Safe & Sound Protocol
Coaching, Consultations & Advanced SSP Training

Turn to the provider that providers turn to...

Healing happens when we listen to what our body knows. With SSP, RRP, Brainspotting, Somatic Experiencing & intuition, I help both clients and providers find clarity, calm, and flow.

Welcome — I’m so glad you found me.

I’m Carol Ann Brayley, MSW, RSW, SEP — a Canadian neurodivergent psychotherapist and Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner with over 30 years of clinical experience. I specialize in helping neurodiverse families and highly sensitive, complex individuals become more regulated, feel safer in the world, and able to fully embrace their gifts—with fewer meltdowns and more connection.

I’m fully certified by Unyte in the Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP), Rest & Restore Protocol (RRP), and iLs Focus, and I’m an officially approved Unyte Mentor for other providers.

In the summer of 2024, I was deeply honoured to support Dr. Stephen Porges, Anthony Gorry, and Unyte in the pilot study for the brand-new Rest & Restore Protocol (RRP).

Whether you’re:

• Seeking SSP or RRP for yourself or your child,
• Already working with a provider but want extra support or a second opinion,
• Or you’re a provider yourself seeking consultation, advanced guidance, or tools to enhance your practice…

I’m here to help.

Why work with me?

With SSP or RRP, the provider you choose really matters. These protocols aren’t one-size-fits-all. I’m known for helping even the most sensitive, complex, or misunderstood clients. In fact, Unyte has often referred both clients and providers to me when things feel too complex, when someone needs advanced support, or when things have gone wrong with a different provider.

I’ve helped several hundred people - from 2-78 years old - experience life-changing results with SSP — including those for whom SSP previously didn’t work or even made things worse.

Along the way, I’ve made some unique discoveries that are now helping other providers and clients worldwide, including:

•   The Mini Reset – a simple but powerful way to quickly settle dysregulation, often in real time
• The ability to microdose SSP – delivering it in extremely small, gentle increments for those with extreme sensitivity or complex histories

Too often, SSP is delivered too quickly, especially by providers who haven’t worked with complex systems.

When SSP is titrated gently and responsively, SSP becomes far more effective, more regulating, and far less overwhelming — even for those with extensive trauma or health concerns.

My work has been featured by Unyte:

• November 2022 – Featured SSP provider in a live Unyte-iLs webinar on offering SSP safely and gently to complex clients
• September 2024 – Provider Spotlight speaker for the free recorded Unyte webinar: How Anxiety Manifests in the Nervous System
• October 2024 – Invited expert panelist at a live event in Toronto, interviewed by Jan Winhall, a leading voice in trauma and nervous system work.

I have been interviewed on The Spiritually Curious Therapist about my work.

I walk this path, too.

I’m not just a practitioner — I’m a neurodivergent, highly sensitive human with complex health concerns. I’ve also raised two amazing neurodivergent kids to adulthood.

In just our immediate family, we’ve navigated:

• LGBQT+ related concerns
• Autism, ADHD (including slow cognitive type), anxiety, and depression
• Selective mutism, Tourette’s syndrome, misophonia, and auditory processing issues
• Brain injury, fibromyalgia, MTHFR mutations, autoimmune conditions, and more

I get it. Deeply. Intuitively. Quickly. You won’t have to explain everything — I’ll already be attuned to what’s going on, often before words are even needed.

What it feels like to work with me:
•   Relief, because you won’t have to educate your provider or prove your complexity
• Respect, because I see neurodivergence as a gift to be supported, not a problem to fix
•   Creativity, because I find flexible, personalized ways to meet your needs
• Ease, because I can track subtle cues of dysregulation and adjust the process early
•   Confidence, because I hold the bigger picture so you can simply show up and heal

And when you’re ready to go further, I offer NeurOptimal Neurofeedback and iLs Focus as natural next steps — all with the same level of care, insight, and customization.

I offer flat rate independent listening packages for SSP or RRP.

I offer flexible payment plans in either CDN or US currency.

However, if you want a more fully coregulated experience of SSP or RRP, I also have a pay-as-you-go option where we can some even deeper work with me present for all or most of listening, while we also weave in together elements of Brainspotting, Somatic Experiencing, and parts work.

A note about pricing and quality of care

Some low-cost SSP providers offer little support, and I’ve worked with clients who were left dysregulated and sometimes even abandoned when things got hard. This often creates unexpected added expense requiring additional help from other providers, to get things settled again.

With me, you’re not just getting SSP—you’re getting expert support, real-time responsiveness, trauma-informed care, and a compassionate partner who knows how to handle complexity safely. I’ve built my practice around helping people feel deeply supported, seen, and safe throughout the entire journey.

“I thought I was saving money with a low-cost provider. But when things started to unravel, they disappeared—and I was left to pick up the pieces. Finding Carol Ann changed everything. She knew exactly how to help, and for the first time, I felt safe, seen, and supported.”
— Former SSP client, now thriving

Are you a provider?

Whether you’re new to SSP or highly experienced but feeling stuck with complex cases, I offer a range of supports to help you grow in confidence, skill, and ease:

•   Individual & group SSP/RRP consultations
•   Advanced SSP training, including the option to have your own SSP process expertly guided by me with teaching woven in at no extra cost
•   Somatic Experiencing® skills group – Build your nervous system literacy and learn to track physiology more deeply in yourself and others
•   Brainspotting sessions – Personalized support to help you regulate your own nervous system, process stuck points or past difficult experiences with SSP/RRP, and work through core beliefs or unresolved trauma that may be quietly limiting your success and confidence as a provider.
•   Marketing support – Strategic, heart-centered help to attract more ideal clients, get clearer on your niche, and make your practice more sustainable
• Customizable SSP Practice Forms
• A Deluxe SSP Provider Practice Bundle with substantial savings on my advanced training, consultations, and more

Are you a Neurodivergent Woman?

Whether you are dealing with ADHD, autism, giftedness or other forms of neurodivergence - you are welcome to join my supportive Online Neurodivergent Women's Group.

Your nervous system is unique. Your path should be too. Let’s discover it together.

A gentle, supportive way to begin your SSP or RRP journey—on your own, but not alone. This mostly flat-rate package includes one online session to help you start with confidence, followed by email support throughout the process. Ideal for those wanting a flexible, self-paced option with expert guidance - without the need for ongoing sessions.

Important Information About Starting SSP or RRP

Please Read Before Beginning

With either Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) or Rest & Restore Protocol (RRP), it’s possible that some symptoms may temporarily worsen before improving—especially if the nervous system becomes overwhelmed. We do everything we can to prevent this by carefully observing how your system is responding, pausing or slowing the process when needed to keep it gentle and safe.

Committing to staying in touch with me throughout the listening process is key in order to keep either process as gentle as possible, and to allow for best possible improvements.

⏳ Choosing the Right Time to Begin

Ideally, SSP or RRP should be started when you (or your child) are not already at your limit. If you’re facing major stressors or upcoming events that could be overwhelming, it might be either best to wait for those events to pass, or we may be able to proceed with a plan to take special care.

It is always wise to discuss timing with me if you’re unsure.

SSP and RRP are most effective when the nervous system feels safe. If there is significant conflict at home, or someone in the household feels threatening or destabilizing to the listener, SSP or RRP may be less effective. Please reach out if you’re unsure whether SSP is the right next step right now, or if you’d like guidance on where to start instead.

Whenever possible, choose a time when you can slow down a little—just in case the process gets bumpy and you need space to integrate.

🦷 Medical & Safety Considerations

Please avoid starting SSP or RRP if:

• You are about to undergo invasive dental work (e.g., root canal or extraction)
• You’ve had a recent head injury
• You have a seizure disorder and have not been seizure-free for at least one year

If you have any significant medical issues or a history of bipolar depression, please let me know in advance so I can arrange a medical consult if needed.

🎧 Getting Started with SSP or RRP

What is described below is the flat rate process for either SSP or RRP.

If you would prefer to have me present for more, most, or all of the listening process, this is possible as well. If SSP or RRP is combined with therapy sessions, there is often no additional fee or either process. Combining or supporting either RRP, SSP or both with therapy with me is an option available to those aged 18 and over.

Independent Listening Delivery Format

• For teens and adults we typically begin with an online session where I observe the start of listening.
• For children 12 and under, I usually meet with the parent to learn more about the child and co-create a plan for how to begin.

After our listening session, communication is usually done via email for the rest of the process —unless you are choosing to combine RRP or SSP with therapy with me.

🤝 Coregulation During Listening

SSP is most effective in the context of felt safety. Ideally, the listener should have a calm, trusted support person present during listening—someone who can offer soft eye contact, a gentle smile, or a reassuring presence when needed. This is most often a friend or family member. Sometimes those seeing a therapist or bodyworker regularly may choose to listen with them.

This social engagement supports the nervous system in integrating the SSP experience. While some people begin to feel more socially connected weeks after completing SSP, others begin experiencing this shift during listening.

If you don’t have someone to be present with you, SSP or RRP may still be possible—just reach out to discuss alternative support options.

📩 Ongoing Monitoring & Support

Throughout the SSP and RRP process, regular email check-ins are essential. Ideally, you’ll check in every day or every few days with updates on changes in areas such as:

• Sleep
• Mood
• Focus
• Energy levels
• Digestion
• Sound sensitivities
• Pain levels

We will basically play detective together, watching for cues as to how your nervous system is responding. I also will teach you how to recognize how much SSP your body wants at each and every step of the way.

⚠️ If you don’t stay in touch or don’t follow your provider’s guidance, SSP or RRP may become less effective—or even uncomfortable. Staying connected is key!

📱 Devices & Technology

SSP is delivered through the Unyte app, which works on:
• Smartphones or tablets
• Newer MacBooks with the M1 chip
• Some Chromebooks

🚫 Desktop or standard laptops will not work.

If we’re doing an online session to start for your own listening, you’ll need a second device for the video call (Zoom, etc.) while the app plays SSP music on your primary device.

Please download the app and test your headphone connection before our session. If you haven’t received your app invitation by the day before our meeting, please contact me.

🎧 Headphone Requirements for SSP

You’ll need a high-quality pair of over-the-ear headphones for SSP. The requirements:
• No earbuds for SSP
• No noise-cancelling (unless it can be turned off)
• No bass enhancement
• Must fit fully over the ears with padded ear cups
• Speakers can be used in some situations, please ask me about this

🎧 Headphone Requirements for RRP

• Any good quality speakers, headphones or earbuds are fine for RRP
• Please avoid using phone or laptop speakers

If your headphones aren’t Bluetooth, make sure they can connect to your device. Some setups may require an adapter.

🔊 Recommended headphone models for SSP:

OneOdio A70 or A71 are headphones that have been specifically vetted by Unyte as being great inexpensive options for SSP.

If you or your child has difficulty wearing headphones, don’t worry—we have other alternatives. Please contact me to discuss.

