The Safe and Sound Protocol
Think, feel, and connect better through nervous system regulation.
Five hours of music.
Long-lasting impact.
The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is a powerful listening therapy designed to help regulate the nervous system, so your child can better connect with themselves, others, and the world around them.
Humans need social connection.
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Subconsciously, the nervous system is always looking for cues of safety from other people through things like body language, facial expression, or tone of voice.
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But if your child struggles to interpret these cues of safety due to past experiences or the way they take in information, their brain and body can misinterpret these cues, limiting their ability to connect in a meaningful way.
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How does the SSP work?
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Through specially filtered music, the SSP sends cues of safety to the nervous system, building the foundation for awareness, embodiment, and resilience.
Benefits of Nervous System Regulation
Tunes that retune.
The music of the SSP is unlike any other. Each track has been filtered through a patented algorithm that highlights specific sound frequencies that are similar to the human voice.
As your child listens to the music of the SSP, these highlighted frequencies send cues of safety to retune their nervous system, which can help them feel more settled, engaged, and balanced.
Works alongside your child, wherever they are on their journey.
Supports individuals across a wide range of needs
The SSP may be helpful in supporting overall health and resiliency for individuals seeking support for:
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Depression and anxiety
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Neurodevelopmental differences (i.e., autism, ADHD, general neurodivergence)
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Learning difficulties
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Sensory processing differences
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Trauma history
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And more​
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Listen from almost anywhere
Your child can listen to the music of SSP either in person with your certified provider or remotely from the comfort of your own home, allowing for flexibility and ease. Your provider will collaborate with you on a listening plan that works for you and your child.
Works with other therapies
The SSP can also be combined with other modalities, including:
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Neurodevelopmental treatment, such as occupational therapy & play therapy
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Forms of mental health and trauma therapies, such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Somatic Experiencing® (SE™), and Internal Family Systems (IFS)
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Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and other forms of talk therapy (e.g. DBT, MCBT, etc.)
Safe and effective for all ages and families
The SSP has helped over 100,000 children, adolescents, and adults in more than 70 countries worldwide.
What to Expect from the SSP Experience
Your and Your Child's Role
Our SSP providers will guide your child through the listening session, attuning to your child's regulation needs and providing support when needed. Your child's provider will collaborate with your child to help them with identify feelings or sensations, whether emotional or physical, that may arise.
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Your provider may also have your child engage in regulating activities during their listening sessions based on their individual needs, such as stretches, breathing exercises, movement, or drawing. Be sure to stay in close communication with your provider, so they can adjust the listening plan to suit your and your child's needs.
Your Provider's Role
Your certified provider will be your child's guide along the SSP journey. They are trained to assess your child's readiness for the program before they start listening to the music and will recommend an individualized listening plan for them. They will provide education, answer your questions, and prepare you and your child for all that your child may experience once they begin.
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During the listening process, they will monitor progress and make sure your child is completing the program in a timeline that respects their unique needs. They will support and work with you to find the right pace and conditions for the optimal listening experience for your child.
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As a parent or caregiver, you may also be a listening partner for your child. Follow your provider’s guidance for what activities to do and how to guide your child.
Continue your learning​
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It's important to stay informed and educated along the listening journey. Watch this short video for an introduction to the SSP, including:
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What a listening session may look like
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What the SSP music sounds like
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How often or how fast your child should listen
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What to expect from your SSP provider
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And more
Frequently Asked Questions
Discover the Science Behind the Safe and Sound Protocol
The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) was designed by Dr. Stephen Porges based on decades of research that is now known as the Polyvagal Theory.
To understand the science behind the SSP, it can help to first understand our own body and the nervous system.
The Autonomic Nervous System
Our involuntary bodily functions, such as breathing, heart rate, and digestion, are regulated by the autonomic nervous system, which has two parts that work together to help us ebb and flow through life: the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
Sympathetic Nervous System
You can think of the sympathetic nervous system as a mobilization system that would support our "fight-or-flight" responses.
It functions like a gas pedal, mobilizing internal resources in response to danger. When this happens, you might feel an increase in your heart rate, fast and shallow breathing, tension in your neck and shoulders, and anxiousness.
