents, and adults. Here’s is a partial list of areas that benefit from this intervention:

• Social and emotional difficulties

• Auditory sensitivities

• Anxiety and trauma-related challenges

• Inattention (such as with ADD/ADHD)

• Social engagement issues

• Difficulties in regulating physiological and emotional states

• Other stress-related difficulties

Clinical diagnosis is not required to benefit from the SSP. However, if trauma history of any kind is present, it’s important to discuss this prior to starting. The SSP is a 5-hour, powerful listening intervention designed to work along with other therapies. In the case of the lingering effects of trauma, close supervision by a trained professional during and following the protocol is imperative.

I became a Certified Safe and Sound Protocol provider in 2020. My role as SSP provider is as an educator and coach. After a thorough assessment, I will work with you to determine the best way to administer the SSP to you.

For information about the SSP, please click here.