About the Safe and Sound Protocol

The SSP is a product held by Unyte Health Inc. and is an auditory vagal stimulator developed by Stephen Porges PhD. It is not a licensed medical device. Use of the protocol is procured through a credentialed SSP provider who has completed the requisite training and passed the test. In general, credentialing requires a master’s degree and a clinical license of any sort; however in some instances individuals without those credentials are allowed to complete the training under the supervision of an approved mentor. Examples of licensure types that currently deliver the SSP are: OT, PsyD, LCSW, PT, LMFT, SLP, Special Ed, NP, PA, MD etc. Non-clinical personnel who deliver the SSP have backgrounds in sports medicine, veterinary medicine, yoga practice, acupuncture, personal coaching, and so forth. The SSP is not billable to insurance and there is no assigned CPT code.

The music of the SSP has been filtered through a patented, evidence-based algorithm that highlights specific sound frequencies that help regulate the autonomic nervous system and stimulate the vagus nerve.

Some people, including adults and children who have experienced really difficult life events, are living with illness or injury, have sensory, learning or developmental differences, such as autism, or for many other reasons, may miss or misinterpret these cues as threatening.

Their autonomic nervous system may be biased toward experiencing the environment as unsafe, which can limit the body’s ability to heal and recover.

Auditory processing is a window into the nervous system. By listening to the specially filtered music of the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) in the context of a therapeutic relationship, the nervous system can be repatterned to better perceive calming frequencies, enhancing autonomic regulation by changing the way it responds to cues from the environment.

The delivery of the SSP is quite variable. Initially, the guidance published was to deliver it for an hour at a time. Subsequently, with the development of the digital app, sessions over telehealth, and post-COVID, those guidelines have changed to 30 minutes maximum duration listening time.

Extensive modifications are made within those guidelines by individual providers; some providers will reduce listening time to as little as 30 seconds at a time. The reason for this is that the vagal stimulation generates responses in the body that can be uncomfortable for people and therefore pacing is important. It is recognized that various kinds of supportive activities during the listening process can mitigate the discomforts and facilitate longer listening times. At the top of these options is listening in conjunction with someone else, i.e. in the presence of another individual who provides occasional eye contact, and other nonverbal support. Often, listeners are encouraged to color, draw or use some type of expressive modality to discharge tension and enhance bilateral processing. The goal here is to create the “safe before the sound,” so that the listener’s nervous system is calmed by the environment/co-regulating listening partner, and ready for the auditory input that is filtered and designed to come across as a cue of safety.

The SSP helps to regulate the autonomic nervous system and improve auditory processing, leading to better social connection.

When we experience the world as safe, we can more effectively and efficiently use our internal resources to support health and well-being, building the foundation for awareness, embodiment and resilience.