Safe and Sound Protocol
Safe and Sound Protocol is The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is a five-hour intervention designed to reduce stress and auditory sensitivity while enhancing social engagement and resilience.
The intervention uses prosodic vocal music that has been filtered to train the middle ear muscles to focus in on the frequency envelope of human speech. Once human speech is properly perceived, the portal to social engagement has been opened.
You’ll find you are better able to interpret not only the meaning, but also the intent in conversations. And the sense of safety that is achieved by better understanding the fluctuations in human voice calms your physiological state.
Once your system has been primed and your state is calm, further therapy is enhanced and behavioral regulation is improved.
A 3 minute TikTok by Amanda M Edwards about the Safe & Sound Protocol:
https://www.tiktok.com/@amandamedwardslpc/video/7038787363035827461
The SSP consists of 5 hours of listening, divided over approximately 10 listening sessions. In cases of sensory overload, severe trauma history, reduced ability to regulate too much information, we slow the administration and/or couple SSP with other therapies, such as EMDR, Transforming Touch, or Somatic Experiencing. I administer the SSP with clients via Telehealth, and in person
THE PROCESS:
We begin with a 90-minute assessment and treatment planning. Based on the evaluation of current symptoms and nervous system regulation, I recommend whether the SSP is indicated at this time and the amount of listening to be done in each session (usually between 10-30 minutes). We then proceed to sessions including listening to the SSP and processing the experience. Recommended listening time per session may fluctuate throughout treatment based on the individual's nervous system response to the listening. Often people complete the entire protocol within10-12 hours. Others proceed more slowly and engage over a longer period of time. Please understand that we proceed at the pace of your nervous system, as pushing can flood the nervous system and be counter-productive and even harmful.
COST:
I charge my hourly rate of $150 for SSP preparation and administration.
WHERE TO START:
I offer a free 15 minute phone screening plus consultation during which I’ll ask a few questions that would let us know if the SSP is not recommended at this time and give you an opportunity to ask any further questions to get a feel of whether you’d like to proceed.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
Changes occur from day one upwards to 2-3 months after the protocol has been completed.
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Social Connection
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Social Engagement System – improved eye contact, understanding of speech, tone, and facial expressions, reciprocal social interactions, decreasing social withdrawal. Improvements in behavior regulation hypo/hyperarousal, anxiety, reactivity, flooding/overwhelm, distractibility, and impulsiveness.
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Physiological State
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Autonomic Nervous system – improves vagal regulation which is responsible for digestion, sleep, and state regulation
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Sensory Sensitivity
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improves one’s ability to decipher human speech from background sounds and hearing in both ears.
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To learn more about the SSP:
Here are some case study testimonials for the SSP experience: