Safe and Sound Protocol: New Short Term Therapy at Balanced Awakening
Supercharged Short-Term Therapy (STT) with Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP)
What is the Safe and Sound Protocol?
The SSP is a mind-body treatment helping thousands of adults and children live happier more resilient lives. This passive listening process exercises the pathways of the autonomic nervous system (ans) by regulating physiological state. Physiological state is the platform for the bodies ability to be relaxed, think clearly and connect with others. State is also the basis for fight, flight, freeze or shutdown. Increased ability to influence state offers profound benefit to the experience of self, others and the world.
Everyday life can be rough on the human nervous system! The human body constantly surveils our environment and the interactions we have for cues of threat or safety through a process called neuroception. These cues, largely outside conscious awareness, can put a body in states of reactivity and defensive arousal. Although we aren’t consciously aware of the processes taking place at the level of neuroception, we are aware of many of the effects. Chronic defensive states divert energy into survival mode when we would be better served by thrive mode. Resources unnecessarily recruited for defense are then not available for feeling good, focusing our attention or experiencing social connection. Exercising the pathways of the nervous system returns flexibility to this oldest and foundational human structure.
How long will it take?
Short-Term Therapy with Safe and Sound Protocol can be completed in as little as 5 days or as long as 5 weeks.
SSP consists of 5 one-hour listening sessions. The STT that accompanies the listening, will take place in 5, 55-minute therapy sessions. Our SSP specialist, Kelli Fitzgerald, LCSW will work with you to maximize the benefits that you receive from the listening. This is an opportunity for advanced healing and will require you to take a break from any other therapy you are currently engaged in.
How does Safe and Sound Protocol work?
This non-invasive process impacts two cranial nerves in the body most involved in the detection of threat or safety in the environment. As sympathetic arousal (fight or flight) decreases the nervous system is better able to recognize safety. As the body is better able to recognize safety coordination of thought, feeling and behavior improve. What we think and feel as well as behaviors available to us flow from which physiological state we are in.
What exactly does SSP consist of?
Because the acoustic pathway is an extremely potent method to stimulate the social engagement system this is a listening therapy. SSP consists of three sequential computer modified playlists. The songs are altered to amplify the most prosodic features of the music, especially that of the human voice. The frequency of sound impacts three of the tiniest bones in the human body, within the inner ear. It also exercises the process of filtration that allows auditory distinctions to be heard. In the first phase, SSP Connect, mildly treated music primes the brain building receptivity for the second phase. SSP Core is the second and most modified of the playlists. In this phase five, hour-long playlists are divided into two thirty minute sessions to be played on consecutive days. SSP Balance is the final five hour playlist which helps stabilize the effects of the protocol. SSPBalance may be utilized shortly after SSP CORE or it may be utilized two to three weeks post-Core or even six to eight weeks later as a refresher. The modifications and sequence of the music is intentional and not to be altered. Over the ear, non noise-cancelling headphones are required for SSP Core.
Who can benefit from Short-term Therapy with Safe and Sound Protocol?
Anyone experiencing social and emotional difficulties
Those who have symptoms related to post traumatic stress
Folks who struggle with attention and focus, ADHD/ADD
Anyone with auditory processing and auditory sensitivity
Those who have challenges with balance and movement coordination
Folks struggling with gut health and digestive related issues
Anyone who needs a reset from chronic stress
The benefits of STT with SSP?
A calm headspace
More access to safety in your body
Feeling more grounded and resilient when challenges do come your way
Connecting with others in a more genuine & whole way, more ease in relationships
Less tension in your mind and body
A happier demeanor and greater experience of joy
An expanded capacity for deepening your healing journey
Is SSP covered by insurance?
At this time, SSP is not covered by most major insurance providers. At Balanced Awakening, we bill SSP directly to the client as self-pay. If you’re interested in learning about the cost of SSP at Balanced Awakening, reach out to us at any time!
Is SSP evidence-based?
Yes. Numerous research studies both concluded and on-going have examined SSP outcomes. Research, publications and studies are abundant and easily accessible. Additionally you may obtain a free guide by visiting the Integrated Listening website: integratedlistening.com Helpful search terms for obtaining specific information are whatever issue you are interested in and any of the following terms, i.e. anxiety + the Safe & Sound Protocol, Polyvagal Theory, Stephen Porges, the Vagus Nerve, acoustic treatment for autonomic nervous system related conditions.
https://integratedlistening.com/research/#SSP https://www.stephenporges.com/articles
Porges SW. The polyvagal theory: phylogenetic substrates of a social nervous system. Int J Psychophysiol. 2001 Oct;42(2):123-46. Review.
Porges SW, Bazhenova OV, Bal E, Carlson N, Sorokin Y, Heilman KJ, Cook EH, Lewis GF. Reducing auditory hypersensitivities in autistic spectrum disorder: preliminary findings evaluating the listening project protocol. Front Pediatr. 2014 Aug 1;2:80. doi: 10.3389/ fped.2014.00080. eCollection 2014.
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04999852
The above research study on SSP efficacy with anxiety scheduled to publish findings March, 2022.
Special considerations for SSP
There are a few situations where Safe and Sound Protocol is not an appropriate treatment which include:
When in current or on-going traumatic living situations
People experiencing certain dissociative or mental health symptoms
People struggling with active addictions or engaging in activities of self harm.
Additionally SSP is not recommended for people in the midst of high stress transitions such as divorce, job loss, loss of loved one, major examinations or moves.
What are the origins of this treatment?
“Perhaps our misunderstanding of the role of safety is based on an assumption that we think we know what safety means. This assumption needs to be challenged, because there may be an inconsistency between the words we use to describe safety and our bodily feelings of safety.”
― Stephen W. Porges, The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory: The Transformative Power of Feeling Safe
The Safe & Sound Protocol was developed by Stephen Porges, PhD. It is based on four decades of research and his discovery of the Polvagal Theory. Dr. Porges serves as Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University where he is the founding Director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium. He is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina, and Professor Emeritus at both the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland.
For a biography of Dr. Stephen Porges or for a list of books, patents and other publications please see:
https://www.stephenporges.com/bio
https://www.stephenporges.com/bibliography
Quick Summary:
SSP is a passive listening treatment that exercises our autonomic nervous system to reduce reactivity and promote emotional regulation. Gains are more rapid and lasting when our biology supports them. Safe & Sound treatment will include the SSP and brief therapy where you come to understand your autonomic profile and learn simple practices that will build your resilience and experience of the world.
“Thriving demands the inhibition of survival response. Without the capacity for activation, inhibition and flexibility of response, we suffer.”
-Deb Dana author, clinician, trainer