💬 Booking & Availability

Due to high demand, I’m not always available to take on new clients directly. You can check my current availability and book online here to see if availability is showing.

If my calendar is full or if you prefer, you may also choose to work with one of my SSP Yoda Informed Associates—highly trained, compassionate providers who often have availability sooner and offer a comparable quality of care at a slightly lower rate.

👉 Click here to view SSP package pricing options

I’ve supported several hundred people worldwide from ages 2-78 years old with SSP—always gently, safely, and with deep respect for each unique nervous system. Clients have included those with anxiety, autism, giftedness, Tourettes, brain injury, misophonia, Lyme, mold exposure, ADHD, PTSD, sensory issues, tinnitus, psychogenic seizures, long COVID, chronic illness, neurodivergence, LGBTQ+ concerns and more. No two journeys are alike, and that’s exactly how I approach this work.

What is the Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP)?

The Safe & Sound Protocol is a 5 hour auditory intervention, created by Stephen Porges, the founder of polyvagal theory.

SSP music has been specially filtered in a way that causes the vagus nerve to become stimulated during listening. SSP music is basically delivering "cues of safety" to the nervous system.

As long as this listening occurs in the context of someone feeling safe and supported, this introduces a calmer, parasympathetic state, and allows someone whose brain may have been constantly scanning for danger to no longer enhance and hyper focus upon lower frequency sounds - the sounds of danger - but instead to shift focus to higher frequency sounds - the sounds of human speech.

SSP listening also helps to improve the functioning of the middle ear muscles which ideally then become better able to filter out background noise to hear the sound of speech, and others sounds of safety.

This changes all come together for example to allow someone to be able to more easily - and often effortlessly, without "trying" or even being aware that they are doing so - to filter out sounds that they previously would have been distressed by.

Areas of Improvement Potentially Arising 2-7 weeks after completion of SSP Core

Reduced anxiety, especially social anxiety
Improved assertiveness and self protectiveness
Increased displays of affection-seeking affection-expressive contact
Increased facial flexibility and expressiveness
Increased body flexibility
Reduced chronic pain
Change in throat tension/sound of voice
Improved eye contact
Reduced repetitive motions and restlessness
Increased feelings of calmness
Hearing changes/reductions in sensory hypersensitivities
Finding transitions much easier
Speech and language improvements
Reduced sensitivity to food tastes and textures/less "picky eating"
Improved reciprocal communication
Thoughts and behavior have more purposeful flow
Improved comprehension
Easier to follow directions
Improved processing speed
Improved organization
Improved dexterity
More active participant in classroom, able to tolerate and overcome challenges
Improved visual focus/tracking
More able to put words to feeling
Able to remain regulated during face to face communication
Improved self-awareness (particularly of emotions),
Improved communication about self (again particularly about emotions),
Decreased panic, fears and phobias
Improved cardiac function
Improvement in breathing patterns.
Able to tolerate busy environments
Increased sense of humor
Improved ability to read social cues
Less easily stressed
Improved digestion
Improved bladder control
Hormonal shifts for women
Concerns related to long covid.

Click here to learn more about what the SSP process with us looks like

Click here to view SSP pricing package options

View independent listening SSP or RRP payment plan options in CDN currency OR in US currency

Click here to watch some videos about SSP

Click here to book in to start SSP with an SSP Yoda Informed associate.

Rest & Restore Protocol (RRP) invites your system to soften, settle, and come home to itself. Like being gently rocked from within, it nurtures calm, safety, and connection to your inner world—supporting sleep, digestion, mood, and regulation. While RRP beautifully complements SSP, it can also stand alone as a powerful path to healing and deep embodied presence.

Rest & Restore Protocol (RRP)

The Rest & Restore Protocol (RRP) is a newer offering developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, the founder of Polyvagal Theory and the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP), together with a composer, Anthony Gorry. I had the honour of helping with the RRP pilot study in the summer of 2024, and I continue to explore the powerful shifts this protocol can offer—especially when carefully titrated for sensitive and complex systems.

RRP is designed to support deep regulation by helping the body rest, settle, and repair. While SSP is more oriented toward connection with others, RRP gently invites us inward—fostering connection with ourselves.

Dr. Porges describes SSP as being like a mother’s lullaby—encouraging us to reach outward, to co-regulate and connect with others.

In contrast, he describes RRP as being like a mother’s gentle rocking—helping us soften inward, and more fully land in our own body.

In the pilot study, the most commonly reported improvements included:

• Reduced anxiety
• Improved mood
• Better digestion
• Deeper, more restful sleep

In my own work with RRP clients, I’ve also seen improvements with:

• Chronic pain
• Auditory processing
• Executive functioning (often dramatically)
• Feeling calmer and more regulated
• Natural, effortless shifts toward healthier choices (like eating and exercise)

People often describe a quiet inner calm—a sense of finally arriving home in their body.

As with SSP, the delivery of RRP must be tailored to the individual nervous system. It can be gentle, yet profound, and can be deeply nourishing, as long as it is carefully titrated.

Click here to learn more about what the Independent Listening RRP process with us looks like

Click here to view RRP pricing package options

View independent listening SSP or RRP payment plan options in CDN currency OR in US currency

Click here to book in to start RRP

Support for healing, growth, and everything in between. Whether you’re navigating something hard or reaching for something more, sessions are intuitive, body-based, and tailored to your unique nervous system. Covered under extended health plans that include registered social workers in Ontario.

Integrative, Intuitive Support for Deep Healing and Transformation

Many people first find me through my work with the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP). But therapy with me is about so much more than listening to music. It’s about listening to you - your body, your story, your nervous system, and your inner knowing.

