THE SAFE AND SOUND PROTOCOL (SSP)

The SSP is a 5 hour listening program developed by Dr. Stephen Porges using specially filtered music that is designed to reduce stress and sound sensitivity while enhancing engagement and resilience.

It is an excellent tool to help children and adults move through the stresses caused by major transitions such as a move or a divorce. It is also a wonderful intervention to support clients who are beginning therapy or who are already in therapy but who are having trouble calming down enough at home to use the skills they are learning in sessions.

The SSP is a research-based intervention showing significant results in the following areas:

• Social and emotional difficulties
• Auditory sensitivities
• Anxiety and trauma related challenges
• Inattention
• Stressors that impact social engagement

What is the Social Engagement System and Why Would a Listening System be Helpful?

The social engagement system is key to emotional regulation. When the social engagement system is working well it allows a person to feel safe enough to connect with others. Unfortunately the social engagement system can be disrupted by different factors including genetics, trauma, environmental stress, and illness. When this disruption occurs it can result in damage to the muscles of the middle ear which are responsible for helping the human brain recognize threatening sounds during times of danger. As a result the social engagement system shuts down.

Dysregulation

When a person perceives they are in danger they enter a state of fight or flight and behaviors are affected. In this dysregulated state a person’s primary goal is survival and they lose access to the parts of the brain responsible for connecting with others and learning. This is helpful when there is a true emergency but many people get “stuck” in this state and end up with a pattern of over-reacting to little things. In kids this may look like tantrums, overwhelming worry, or aggressive behavior. In adults it may look like a short temper, constant yelling and constant feelings of stress.

The Role of the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP)

Stephen Porges and his team created the SSP to specifically strengthen the muscles in the middle ear that can become weakened in times of stress. Your therapist will work with you to evaluate your child’s readiness for this intervention and will develop a personalized plan for delivery. You will have digital access to the SSP music so that you can provide the intervention to your child in your home with the support of your therapist. By listening to the filtered music client’s auditory pathways are strengthened and the nervous system receives the message that it is okay to calm down. In addition, clients are better able to filter out background noise and to hear the inflections of the human voice. To read more about the research and how this device works CLICK HERE.

This Sounds Amazing. How Can I Get Started?

Amanda Zaidman, LCSW is a certified Safe and Sound Protocol provider and is located in Charlotte, NC. The cost to receive digital access to the filtered music for 30 days is $300. This window of time allows for clients to ease into the listening intervention with unfiltered music and to move at a pace that feels safe and comfortable.

Please note this intervention is not meant to replace other forms of therapy — it is designed to be used in an adjunctive manner. By calming the physiological and emotional state, the door is opened for improved communication and more successful therapy.

Current clients, new clients, and clients who are referred by (and are under the care of) other therapists are eligible to utilize this intervention.