Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP)
Developed by Dr. Stephan Porges
SSP a noninvasive therapy that involves listening to music that has been filtered to prioritize the frequencies of sound that stimulate the vagus nerve and invite wellbeing throughout the body.
This auditory input enables the nervous system to be receptive to cues of safety and to downregulate defensiveness and stress.
SSP is an evidence-based protocol that has successfully helped hundreds of thousands of people retune their nervous systems and cultivate a stronger sense of safety.
“Trauma, illness, disorders, and life experiences can retune the nervous system away from homeostasis and resilience to become trapped in a state of threat and defensiveness, manifested as anxiety, depression, or shutdown.”
- Dr. Stephan Porges
“Abundant cues of safety are required to offset nervous system imbalance and to facilitate connection, change, and healing.”
Dr. Stephan Porges
This protocol simply involves listening through headphones to specially designed music that prioritizes the safe and nurturing sound frequency that helps humans experience deep wellbeing in the body.
The filtration of the sound is the therapeutic medicine for the body/mind. It actually activates the ventral vagal nerve through your ears and into your brainstem to awaken and enhance the Social Engagement System.
Your nervous system can be retrained to orient to the flow of wellbeing and safe connection. This auditory therapy is a modern type of heart prana healing.
What does a session look like?
You will listen through headphones to the music through Dr. Porges’ Unyte app. We begin by meeting to experience the music therapy and determine the right amount of daily listening for your body.
The complete protocol is 5 hours of therapeutic listening to retrain your nervous system. This is broken into short listening sessions each day that you can do at home through the app on your phone with ongoing support from your provider to process your experience.
It is most effective to include in-person or zoom sessions to work with a co-regulating SSP provider. Let’s set up your listening plan!
In the office with provider, Laura Smith, LMT, for one on one support
In combination with massage
As sessions without massage
Remotely at home through an app on your phone
Independently
Video supported
Or a combination of all of these.