As a clinical social worker with extensive training in body-based and neuroscience-informed therapies, I bring together a wide range of approaches to meet you exactly where you are. I’m internationally recognized for my work with SSP and RRP, and also trained in Somatic Experiencing®, EMDR, Brainspotting, Integral Somatic Psychology (ISP), iLs, NeurOptimal® Neurofeedback, and parts work. I often incorporate mindfulness, intuitive insight, and nervous system attunement to guide the work in powerful and unexpected ways.

If you’re seeking therapy, we’ll start by exploring what’s most important to you and what feels safe and possible right now. From there, we’ll co-create a path forward using whatever combination of modalities feels most aligned for your healing.

Therapy with Me Offers Many Options:

• Somatic Experiencing® to gently release stored stress and trauma through the body
• Brainspotting and EMDR to access and resolve deeper emotional wounds
• Parts Work to meet the younger, protective, or reactive parts of you with compassion
• Integral Somatic Psychology (ISP) to amplify embodiment and emotional integration
• Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) and Rest & Restore Protocol (RRP) for profound nervous system regulation
• iLs Focus and Neurofeedback (NeurOptimal®) to support cognitive, emotional, and sensory processing
• Mindfulness and intuitive guidance to gently uncover what’s ready to heal
• A grounded, compassionate relationship rooted in safety, curiosity, and respect

You can listen to me talk about how I approach my work with clients in this interview on The Spiritually Curious Therapist podcast.

I’m neurodivergent and highly sensitive myself, with a history of complex trauma. I know how hard things can feel sometimes, from both sides of the therapy relationship. And I know the courage it takes to reach for something different.

If you’ve had therapy before and felt unseen, unsupported, or overwhelmed… this might feel like a very different experience. I work online or by phone - but that doesn’t mean distant. I will be right there with you.

You don’t have to do this alone. Let’s find what your nervous system needs—together.

Ready to begin? Click here to book your first appointment.

All SSP Yoda Informed Associates benefit from direct, ongoing access to my expertise—and I benefit from theirs as well. We each bring our unique strengths to the table and offer SSP internationally at equivalent rates. I am based in Ontario, Canada, and charge in Canadian dollars, while Raizy, Lara and Emily are based in the U.S. and charge in the equivalent U.S. currency.

Carol Ann Brayley, MSW, RSW, SEP

SSP Yoda

From the moment I first encountered SSP I became very passionate about it. I learned with SSP very rapidly and lately I feel like I am coming to new understandings about SSP on an almost daily basis, that I believe may at times help to increase its effectiveness.

Raizy Yormark, MSW, LSW, CCC-SLP

SSP Yoda Associate

Raizy is a very welcome addition to the SSP Yoda team. Raizy brings a wealth of experience and unique skill set as someone who is trained as both a trauma therapist and as a speech and language pathologist. She specializes in working with highly sensitive people and those with complex trauma.

Lara Wrigley, Psy D

SSP Yoda Associate

Dr. Lara Wrigley is a licensed clinical psychologist with over 30 years of clinical experience working with a broad range of clients at all phases of the life span. She utilizes an integrative model in her approach that includes a focus on relational health, trauma and nervous system regulation. As a member of PSYPACT, she is able to offer insurance reimbursable psychotherapy in most states within the U.S.

Emily Perraut, MA, LLP, CCTP

SSP Yoda Associate

Emily is a licensed psychotherapist and experienced trauma therapist. who has been in practice since 2011. Emily is based near Detroit, Michigan. Emily and I have been friends for a few years, having first connected in online clinical trainings. I didn't know how interested Emily was in SSP until the first time we met in person when I was traveling through Michigan. Emily's intense curiosity and obvious excitement about SSP reminded me very much of myself when I first encountered it. Between my own overwhelming intuitive sense, Emily's already being an experienced, kind, caring and sensitive trauma therapist with a strong sense of social justice - I knew right away she'd make an incredible SSP provider and that I'd love to have her on my team.

Carol Ann Brayley, MSW, RSW

View Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP) and Rest & Restore Protocol (RRP) pricing when working directly with Carol Ann Brayley.

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SSP Yoda Associate Pricing

Receive the benefit of Carol Ann Brayley's expertise while receiving value pricing by working with a highly skilled SSP Yoda Associate.

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The following installment payment plans apply to remote delivery of either SSP OR RRP when working with Carol Ann Brayley. Installment plans with SSP Yoda Associate providers can be arranged with them, at their own discretion.

Are you interested in working with Carol Ann Brayley with SSP or RRP but need installation payment plan options?

The plans below are for SSP or RRP remote delivery options. We will start with one online session in which I observe the start of listening. After that we stay in touch via email with you checking in with me often so that I can advise you on how to proceed.

SSP or RRP installment plan options in US currency

SSP or RRP installment plan options in CDN currency

Ready to start SSP?

Please view the Team page to see which practitioner you feel most drawn towards working with.

When you are ready, please feel free to book yourself in with your preferred provider. Or, you can contact Carol Ann Brayley, MSW, RSW, SEP if you have any questions or would like to have a specific provider recommended for yourself or your family.

SSP & RRP don’t have to be confusing. With a mix of intuition and practical strategy, I’ll help you crack the code for your clients—and grow your confidence and your business along the way.

New!! Brainspotting for SSP & RRP Providers!

Brainspotting (BSP) is a powerful tool to help SSP providers like you process any subconscious barriers that may be getting in the way so that you can begin to truly flourish—personally, professionally, and financially. Interested in both Brainspotting and SSP or RRP consultation? In some situations it may make sense to combine them in the same meeting!

