Safe & Sound Protocol in Oregon & Washington

Reset your nervous system from the comfort of your home.

 

Supplement & accelerate your therapy progress.

What is the Safe & Sound Protocol?

 

Safe & Sound program highlights:

The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is an evidence-based listening therapy designed to reduce sound sensitivities and improve auditory processing, behavioral state regulation, and social engagement behaviors through filtered music.

As a practical application of Polyvagal Theory, the SSP acts as a non-invasive, acoustic vagal nerve stimulator, helping to re-tune the nervous system to better support connection, collaboration, and resilience.

The SSP involves listening to specially filtered music through headphones alongside a provider, in-person or remotely. The SSP has demonstrated benefits for individuals with trauma, anxiety, sensory processing differences, and more.

 

  • A five-hour auditory intervention (split into 10 or more listening sessions) developed and patented by Dr. Stephen Porges, author of the Polyvagal Theory

  • Designed to reduce sound sensitivity, and improve auditory processing and behavioral state regulation

  • Activates the client’s social engagement system, helping to accelerate and enhance therapeutic outcomes

  • Supports physiological state regulation, allowing for greater resilience

Polyvagal Theory: The Science of Feeling Safe

Developed by world-renowned researcher and Unyte’s Chief Scientific Advisor, Dr. Stephen Porges, Polyvagal Theory focuses on what is happening in the body and the nervous system, and explains how our sense of safety, danger or life-threat can impact our behavior.

Understanding Polyvagal Theory gives us a scientific framework that can be applied through physiological, or “bottom-up” therapies, to help change and improve how we feel, think and connect with others.

 
 

The goal is to gain more resilience in the nervous system. The SSP is not a stand-alone treatment or replacement for ongoing therapy. The effects of SSP can be registered immediately or up to several months after the intervention.

The Safe & Sound Protocol might be helpful for you if you struggle with…

  • Low frustration threshold

  • Challenges around social engagement

  • Aggression (yelling, hitting, throwing things) 

  • Hyperactivity

  • Difficulty with staying on task or paying attention

  • Anxiety 

  • Shutting down, people-pleasing, withdrawal, disengagement

  • High sensitivity to or misperception of sounds or voices

The SSP is a research-based therapy showing significant results in just five hours in the following areas:

 

  • Social engagement difficulties

  • Auditory hypersensitivities

  • Anxiety

  • Trauma

  • PTSD

  • Depressed mood

  • Mood dysregulation

  • Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADD, and ADHD

  • Misophonia

  • Motion sickness

  • Selective mutism

  • Auditory Processing Disorder

  • Sensory Processing Disorder

  • Emotional regulation difficulties

  • and more!

Typical positive outcomes of the SSP include:

 

  • easier social connection

  • better emotional control

  • improvements in sensory sensitivities

  • improved executive functioning/cognitive abilities

  • greater focus and attention

  • enhanced language skills

  • lower anxiety

  • better physiological state regulation

  • improved learning

  • enhanced sleep

  • reduction in pain levels

  • improved outcomes for other therapy modalities

This is for you if you have…

  • Been through chronic stress, trauma, or felt burnout

  • Felt easily triggered, anxious thoughts, worries

  • Been feeling depressed, low or hopeless

  • Difficulty concentrating

  • Poor digestion, constipation, or nausea

  • Tension in shoulders or neck

  • Chronic cough

This is not for you if…

  • You have a history of seizures

  • You are currently in an unsafe work or living environment

  • You are currently misusing substances

  • You are currently having suicidal thoughts

  • You are not currently working with a therapist for ongoing therapeutic care

For most clients, completing the program means listening to all five hours of a selected program; however, many clients repeat SSP programs several times a year or use the SSP Balance pathway for on-going and exponential benefits.

Cost

  • Remote SSP Access

    Intake ($350) + 3-6 fifteen minute check in sessions throughout your listening duration ($262.50-$525); total cost estimate: $612.50-$875

  • Balance Membership

    You may choose to continue your SSP journey for continued improvements after completion of the 5hrs of listening; $50/month

Discover a breakthrough in mental health with the Safe and Sound Protocol: Rewiring the brain, reclaiming joy, and finding inner peace

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Frequently asked questions about SSP

FAQs

  • If you are engaging in traditional forms of talk-therapy, your nervous system may not be as affected, which is why you may still have some undesired symptoms.

    If you are engaging in more somatic forms of therapy like Brainspotting or EMDR, the SSP only further benefits your brain rewiring towards safety!

    This protocol is tailored to help an individual retune their nervous system and can help with gaining a greater sense of safety. The 5-hour listening protocol is split up into 10 listening sessions. I will tailor your treatment to help you gain the best results. The treatment plan depends on each individuals nervous system needs and may take up to 16 sessions.

  • You will download an app and have access to an online account where you will listen to your personalized program.

    You will need a pair of wired, over the ear headphones (non-noise cancelling or Bluetooth) to listen to the listening therapy.

    If you do any independent listening through your program, note that the maximum listening time in 30 minutes per day.

    The program works best if you can listen in consecutive days at roughly the same time each day.

  • For new clients, you will be charged the cost of an intake appointment ($350), $50 for monthly access to the Safe & Sound Protocol, and the amount for 3-6 fifteen minute check in sessions ($262.50-$525).

    Once you have completed your program, you may continue with a Balance membership for $50 per month.

  • This service is considered Neurofeedback.

    Workman’s compensation may be for Neurofeedback if your doctor recommends the treatment.

    An FSA may be used, though please check with your account administrators. A superbill/invoice can be provided to you to submit to your insurance plan for potential reimbursement. Please call and confirm with your plan to confirm if this is a covered service.

    The 15 minute check in sessions can be eligible for reimbursement via your out-of-network benefits.

  • The short answer is yes!

    Here is just one example highlighting the efficacy of the SSP.

  • If you have more questions and want to learn from the SSP developer directly, head over to: whatistheSSP.com

 

In-person therapy in Seattle, WA