Safe & sound Protocol

The science of sound

The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is an acoustic vagal nerve stimulator designed to reduce sound sensitivities and improve auditory processing, behavioral state regulation, and social engagement behaviors through specially filtered music. 

Developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, the SSP is a practical application of Polyvagal Theory. 

The SSP seeks to shift the nervous system out of a chronic state of defense (sympathetic or dorsal vagal arousal) and into a state of social engagement through ventral vagal activation. A change in the nervous system allows for a more spontaneous experience in human interactions and an enhanced ability to self- and co-regulate.

The SSP creates the conditions for the attachment and bonding system to work more effectively by increasing flexibility in the nervous system when it is stuck in a defensive response. The SSP is both a verbal and non-verbal intervention, the effects of which are enhanced through the provider’s guidance and facilitation of the process.

The SSP provides a window of experience into how the physiology of safety interacts in the development and persistence of traumatic symptoms.

The ventral system is “awakened” so that the flow between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system is repatterned; allowing for steady oscillations of expansion and contraction to occur. For those using the SSP, the neurological structures that are supporting the defensive accommodations are gently disarmed and dismantled without the provider’s direction, allowing the authentic, unarmored version of the self to emerge. 

The SSP is suitable for children and adults, and has been designed to work with a diverse variety of therapeutic approaches and modalities. Its effectiveness has been proven in a wide range of studies including clinical trials involving children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, along with numerous case studies demonstrating effectiveness with emotional regulation, trauma, anxiety and more.