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New!! Provider Marketing Boot Camp

Marketing support that feels safe, aligned, and actually works Stop struggling - start thriving. You’re passionate about helping people. But marketing, pricing, and running a profitable practice? That part feels overwhelming. You don’t have to choose between helping people and running a successful business. You can do both!

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Two Day Online SSP Training: Elevate your SSP Practice to the Next Level

Now available as a fully bookmarked Zoom recording, this advanced training gives you practical, real-world insights you won’t find anywhere else. Your purchase also includes exclusive access to a private online community of SSP Yoda Informed Providers for continued learning and support. Click here to learn more and join us

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Rest & Restore Protocol (RRP) Info Webinar

Are you a new RRP provider who is excited to offer Rest & Restore Protocol (RRP) but unsure where to start? Feeling like you have more questions than answers? As a provider who assisted with the RRP pilot study, I’ve spent several months exploring how to deliver RRP effectively—especially for complex clients. In this webinar, I share what I’ve learned so you can feel clearer, more prepared, and ready to support your clients. You don’t have to figure it out alone—get the guidance you need and start offering RRP with confidence! 🎵💛

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Group SSP & RRP Consultations

Are you an SSP and/or RRP provider looking for ongoing support, professional guidance, and collaboration with like-minded practitioners? My online group consultation meetings are designed to help you deepen your understanding, refine your practice, and navigate challenges while working with clients using the Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP) & Rest & Restore Protocol (RRP). Please join us!

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Individual SSP & RRP Consultations

In individual sessions, I use both my clinical expertise and strong intuition to quickly zero in on what’s most helpful for you or your clients. We can even incorporate Brainspotting to deepen insight, resolve blocks, and boost your confidence. As an approved Unyte mentor and certified RRP provider, I bring unique perspectives drawn from my extensive experience with SSP and my evolving expertise with Rest & Restore Protocol.

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Deluxe Package for SSP Providers

Ready to fast-track your SSP practice? Get a 20% discount when you bundle these high-impact supports: ✔️ Your own expertly guided SSP process with Carol Ann Brayley, MSW, RSW, SEP ✔️ Elevate Your SSP Practice to the Next Level training recording ✔️ All customizable SSP Practice Forms ✔️ Plus, enjoy 20% off all Group SSP Consultations for a full year

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SSP Provider Shop

New! Editable, Customizable SSP Practice Forms Designed to support your confidence, clarity, and ease as a Safe & Sound Protocol provider. These professional, ready-to-use forms save you time and help you deliver SSP with greater consistency and confidence—whether you’re just starting out or refining your practice. Click here to explore the full bundle and some other great options as well.

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Regulate & Restore: Somatic Experiencing® Skills Group for Provider Self-Care & Client Support

Enhance both your life and your practice with simple Somatic Experiencing (SE) orienting skills designed to support nervous system regulation and integration. Master practical techniques to cultivate grounding, co-regulation, and resilience—empowering you and your clients to experience better therapeutic outcomes and a greater sense of well-being.

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Group programs now available. Wonderful at any time including before, during or after Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP) and other services. Covered under extended health plans that cover social workers in Ontario.

Online Group SSP & RRP Practitioner Consultations

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Online Neurodivergent Women's Group

Are you Interested in connecting with other women who identify as experiencing ADHD, being on the spectrum, giftedness and/or other types of neurodivergence? Come for the co-regulation, stay for the shared laughter and “me too” moments! Whether you have been recently diagnosed, have been living with a diagnosis for a while or strongly recognize yourself as neurodivergent, please join us.

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Online Somatic Experiencing (SE) Skills Group for SSP Providers

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NeurOptimal neurofeedback is one of many fantastic options to follow SSP with, to allow further nervous system settling and integration. Fees often covered within the limits of your extended health plan. Free delivery available to many areas & significant discounts available. No hidden fees. Please enquire for details.

With NeurOptimal neurofeedback, our focus is upon restoring brain resilience and flexibility.
NeurOptimal is easy to use, safe and gentle. It does not require first having any kind of assessment, or complicated and expensive brain mapping as, with NeurOptimal, the brain is in charge.

During NeurOptimal sessions, no frequencies are sent to the brain. The system is on a tablet, and five sensors are attached to the scalp and ears.

The sensors monitor brain functioning. During sessions, music - or children's TV shows or movies, if desired - are playing through the tablet. When the sensors detect that the brain is about to shift from one state to another, there will be a little crackle or gap in the audio - kind of like a record "skip".

Because this pattern keeps happening over and over again, the brain begins to recognize it is being given feedback about itself.

It's kind of like if we had been doing yoga our whole life but we had never had a mirror in front us. Then one day a mirror appears and all at once we can see that our downward dog has been a bit "off".

By increasing the brain's awareness of what it has been doing, it gives the brain a chance to course correct. The brain itself decides what it does with that information and how it wants to proceed.

Because the brain is in charge with this system, there does not tend to be any risk of side effects as the brain does not tend to push itself faster than it is ready to go.

Neurofeedback is not considered either a treatment or a therapy but rather a form of brain training - basically it is like "going to the gym" for the brain. However, when we optimize brain functioning an extremely wide range of areas have the potential for improvement as the brain helps to mediate every other system of the body. Areas such as mood, sleep, nervous system, memory, cognition, immune system, energy levels, digestion, allergies, focus, emotional regulation, headaches including migraines, and more are all areas where improvements may occur.

