What is The safe & Sound Protocol
The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is a practical application of Polyvagal Theory, which helps retune the nervous system to be more regulated and resilient to life’s challenges.
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The SSP is an auditory intervention designed to reduce stress & auditory sensitivity while enhancing social engagement & resilience by activating and stimulating the vagus nerve and strengthening the inner ear muscles. It involves listening to music that has been processed specifically to retune the nervous system to introduce a sense of safety and the ability to socially engage. This allows the client to better interpret human speech, but also the emotional meaning of language. Once interpersonal interaction improve, spontaneous social behaviours and an enhanced ability to learn, self-regulate and engage are often seen.
The Safe and Sound Protocol addresses the physiology of the nervous system.
FEEL BETTER
“Respond vs. react,” replacing emotionally charged reactivity with controlled responsiveness and resilience.
feel more safe, calm, grounded and resilient; feel less irritable, anxious & overwhelmed
CONNECT BETTER
Develop relationships and truly connect with others.
connect more openly, genuinely and wholly; connect less guardedly, distantly & oppositionally
THINK BETTER
Learn and retain important facts and concepts that enable greater confidence and societal contribution.
feel more safe, calm, grounded and resilient; feel less irritable, anxious & overwhelmed
Neuroplasticity
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The ability of the brain to change in response to stimulation is known as “neuroplasticity.” The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) and Focus System are based on this principle, providing gentle and specific stimulation in order to activate the neural pathways used in the processing of sensory information.
Neural connections in these pathways are strengthened and new connections are established through repeated sessions of multisensory input, allowing the nervous system to adapt and find safety more quickly and easily.
The SSP uses specially-filtered music to train the neural network associated with listening to focus on the frequency range of the human voice and as we learn to focus on the sound frequencies of human speech, the vagus nerve becomes stimulated and the state of feeling more safe and calm becomes accessible (Social Engagement).
How it
works?
Who it is for?
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The SSP may be helpful many symptoms and conditions in reducing symptoms and supporting overall health and resiliency for people seeking support for:
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Depression and anxiety
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Long Covid Read How here
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Traumatic Brain Injuries - Stroke, Accidents, Post Concussion Syndrome (Read how here )
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Neurodevelopmental differences, such as autism, hyperactivity and attention
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Learning difficulties
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Sensory processing differences
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Trauma history
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Social anxiety and general anxiety
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Trauma history including PTSD and Complex PTSD
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Difficulty connecting to others
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Attachment challenges
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Difficulty with communication
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Hearing sensitivity, overwhelm to sound, aversion to sounds
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Difficulty hearing people speak in noisy environments
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Sensory hypersensitivity
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Poor concentration
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Little ability to self regulate
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Motion sickness
Read the evidence here..
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How can I access the Safe and Sound Protocol?
It must be delivered by a certified Safe and Sound Protocol practitioner such as ourselves.
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You must be currently in therapy, either with me or another therapist who is in support of you taking this programme alongside your therapy. It can help you get more out of your regular therapy as your nervous system adjusts to the new cues of safety.