What is the SSP?
Developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, the SSP is a five-day intervention designed to reduce stress and auditory sensitivity while enhancing social engagement and resilience. By calming the behavioral and physiological state, further therapy is enhanced or even accelerated.
The intervention involves listening to female vocal music that has been specifically processed so that the middle ear muscles are trained and exercised to focus on the frequency range of the human voice. This stimulates nervous system regulation by exercising and systematically challenging the auditory system. The result is improved social communication and behavioral regulation.
The Safe and Sound Protocol as an intervention has two components: first, structuring a safe context in which the intervention is delivered; and second, delivering the acoustic features of the sound presented during the intervention that serve as a neural exercise. It is important to acknowledge successful implementation of the SSP requires both components.
Who would benefit? SSP as an intervention for the treatment of trauma and other self-regulation disorders.
For the SSP to be effective with adolescents and adults, similar to children, it is necessary to maintain the nervous system in a state of safety during the listening sessions. Maintaining the adult’s nervous system in a state of safety may be challenging, especially adults with trauma histories. Unlike the ‘safe cocoon’ that children experience in the presence of a caring and supportive adult, adults frequently arrive at counseling unable to engage by verbalizing their difficulties. Vulnerability to state changes might be exacerbated if self-administering the SSP at home which I don’t recommend.
Purpose of the ssp
The purpose of the SSP is to initiate and accelerate a physiological and emotional state conducive to successful treatment, and eventually to successful interaction with others. It is not meant to be used in isolation. Rather, it is intended to prepare the client’s system for other therapies to make lasting improvement in sensory processing, auditory sensitivity, social communication, and state regulation. Because of the short duration of the intervention, the SSP can be used flexibly. The changes to state regulation that often result from using the SSP make it an excellent way to start or continue therapy.
The improved outcomes of therapeutic modalities engaged in after the SSP also make it an effective intervention to use at any time. An important consideration is timing. Since the SSP requires consistent adherence to one hour of listening for five consecutive days, it may require some deliberate planning and scheduling considerations.
integrating into therapy
Changes from the SSP can be cumulative and self-perpetuating. They will be enhanced by the social supports that exist outside of treatment in your natural environment as well.
While you may notice some very positive changes while using the SSP, it is not meant to be used in isolation. Post-intervention reorganziation and adjustment usually takes place over a 6 week window. With most individuals experiencing effects 2-4 weeks out.
The changes you see can potentiate neuroplasticity and functional change from subsequent therapy modalities.