Although there has not yet been time for adequate research to be done, there have been many anecdotal reports in relation to long covid.

During sessions, you can simply relax. Taking naps, reading, answering emails, playing games on a phone or tablet are all completely fine during NeurOptimal sessions. This system has been used on patients in comas with positive results. Sometimes parents of small children on the spectrum may run sessions on their children during sleep. Kids who struggle with homework, often find their homework much easier when they do it while having a NeurOptimal session.

NeurOptimal Pricing

Those accessing NeurOptimal with me who are based in Ontario and have extended health plans that cover social workers, may be reimbursed for their sessions, within the limits of their plan.

NeurOptimal Rental System Packages

Discounts and free local delivery within many areas of Ontario are often available, please enquire for details.

Unlimited sessions, over 2 weeks.....$650
Unlimited sessions, over 4 weeks.....$1150
Unlimited sessions, over 8 weeks.....$1800
Unlimited sessions, over 12 weeks...$2400

Feel free to share your sessions with friends and family. If a child is doing brain training it is ideal if at least one parent is also having sessions.

When people do brain training together they tend to "synch up" better and feel more connected. As we begin to improve we are able to support the improvements of others.

Neurofeedback units are also available for purchase. Should you choose to purchase your own unit after renting one from me, I will rebate up to $100 of your rental fee. Please enquire for details prior to purchasing.

iLs Focus is another wonderful offering from Unyte-iLs, the SSP company. iLs Focus is wonderful for kids and adults alike. Helpful for those who are neurodivergent, those with auditory processing disorders, a history of trauma, acquired brain injury and more. Another wonderful option to either follow SSP with, or prepare for SSP.

Integrated Listening Systems (iLs) Focus System

With Focus we combine specially-treated music, bone conduction headphones, and air conduction technology together with physical movement.

This allows Focus to support brain integration and skill-building for anyone. It is wonderful for those with sensory-motor and neurodevelopmental challenges.

Those with concerns such as autism, ADHD, learning difficulties, auditory & sensory processing disorders, brain injury, trauma, sensory sensitivities, sound sensitivities, and more.
Ideal for both children and adults, the Focus System is easily integrated together with other modalities that may be being accessed.

Focus is also easily integrated into daily life.

Ideally iLs Focus is listened to for approximately 3-5 hours per week. Sessions can be done in either 30 minute or one hour increments.

For each full hour of listening, ideally about 15 minutes of special Focus "activities" will be done. These are things such as standing on one leg, tossing a bean bag, playing with a ball, using a balance board, and more.

Over the course of the listening program(s), as brain functioning is improved, the activities will become easier. As this happen the level of challenging with each activity is raised slightly and, as the higher levels are fully mastered, we then move on to new activities.

For the remainder of each hour of listening, both. kids and adults move on to doing other things. For adults this could involve tidying the house, doing yard work, cooking, getting ready for work, going for walks, etc...

For kids this may be different forms of playing. Using fine motor and gross motor skills by doing things such as playing with toys, drawing or colouring, gently bouncing on a mini trampoline, going for a walk, riding a bike, climbing, and more.
iLs Focus includes:
Calming Program
Sensory & Motor Program
Concentration & Attention Program
Reading & Auditory Processing Program
Two Optimal Performance Programs
A Playbook and Integration Kit for movement activities

The process begins with a brief written assessment to determine which of the included Focus programs may be relevant for you or your child.

Programs can be combined and condensed in order to shorten overall timeline.

Pricing

NEW!! Focus has moved to a digital delivery format which now allows me to supervise remote use of Unyte-iLs Focus to people located virtually anywhere.

For those within Canada, I do have a few physical iLs Focus systems on hand so those could be used instead of the app, and no purchase of the activity pack mentioned below, would be necessary.

To receive Focus through the new app - accessible from almost any location - you will also need to purchase an "activity" pack from the Unyte-iLs company for $299 US.

The activity pack includes: an amplifier, bone-conducting headphones, waist pack, balance board, 2 bean bags, 1 racket ball, 1 tethered tennis ball, headband, Playbook, manual and carry bag. You then own the activity pack and, if at some point you no longer have use for it, it can be resold - I will be interested in purchasing some activity packs back from clients myself.

You will use the activity pack together with your own device onto which the Focus app has been downloaded.

Monthly fee (pay as you go): $240 CDN (approx $177 US)
6 month access: $960 (approx $710 US)
12 month access: $1620 (approx $1225 US)

Six and 12 month plans can be broken down into monthly instalments.

Family Discounts:

Additional family members accessing iLs Focus within the same time period are 50% off.

Answers to frequently asked questions about SSP. If you have a question that is not answered here, please get in touch!

What does SSP music sound like?

SSP music is music you will recognize. For SSP Core there are three different playlists.

They are:

Adult which is a mix of rock, pop and country.

Child which has music intended to appeal to children. The songs are from Disney and similar.

Classical Flow is classical music.

The filtering is the same on all three playlists so they can be used by anyone of any age. The different pathways are mainly to appeal to different preferences.

Our hope is that Classical Flow may make SSP more enjoyable for those whom English is their second language or for someone whose misophonia triggers may be connected with vocalizations during music.

It is completely fine for someone to alternate between the three playlists, as long as they substitute the same portion of music of one playlist for another. For example, someone could first listen to the first half of the first hour of Adult Core and then for the second half of the first hour, on a different day, listen to either Child Core or Classical Flow Core.

If you or your child are sensitive to certain pieces of music or feel better when you know in advance which songs are coming up, you can ask your provider for the written playlist for each track.

