The resonance of connection: Understanding the safe and sound protocol

The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is a listening-based intervention informed by Polyvagal Theory, developed by Dr. Stephen Porges. It offers a way of supporting the nervous system through sound, relationship, and careful pacing — particularly for people who experience ongoing stress, sensory overwhelm, or difficulty feeling safe and connected.

Rather than trying to change behaviour directly, SSP works with the body’s underlying sense of safety.

Polyvagal Theory: The Foundation of SSP

Polyvagal Theory helps us understand how the nervous system responds to the world around us. Central to this theory is the vagus nerve — a long nerve pathway that connects the brain with many organs in the body and plays a key role in regulation and social engagement.

Polyvagal Theory describes three primary nervous system states:

• Ventral Vagal — associated with safety, connection, and social engagement

• Sympathetic — associated with mobilisation, energy, and protective action

• Dorsal Vagal — associated with stillness, conservation, and withdrawal

These states are not “modes we choose,” but automatic responses shaped by experience and context. We move between them throughout the day.

Understanding the Three States

We are never locked into just one state. Instead, the nervous system shifts depending on what it perceives as safe, demanding, or overwhelming.

When ventral vagal responses are accessible, people tend to feel more open to connection, communication, and engagement. When sympathetic or dorsal responses take the lead, the body may prioritise action, protection, or rest.

These responses are not problems — they are protective strategies.

Are Sympathetic and Dorsal States the Problem?

Neither sympathetic nor dorsal responses are inherently negative. Sympathetic energy supports movement, focus, and readiness — such as during sport, learning, or advocacy. Dorsal responses support rest, recovery, and conservation of energy.

Difficulties arise when these states become activated in situations that don’t require protection, or when the nervous system has limited access to ventral states of connection.

The goal is not to eliminate any state, but to support flexibility.

When States Are Activated at the Wrong Time

Stress, trauma, chronic overwhelm, or sensory challenges can make the nervous system more likely to activate protective states even when no immediate danger is present. This can affect digestion, sleep, attention, emotional responsiveness, and relationships.

When this happens, it’s not a failure — it’s information about how the nervous system has learned to stay safe.

How the Safe and Sound Protocol Supports Regulation

The Safe and Sound Protocol is designed to support experiences of safety through auditory input. It uses specially filtered music delivered via over-ear headphones in a safe, supported environment.

The filtering emphasises frequencies associated with the human voice, which are closely linked to social engagement pathways in the nervous system.

Listening is carefully paced, monitored, and adjusted based on individual responses.

What the SSP Process Involves

The listening component of SSP is typically delivered gradually over several sessions. The process is always guided by consent, observation, and responsiveness to the individual.

During and after listening, people may notice changes in:

• sensory tolerance

• emotional responsiveness

• social engagement

• energy levels

Responses vary, and changes may continue to unfold over time rather than immediately.

SSP as Part of a Broader Therapeutic Context

SSP is not a stand-alone therapy. It is most effective when offered alongside relational, counselling-based, or supportive therapeutic work.

Because the nervous system continues to learn from everyday experiences, safe relationships and supportive environments play a significant role in how changes are integrated.

Timing and Integration

Many people notice that shifts continue in the weeks following the listening phase. Integration depends on pacing, context, and the presence of supportive relationships.

In environments that feel unpredictable or unsafe, the nervous system may continue to rely on protective responses — highlighting the importance of broader support rather than SSP alone.

A Gentle Closing Reflection

The Safe and Sound Protocol is not about forcing the nervous system into calm or overriding protective responses. It is about creating conditions where safety can be experienced, allowing connection to become more accessible over time.

SSP is offered to existing clients and is introduced only when it is assessed as appropriate for the individual or child, with ongoing consent and care throughout the process.