Parasympathetic Nervous System
The parasympathetic nervous system is classically called the "rest-and-digest" state, which helps us heal, recover, and conserve energy when we feel safe.
(Keep in mind that your "fight-or-flight" state and your "rest-and-digest" state may look different from someone else's.)
Your autonomic nervous system is always asking the question, "Am I safe?"
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But what if it's tuned to feel unsafe?
Polyvagal Theory: Revolutionizing the way we view the body’s response to stress
According to Polyvagal Theory, the autonomic nervous system is the foundation of our well-being.
Through Dr. Porges' Polyvagal Theory, we now understand that the vagus nerve — an essential component of the parasympathetic nervous system — has two structural pathways with different functions.
Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D., is the author of the Polyvagal Theory and creator of the Safe and Sound Protocol. He is the Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University, where he is the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium, as well as Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina, and Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland.
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He served as president of the Society for Psychophysiological Research and the Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences and is a former recipient of a National Institute of Mental Health Research Scientist Development Award.
When we feel safe​
When we feel safe, one branch of the parasympathetic nervous system supports our ability to connect socially with others, to better access our higher-level brain functions, and to have balanced, efficient, and healthy bodily systems. In what Polyvagal Theory calls the "Social Engagement State," we feel calm, connected, and more resilient to life's challenges.
When we don't feel safe
​When we don’t feel safe, our autonomic nervous system responds by taking action. In this state, you might notice anxiety, fast breathing, and feeling hot or quick to anger.
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If the feeling that we are not safe does not go away, another branch of the parasympathetic nervous system will shut us down. In this state, you might notice extreme fatigue, difficulty with digestion, or feelings of depression. This is our body doing its best to conserve our resources to keep us alive.​
The autonomic nervous system is constantly taking in and responding to cues from other people, our environment, and even inside our bodies, that tell us if we are safe. The more often our nervous system feels unsafe, the easier it is to get stuck.
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So, what could it look like to "get stuck?"
Autonomic Feedback Loop
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Cues from other people, the environment, and from inside your body tell your nervous system it is not safe.
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Your nervous system mobilizes ("fight or flight") or shuts down in response.
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Because your nervous system feels unsafe, it becomes harder to "tune in" to cues of safety.
What does dysregulation look like?
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The autonomic nervous system regulates many of our essential bodily functions. When the autonomic nervous system is challenged to access a "safe" state, you may notice one or more of the following sensations:​
This is where the Safe and Sound Protocol comes in.
When your child listens to the SSP, the music is working to interrupt this feedback loop, redirecting it with cues of safety to help regulate their nervous system.
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Through nervous system regulation, they are then better equipped and more ready to respond more effectively to life's challenges, access higher learning and cognition, and build meaningful relationships.
Difficulty with digestion, eating, or swallowing
Difficulty with falling and staying asleep, or sleeping too much
Rapid or shallow breathing, changes in heart rate and blood pressure
Challenges connecting with other people, feelings of isolation or loneliness, and anxiety
Trouble with concentrating, mental clarity, or creativity
The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) supports greater capacity to ebb and flow and respond to life's changes.
Over 100,000 Supported​
​Used in 70+ countries, those who've gone through the SSP report increased well-being and ability to participate meaningfully in life.
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In-Person or Virtual Listening
The option for delivery in-person, remote, or a hybrid mix offers flexibility to make the SSP work with you and your family.
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Safe and Effective for All Ages
Suitable for children and families, with multiple playlist options to choose from, including classical and popular music.
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Backed by Real World Evidence
Research showing the positive impact of the Safe and Sound Protocol has been published in peer-reviewed academic journals, including the Harvard Review of Psychiatry, Frontiers, and more.
Works with Other Therapies​
The SSP acts passively on the autonomic nervous system, meaning that beyond listening, you do not have to “do” anything to experience the benefits.
By helping to regulate the nervous system, the SSP makes it easier for your child to engage in other therapies, including occupational and speech therapy that includes talking, thinking, or other actions; body work, and other integrative therapies.​
This information includes proprietary content about the Safe and Sound Protocol, used with permission from Unyte Health Inc. — leading provider of evidence-based listening therapies for nervous system regulation.