If a particular song is a trigger, it is completely fine to either switch to a different playlist to avoid it, or to simply skip past that song.

SSP Pathways

With SSP we have three main pathways:

SSP Core.

The vast majority of the time, when we talk about SSP, we are speaking about. SSP Core. Core is the main SSP protocol with the most significant level of filtration.

The filtration on each hour is different. In virtually all cases the best approach is to - gradually, at the pace that you and your provider determine is best for your/your child's specific nervous system - listen to each hour, in order.

The first hour of SSP Core is intended to be calming and settling to the nervous system. It and the second hour help to prepare different aspects of our physiology for the higher levels of filtration that hours 3-5 have. The "bigger" work of SSP is typically in hours 3-5.

Having said that, although for some people SSP Core starts out very gentle and relaxing and then might - or might not - become gradually more challenging in subsequent hours, that is not always the case. Many people, and often more sensitive people, find the first hour the most challenging, with subsequent hours becoming easier and more relaxing.

There is a video here where Stephen Porges talks about the filtering of SSP Core differs on each hour. Please note that this is an older video: SSP is not typically recommended to be done over 5 days any longer, in most cases. Currently the recommendation is to listen to up to 30 minutes per day. Many people will need to go more slowly than that and very often people need to have days off during the protocol.

SSP Connect

SSP Connect is music that is completely unfiltered.

If SSP Connect is used, it is often used to help prepare someone to receive SSP Core.

For example, it may be used for a young child who is unaccustomed to using music as therapy, or wearing headphones. While it is entirely optional, we may choose to start them with Connect so that they can adjust to the process before the filtering is included.

Although Connect is completely unfiltered, some people do still experience mild therapeutic improvements with it. For that reason, we may also use it after doing Core or occasionally we may pause Core if someone is having a rough time with it, and move them over to Connect for calming and settling. In those cases, often after taking a bit of a break and hanging out with Connect for a bit, people are able to return to Core.

Because there is no filtering on Connect, it does not matter which hour is listened to, or if they complete all five hours.

Some people do experience dysregulation with Connect. It is more often adults who are more sensitive and/or have trauma histories, who do so but many even within that population do well with Connect. Usually my recommendation is to start slowly with Connect, just in case.

If someone begins with Connect, how they do with it does not indicate how they may respond to Core. Often people who do have a hard time with Connect end of finding Core to be easier than they did Connect.

SSP Balance

SSP Balance music basically produced mild acoustic vagus nerve stimulation, with lighter filtering than what is present with Core.

Balance was initially intended to be a "lighter" version of Core, for those who do not tolerate Core well.

However, some people do still become dysregulated by Balance and sometimes more so than they may with Core.

The filtering on each hour is the same so it does not matter which of the five hours are listened to, in what order, or if all of it has been listened to.

Balance is most often used after doing SSP Core, as a way of extending the protocol.

Those who do well with Balance can continue with it indefinitely. Some people choose to use Balance in between rounds with Core as it is important to wait at least three months in between rounds of Core.

What equipment/headphones do I need to do SSP?

To do SSP remotely, you will need:

Access to a device for the SSP app. Suitable devices include:

Smartphones (either iPhone or Android)
Tablets (either Apple or Android)
Newer Macbooks that have the M1 chip
Chromebooks

You will also need a suitable set of headphones. The specifications on headphones are:

over the ear, with the big padded ear cups that completely surround the ears rather than just sitting on top of them
they either do not have noise cancellation, or that feature can be turned off
not bass enhanced
either bluetooth or wired headphones are fine for most clients
some children who don't tolerate headphones easily may be more likely to accept "sleep mask" headphones like these

Examples of relatively inexpensive headphones that meet the above criteria are OneOdio A71 or OneOdio A70. Another alternative is Audio-Technica ATH-M20x

While headphones are considered more optimal for most clients, if you or your child can not tolerate wearing headphones, using speakers is an option. Using speakers can soften the impact of SSP at time but for some clients that can be really useful.

Earbuds can NOT be used for SSP.

Some headphones and/or speakers may require an adaptor for your device if your device does not have a 3.5mm connector.

If you are going to be listening to SSP during an online session, you will need a separate device for the online session than the one you are using for the SSP app.

Why is it a good idea for parents to do SSP before their child does?

When a parent does SSP first it helps them to have a better idea of what their child may be experiencing during SSP.

It also will help the parent to stay better regulated themselves during their child's SSP process. Although we do our best to prevent it, it is common for people to become temporarily dysregulated at times during SSP.

It is super important that the parent be able to hold space for their child during SSP, not be as reactive when at all possible even if the child has moments of seeming more "difficult". It is imperative that SSP not become a power struggle and that kids not feel punished if they have a nervous system response that they can't control during SSP. Should that happen, there is a risk that the SSP process could be sabotaged, as SSP is only typically effective within the context of feeling safe.

It doesn't need to be perfect - parents are allowed to be human and repair work can be done if something goes wrong.

However, the more regulated the parent is during SSP, the more likely it is that their child's process will be calmer, gentler and more effective.

The families where I have found it is often especially important for a parent to go first, are families who are dealing with particularly stressful or traumatic conditions, such as misophonia.

Because misophonia is often so traumatic for the entire family and because often the parent is one of their child's triggers, sometimes parents are very anxious at times during the SSP process.

For example they may worry when their child isn't yet showing improvements and fear that they never will.

They may worry when their child IS showing significant improvements that the improvements won't last.

