The Safe and Sound Protocol
The Safe and Sound Protocol or SSP uses specialized music developed by a neuroscientist and psychiatrist by the name of Dr. Stephen Porges. As the director of the Brain-Body Center at the University of Illinois in Chicago, Dr. Stephen Porges developed the polyvagal theory which is the science of feeling safe. HeartSprings brought this technology to the FM Area in 2017, fresh out of the research laboratory.
The Polyvagal Theory focuses on what is happening in the body and the nervous system, and explains how our sense of safety, danger or threat, can impact our behavior. Our brain and nervous system act like a sponge, constantly taking in information from the world around us, helping us to assess if we are safe or in danger. This is called “neuroception”. Every input is assessed through this lens — what we see, what we hear, and what we experience; a soothing voice, an unexpected sound or unwelcome situation. Our body senses it and takes it all in, and responds automatically.
Our nervous system is constantly making decisions on our behalf, and much of our behavior is reactive based on these constant cues and signals. If we have been traumatized or live in a constant state of stress due to illness such as COVID or cancer for example or we have had a traumatic past such as living with a parent with PTSD or have experienced our own trauma, our system will misinterpret cues and reflect a sense of ‘danger’ when one isn’t present.
Jan Nelson, Dr. Porges, and Barbara Edin
We met Dr. Stephen Porges at a Integrated Listening Systems conference in 2017. He was able to look at our initial work with those living with Parkinson’s. In June 2019, HeartSprings did their own research on six people living with anxiety and depression.
Each was given pre and post testing.
In 5 hours of listening, five out of six reduced their symptoms of anxiety and depression, but three out of six (one with depression for 30 years) experienced a reduction in their symptoms by 50% and reduced their perfectionism. They also improved in mindfulness, gratitude, hope, flow, and self-compassion. By listening to filtered music to change our nervous system it changes our mood and provides biofeedback to the body to feel calmer, more relaxed, and willing to connect with others and the world.
There are three different paths of listening:
SSP Connect is full spectrum, unfiltered music that has been curated to be calming and grounding with a soothing tempo and without abrupt changes.
SSP CORE uses algorithms to modulate the frequencies and acoustic energy of the music to change how the body reacts to the world.
SSP Balance includes the same underlying 5-hour Adult and Child playlists as SSP Core, but with a lighter frequency modulation algorithm. Balance is a pathway that can be used to extend and integrate the gains of the SSP and potentially act as a state stabilizer.
Adapted from the free e-books: POLYVAGAL THEORY UNDERSTANDING & SSP Three Pathways
Step 1: Questions to ask yourself: Do I have a computer with a good internet connection to zoom with the therapist? Do I have an I phone or I pad that I can listen to music on? You will need two forms of technology for this therapy.
Step 2: Click here to sign up for neurological coaching.
For Questions call HeartSprings at 701-261-3142 or email Jan at heartspringsed@gmail.com