The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is a auditory intervention designed to reduce stress and auditory sensitivity while enhancing social engagement and resilience. Based on Dr. Porges’ Polyvagal Theory, by calming the physiological and emotional state, the door is opened for improved communication and more successful therapy.
Emotional and physiological states are critical to how we approach a task at hand. When we have better state control, not only can we be more socially engaged, we are more open to therapy. Improved state regulation improves therapeutic outcomes.
This non-invasive intervention involves listening to music that has been processed specifically to retune the nervous system (regulating state) to introduce a sense of safety and the ability to socially engage. It is designed to help the nervous system to better receive, process and respond to the cues and signals from the world around us. This helps to learn how to more easily and consistently be more regulated in the face of life’s challenges.
The listening extends to a total of 5 hours. Dr. Porges originally designed the program to support children on the autistic spectrum and it was recommended to listen 1 hour a day so that the program would be completed after 5 days. However, after the program was administed to more and more adults and adults with (complex) trauma symptoms, it was found that less can be more, i.e. listening can and should be titrated to shorter listening sessions over a longer period of time so that the changes on the nervous system can be better integrated.
Everyone is different and responds differently to the music and I've never had a client complete the program with the same listening protocol, hence I can't say ahead of time how long it will take to complete.
Feel free to contact me and ask more questions.
The SSP is a research-based therapy showing significant results in the following areas:
- Social and emotional challenges
- Auditory sensitivities
- Anxiety and trauma related challenges
- Inattention
- Stressors that impact social engagement
