The Safe and Sound Protocol (or SSP) is an evidence-based therapeutic tool designed to reset the nervous system and return it to safety.

Developed by world-renowned researcher and founder of the Polyvagal Theory, Dr. Stephen Porges, the SSP consists of five hours of listening to specially-filtered music, which functions as a non-invasive acoustic vagus nerve stimulator that can help individuals better connect with themselves, others, and the world around them from a foundation of physiological safety.

Some suggested activities while listening to the SSP are looking through photo albums, any types of crafts including weaving, painting, drawing, doodling, coloring, working with clay, jigsaw puzzles, quiet board games, etc. You may also just settle into a comfortable position and listen in stillness. 

Activities not recommended include any use of cell phones, social media scrolling, videos, apps, video games or any type of screen time during listening. Increased movement on screens (outside of our zoom screen for remote sessions) can raise the heart rate and move the nervous system out of feeling "safe."

Many people can benefit from the SSP. While clinical research around the SSP initially focused on children with autism, newer clinical trials and ongoing research and case studies have demonstrated benefits for people with:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• PTSD, trauma histories
• Auditory hypersensitivities
• Dysautonomia
• ADD and ADHD
• Sensory processing differences
• Emotional regulation difficulties
• Adrenal dysfunction
• Digestive issues
• And more

Exercising can shift your autonomic nervous system state from a parasympathetic state to a sympathetic state. For that reason, exercise or excessive movement during listening is discouraged, however, walking around the room is acceptable. And daily exercise if able is highly encouraged when not listening to the SSP. 

Singing during the SSP is also discouraged while listening to the music, however it is encouraged at any other time during the day when you are not listening to the SSP, as singing as well as humming can have a positive influence on your nervous system. 

While results and benefits will vary for each individual, the SSP is focused around improving vagal tone which may help with:

• Decreasing anxiety and depression
• Decreasing symptoms related to trauma
• Improving emotional control
• Nervous system regulation
• Improvements in heart rate
• Improvements in blood pressure regulation
• Improved gut and digestive function
• Facial expressivity
• Prosody (tone and inflection) of voice
• Improvement of adrenal dysfunction
• Improving listening, learning and communicating
• Decreasing pain
• Improving sleep
• Feeling safer and more connected with others

Colds, ear infections and sinus infections can affect the efficacy of the SSP. If you have any of the above, it's best to wait until symptoms have cleared before starting the SSP. If you get a cold during the SSP, it's best to pause the listening sessions and resume once you are feeling better. 

Some individuals may experience symptoms during the SSP, while others may not notice any symptoms at all.

Symptoms may include feeling fatigued after listening. Fatigue tends to peak on Hour 3 of the protocol, and this is a very positive sign that the inner ear muscles are being strengthened (similar to muscles being fatigued after a hard work out).

Other symptoms may include temporary autonomic nervous system responses such as heart rate changes, faster or slower breathing, flushing, sweating, mild nausea or dizziness. Some people may also feel agitated or overly emotional. 

Experiencing symptoms does not mean the protocol is not working, rather symptoms are a good indication that the music is influencing your nervous system, which is what the protocol is designed to do. 

As your provider, I will work with you to titrate your listening sessions so as to safely stretch your nervous system, without stressing your nervous system. This may include doing shorter listening sessions over a longer period of time and may also include grounding and resourcing exercises. 

Some people may benefit from repeating the protocol, especially if new stressful life events arise or if you were unable to complete the full program the first time or moved through the program at a slower pace. If you do decide to repeat the protocol, you must wait at least 8-12 weeks following the completion of the first program. 

It depends. Some people complete all five hours of the SSP over a period of five consecutive days. Others complete the program over ten consecutive days (listening for 30 minutes/day), while many others move at a slower pace.

One of the guiding principles of the SSP is "Less is More." The SSP is designed to exercise the neural network associated with listening and this may fatigue the middle ear muscles and cause a temporary feeling of exhaustion. This may be a cue to reduce the length or frequency of your listening sessions. 

