Safe and Sound Protocol™ (SSP)
Safe and Sound Protocol™
SSP now available at Therapy with Michaela
SSP is an innovative addition to psychological treatment. Dr. Stephen Porges developed SSP to reduce stress and auditory sensitivity while enhancing social engagement and resilience.
The SSP is a listening therapy grounded in the neurobiology of safety. It uses music filtered through a patented algorithm to help shift the nervous system from defense toward regulation and connection. By supporting a felt sense of safety, it enhances clients’ capacity for presence, connection and engagement, which is known to accelerate therapeutic progress. The five-hour intervention helps calm the physiological and emotional state, which in turn improves communication and supports more successful therapy.
This non-invasive and gentle approach that is used to support clients experiencing:
Trauma
Sensory challenges
Difficulties with social communication
Anxiety and emotional regulation difficulties
We believe SSP is an invaluable tool that can help you and/or your child achieve greater emotional well-being. For further information, please visit these links and do not hesitate to discuss this directly with us.
Pure Listening: An SSP Listening Session
Watch a sample remote SSP listening session, featuring provider Leah Dawang and Rebecca Kase, LCSW
Is SSP right for you?
SSP tends to be most supportive for those who feel disconnected from others, or who notice more externalising patterns in how they respond to stress. If you find it difficult to feel present, connected, or at ease in your relationships and social interactions, SSP may offer a meaningful place to begin.
Trauma and the Nervous System: A Polyvagal Perspective
Polyvagal Theory | SSP (1) | What is SSP | Integrated listening
As the listener, all that is required of you during a session is to simply listen to the music and to let your provider know of feelings or sensations, whether emotional or physical, that may arise. Your provider may also have you engage in light activity during your listening sessions, such as stretches, breathing exercises, or drawing. Close communication is provided throughout the treatment, so that any adjustments can be made to suit your individual needs.
Based on hierarchical recruitment of the autonomic nervous system, the SSP trains the auditory processing system to tune into cues of safety signalled by frequencies of the human voice, which stimulates the social engagement system through the neural network associated with listening. The Focus System combines filtered music through air and bone conduction with movement activities, harnessing the power of neuroplasticity to change the brain.
SSP is supported by more than 10 clinical trials published in peer-reviewed journals, giving you confidence in an approach that is both innovative and well researched.
85% of clients with anxiety symptoms reported improvement post-SSP
81% of clients with depression symptoms reported improvement post-SSP
87% of clients with trauma-related symptoms reported improvement post-SSP
84% of clients experiencing challenges with psychosocial functioning reported improvement post-SSP
How SSP supports your nervous system
The Safe and Sound Protocol is an evidence-based listening therapy that gently guides your nervous system from defence towards regulation and connection. By stimulating the social engagement system through the auditory portal, SSP trains your auditory processing to tune into cues of safety carried within the frequencies of the human voice. This helps your nervous system feel safe enough to connect. By supporting a felt sense of safety, SSP enhances your capacity for presence, connection, and engagement, a shift that is known to accelerate therapeutic progress. It's a gentle, non-invasive approach suitable for lifespan care, from young children to seniors (ages 2–100+).
What to expect
SSP consists of five hours of specially filtered music, delivered through the MyUnyte app and titrated gently over weeks or months. Sessions are combined with co-regulation activities, so support is offered every step of the way.
Targeted areas
SSP works with the ventral vagal pathway and the social engagement system, supporting communication, reciprocal social engagement, and the everyday processes of feeding and ingestion.
Equipment
SSP is app-based and listened to through over-ear headphones (Core), or speakers (Balance), allowing you to settle into each session with comfort.