Safe & Sound Protocol

The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP), developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, is a five-hour intervention designed to reduce stress and auditory sensitivity while enhancing capacity for social engagement and emotional resilience. By calming the physiological and emotional state, a neurological doorway may be opened for improving communication and thus lead towards more successful therapy and learning.

Who is the SSP for?

Those with the following concerns might benefit from using the SSP:

Social and emotional difficulties

Auditory and other sensory sensitivities

Auditory processing difficulties

Anxiety and trauma-related challenges

Inattention

Reactivity

Stressors that impact social engagement

Difficulties in regulating physiological and emotional state

Chronic pain and fatigue

Depression

Difficulty sleeping

Gut issues

Low resilience

Because of its calming effect on the nervous system, the SSP may be used as a precursor, or preparatory phase for your counselling journey.  The SSP was never intended to be a stand alone intervention, but rather, one that, when partnered with an emotional and mental wellness plan, can help an individual to see more significant healing sooner than with therapy alone.  Some practitioners have estimated that when starting with the SSP, they feel their clients can then continue into personal counselling as though they had already been in counselling for 6 months.

What is involved?

The SSP involves listening to a specially formulated sequence of filtered music for between 30 minutes or one hour until the 5 hour playlist is complete. The music is played through headphones on audio equipment (MP3 player) in a quiet and safe environment. 

This non-invasive intervention involves listening to filtered 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. 

How does it work?

Based on Dr. Porges’ Polyvagal Theory, the program is derived from nearly four decades of research on the relationship between the autonomic nervous system and social-emotional processes. It is designed to stimulate nervous system regulation by exercising and systematically challenging the auditory system with specifically processed music.

Outcomes of the SSP Intervention

Emotional and physiological states are critical to how we approach the situation at hand. So, when we have better internal state control, not only can we be more socially engaged, we are also more open to therapy and to developing new, healthier patterns. Studies suggest that following successful completion of the intervention, individuals will be better able to focus, see gains in therapy and everyday life and experience a calmed emotional and physiological state. Skills such as attention, state regulation and the ability to engage socially will be enhanced.

For more detailed information and research of the SSP intervention can be found at https://integratedlistening.com/ssp-safe-sound-protocol/

For those who are looking for specific upticks in their ability to focus, concentrate, or function at peak levels, extended music intervention is available. Please don’t hesitate to chat with me about how you hope this might help you become a better, more vibrant and authentic version of yourself.