Safe and Sound Protocol

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Based on years of research by Dr. Stephen Porges and his Polyvagal Theory, the SSP is a five-hour therapeutic listening intervention designed to support the individual's emotional regulation and neuroception (sense of one's safety), as well as decrease auditory sensitivity. The intervention uses prosodic vocal music to train the middle ear to tune-in to cues of safety signaled by the frequencies of human voice, which stimulates the social engagement system through the neural network associated with listening.  This ushers the nervous system out of a defensive (fight, flight or freeze) state and into a socially engaged (ventral vagal) state. The music is heard through headphones while engaging in a calm activity in co-regulation. The SSP increases vagal regulation of the heart leading to better control of state. Since our state is critical to how we approach a task at hand, by calming the physiological and emotional state, the door is opened for improved communication and greater success in other interventions.

The SSP can improve the quality of life for individuals with a variety of conditions and challenges including, but not limited to:

• Anxiety 
• Depression
• Autism 
• ADHD and ADD
• PTSD, trauma 
• Auditory hypersensitivities
• Multiple chemical sensitivity
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Mast cell activation 
• Adrenal fatigue/dysfunction
• Brain injuries
• Mood dysregulation
• Motion sickness
• Misophonia (a strong reaction to certain sounds, such as chewing, tapping)
• Auditory processing disorder
• Sensory processing disorder
• Reactivity and emotional regulation difficulties

Your Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) takes care of a lot of functions like your heartbeat, digestion and body temperature, all without you having to be conscious of it. It also manages your survival and stress response, constantly scanning the environment for cues of safety and danger. As it scans the environment there are three general states or responses.  1. Safe (rest and digest response); you feel calm, relaxed and connected to those around you. 2. Mobilized (fight / flight response); when the ANS detects danger, our heart rate and breathing increases, blood rushes to your muscles, and adrenal and cortisol is released. 3. Immobilized (freeze response); when the ANS detects that the danger is so great you can't run or fight it shuts you down, your heart rate and blood pressure decrease and pain numbing endorphins are released. 

Our ANS navigates us through these states in the world every day. When the ANS functions well it moves fluidly from one state to another or blends them as optimally needed. When our nervous system stays fluid and flexible, we are able to manage stress well and are resilient to negative events, we are able to 'bounce back'. Unfortunately, when we experience trauma or chronic stress it can keep our ANS from functioning in a safe, regulated and healthy way and it can keep us stuck in survival mode. Our detection system becomes faulty, constantly signaling danger, even when we are safe. 

Many physical and emotional symptoms can emerge from a chronically dysregulated nervous system. When we get stuck in a survival state, our biology shifts its focus from tasks that keeps us healthy, happy and thriving to surviving the immediate perceived threat. Living in a chronic state of feeling unsafe can keep us from connecting with others and from accessing higher intelligence. 

Symptoms of a dysregulated nervous system can be physical, mental and/or emotional including, but not limited to:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Chronic pain
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Chronic attention and concentration problems
• Immune and hormonal symptoms
• Difficulties sleeping
• Sensitivity to sensory stimuli
• Cognitive issues
• Changes in appetite or weight
• Digestive problems
• Headaches
• Skin conditions
• Behavior challenges such as being aggressive or argumentative
• Addictive tendencies
• Easily overwhelmed or highly reactive

In children, a dysregulated nervous system can manifest in various ways depending on their age, temperament, and individual experiences. Here's a general overview of how the fight, flight, freeze state may appear in children. 

1. Fight: Some children may exhibit a fighting response when confronted with a threat. Typical behaviors include physical aggression, verbal aggression including yelling, screaming, or lashing out. They may be quick to blame others and deflect responsibility, be defensive, demanding and controlling, oppositional or defiant, and be irritable and angry in general. 
2. Flight: Other children may display a flight response, which involves a strong urge to escape or avoid the threat. Typical behaviors include wanting to run away or escape, hiding, feeling anxious, scared, panicked or worried, procrastinating, ignoring or avoiding situations. They may appear restless, fidgety or hyperactive and may struggle to focus.
3. Freeze: The freeze response is characterized by a child feeling overwhelmed or paralyzed by fear. Typical behaviors include appearing motionless, becoming unusually quiet, wanting to isolate themselves and they may have a blank or vacant expression.  The child may be verbally unresponsive and feel depressed, stuck,  bored, apathetic, numb or helpless.

It's important to note that not all children respond in the same way to a threat (real or perceived). Some children may exhibit a combination of these responses or even switch between them depending on the circumstances. Additionally, the intensity and duration of these responses vary widely from child to child. 

It is important to have a quiet and calm environment while listening.  Children can engage in any kind of quieter activity such as puzzles, blocks, play doh, kinetic sand, board games, stress balls, blocks, sticker books, coloring, etc. Avoid overstimulating or highly active activities, electronic toys and loud sounds while listening. It is beneficial to be in co-regulation while listening to SSP.

Co-regulation is a process between two people that aims to help manage immediate, in-the-moment emotions and foster self-regulation skills. This is achieved by one person's nervous system calming and nurturing another, providing an environment that supports emotional and physical safety. “As you co-regulate with someone, the mirror neurons in their brain are activated, and this enables the person in the deregulated state to literally ‘mirror’ your calmness.” —Caroline Leaf, PhD.

The pace of the protocol is dictated by your own needs and nervous system response.  The fastest you can complete the Safe and Sound Protocol is in 5 days, by listening to 1 hour of music per day. The average is 30 minutes of listening per day - sometimes every day, sometimes every other day.  

The SSP uses specially filtered music to deliver different auditory frequencies therefore traditional earphones do not work for the program. Headphones need to be over the ears (not earbuds), they also should not have bluetooth or be noise-cancelling. Some headphone recommendations from iLs include: 

• Audio-Technica ATH-M20x Professional Monitor Headphones
• OneOdio Wired Over Ear Headphones

After finishing a session, it is beneficial to participate in activities that are grounding. Here are some suggestions: 

• Creative outlets like drawing
• Breathing exercises
• Going to the playground to swing or play 
• Playing with pets, taking dogs for a walk
• Praying or spiritual practices
• Being outside in nature
• Singing 
• Mindfulness or yoga 
• Moving your body e.g. bike riding, stretching, jumping on a trampoline 
• Focusing and following the inner sensations of your body

 SSP's 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.

Research has even begun on how the SSP can affect the impact of long COVID. Explore SSP research and case studies more on the Unyte website.