As your provider, we'll work together to determine the appropriate length and frequency of your listening dependent upon your unique nervous system. 

While many clients experience therapeutic results from the SSP, the SSP is not meant as a stand-alone intervention. I am not a licensed therapist and my services should in no way be construed as or substituted for psychotherapy, mental health counseling, medical treatment, diagnosis, or medical advice.

The SSP differs from psychotherapy or talk therapy in that you don't need to actively remember, re-tell or re-live experiences of trauma. Traumatic memories or somatic responses may arise while listening, but they are not the active focus. 

The specially-filtered music helps to re-train neural circuits to help re-tune the autonomic nervous system. 

Individuals with trauma histories or mental health histories are advised to work in tandem with a licensed mental health professional in order to experience the best results. 

To begin the SSP, you'll first need to book a free discovery call here to see if the SSP is an aligned fit for you and your needs. 

If you decide to move forward with the SSP, you will need: 

• A smartphone to download the Unyte-iLs app
• A computer (laptop or desktop) with a strong wifi connection
• Over-the-ear headphones that connect to your smartphone
• A quiet space for listening sessions where you can listen undisturbed.  

There is a non-refundable onboarding fee of $325, which includes:

• An initial 90-minute intake session
• Two, 30-minute post SSP follow-up sessions
• Access to the SSP dashboard and Unyte-iLs app
• 60-day access to the SSP Connect and Balance playlists
• Email support between sessions

During the initial intake session, we will develop your individualized listening plan (which includes 5 total hours of listening). 

Once we have developed your listening plan, listening sessions are billed at $150/90 minutes (5-day Program) or $135/60 minutes (10-day or more program). The number of sessions it takes to complete the SSP varies for each individual and is based on an initial assessment and how your nervous system responds during listening. 

The SSP offers a few different playlists, including a child playlist (which primarily consists of songs from popular children's movies like Frozen, the Lion King, Mary Poppins, Moana and more) and an  adult playlist (which includes popular and classic hits from artists including Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Steve Wonder, Taylor Swift, the Beatles and more).

There is also the option for a Classical music playlist without any lyrics. 

You may choose which playlist you'd prefer to listen to during the protocol, as the music in all the SSP Core playlists are specially filtered to play at frequencies designed to train the middle ear muscles. 

No, unfortunately the SSP is not currently covered by insurance. However, some SSP providers who are licensed mental health professionals may be able to accept insurance. You would need to check with a provider individually to determine coverage eligibility. 

You will need circumaural headphones, which surround the ear. Headphones that surround the ear block out environmental noise to help you better attend to the music. Ear-buds may not be used. Noise cancelling headphones are also discouraged, unless the noise cancelling feature can be turned off. 

Here are two headphone recommendations if you don't already own a pair (please note you may need to additionally purchase a jack adapter to plug the headphones into your phone):

• Audio-Technica ATH M20x Professional Monitor Headphones
• OneOdio Wired Over Ear Headphones

All coaching sessions (including single coaching sessions, 5-session coaching packages, and 10-session coaching packages) must be paid in full on or before the first session start date. There is a no refund policy for any services offered.

In the event that you request a cancellation prior to the start date of your session (due to illness, medical emergency, or other unforeseen circumstances or hardship), a 10% cancellation fee will be applied.

In the event you need to reschedule a session, please provide 24 hours advance notice via email ([email protected]), otherwise you will forfeit the session.

No. You can schedule the protocol at different times on each day. The goal is to select a time of day when you are alert, with a schedule that works best for you to do the protocol.

For a majority of people, listening earlier in the day is better than later in the day, because there is a potential for the program to be alerting. It could interrupt your sleep patterns if done in the evening. It is also good to consider doing it earlier, because for many people, the brain starts to slow down in the evening, as it prepares for rest.

For maximum effectiveness, try to find a time in the day where your energy is at an appropriate level (neither over nor under aroused). 

If you have a question that's not answered here, please send me an email at [email protected]. 

Or book a free discovery call to learn more about the SSP here.