It's normal for SSP improvements to toggle back and forth during SSP and sometimes throughout the protocol and even for a few to several week after completing SSP. The nervous system is in flux and it takes a while for it to settle into its new patterns.

When parents worry a lot during the SSP process, there is a risk that their worry may potentially sabotage the process. Nervous systems are contagious.

For evolutionary purposes, our physiology is designed to sense other nervous systems. We are more likely to stay alive if we can sense threat when someone else senses a predator is nearby, even if we haven't yet noticed the predator ourselves.

When a parent is repeatedly anxious and worried during their child's SSP process, their nervous system inadvertently signals to their child's physiology a sense of danger.

Nervous systems being contagious also means that the reverse is true - we very often see kids starting to have improvements when their parent does SSP, even before the child's process begins. :)

At SSP Yoda & Associates we offer family discounts when multiple family members are accessing SSP with us.

Almost anyone is likely to benefit from doing SSP. These are the areas that we are aware SSP can potentially impact:

Areas of Improvement Potentially Arising 2-7 weeks after completion of SSP Core

Reduced anxiety, especially social anxiety
Improved assertiveness and self protectiveness
Increased displays of affection-seeking affection-expressive contact
Increased facial flexibility and expressiveness
Increased body flexibility
Reduced chronic pain
Change in throat tension/sound of voice
Improved eye contact
Reduced repetitive motions and restlessness
Increased feelings of calmness
Hearing changes/reductions in sensory hypersensitivities
Finding transitions much easier
Speech and language improvements
Reduced sensitivity to food tastes and textures/less "picky eating"
Improved reciprocal communication
Thoughts and behavior have more purposeful flow
Improved comprehension
Easier to follow directions
Improved processing speed
Improved organization
Improved dexterity
More active participant in classroom, able to tolerate and overcome challenges
Improved visual focus/tracking
More able to put words to feeling
Able to remain regulated during face to face communication
Improved self-awareness (particularly of emotions),
Improved communication about self (again particularly about emotions),
Decreased panic, fears and phobias
Improved cardiac function
Improvement in breathing patterns.
Able to tolerate busy environments
Increased sense of humor
Improved ability to read social cues
Less easily stressed
Improved digestion
Improved bladder control
Hormonal shifts for women
Concerns related to long covid

How long will it take me to complete SSP listening? How long are listening sessions typically?

The length of time that someone can listen to SSP each time and/or how long it takes to complete SSP is unpredictable.

We really don't know for certain before someone begins, what their ideal pace of listening will be.

The current maximum recommended length of listening session is up to 30 minutes per day.

Many people can do quite well with that for some or all of SSP but most people will benefit from taking some days off during the process and for some it will be essential to do so.

Some people may need listenings sessions that are much shorter than that, in order to keep the process gentle and to have best possible improvements.

Although most often we would expect many people to be able to manage 1-3 minutes of SSP listening at a time, I have had many clients who at some stages of the process may do best doing less that one minute of listening at a time.

For people who are extremely sensitive to SSP, their listening sessions may for some parts of the process be measured in seconds rather than minutes. During other parts of the process they are likely to be able to listen at a pace that is significantly faster than that, though it may still be slower than what it might be for someone else.

Some people can complete SSP Core safely and gently within 2-3 weeks.

More people than that can complete SSP safely and gently within 2-3 months.

Many more sensitive or medically complex people may need several months, over a year or even more, to complete one round of SSP Core.

Needing to go more slowly does NOT mean that it will take a long time for improvements to appear. While everyone is different, most of my clients - especially those who are so sensitive to SSP that they can only handle a few seconds at a time - some improvements may appear within the first few days, often even within the very first listening session.

If someone went far more slowly with SSP than what their nervous system needed, completing it over several months when maybe 2-3 months was more idea - but they kept forgetting to listen, for example - we can't be sure that they will still have noticeable improvements.

However, it is very clear that those who need to go very slowly through SSP very often have the most significant improvements of all.

While everyone is different, my most sensitive clients often notice SSP improvements starting to appear within the first week of beginning SSP - sometimes right from the very first listening session, even when that listening session was only a few seconds long.

Although there are exceptions, the most common patterns we see with SSP listening are either:

Someone starts and the first hour is the easiest one for them and after that they need to slow down on each subsequent hour. That difference becomes most noticeable around hour 3.

Or, someone starts and the first hour is the most challenging one and each hour after that they can go at a faster pace.

One person for example who was highly sensitive to SSP on the first hour with me could only tolerate listening to one minute once every 3 days. But the second hour they could listen to one minute once every two days. By hour 3 they did quite well with 4-5 minutes of listening once every 2-3 days. Hour 4 they could do 8 minutes at a time, once every 2-3 days. By hour 5, however they did quite well listening to 20 minutes most days.

Although when they started they were very concerned it would take an extreme amount of time to complete SSP - a year and a half or more - in the end, it took them about four months.

Their improvements were so remarkable and dramatic that they did a second round three months after the first one, which is the minimum amount of time between rounds that we typically recommend.

But I thought SSP was listened to one hour per day five days in a row?

Listening to SSP one hour per day, five days in a row is a very outdated recommendation.

Even back when it was the recommendation, the caveat was that that pace was fine as long as it was tolerated well

It was also never particularly the recommendation for adults and most especially was not the pace recommended for adults (and sometimes children) with trauma.

In June 2020 the recommendation changed to up to 30 minutes per day. This recommendation change came partly due to the pandemic as we were being bombarded with messages that we are not safe.

It is always fine to take days off from listening and for many people it is quite important to do so.

Most providers agree that with the pandemic we have seen a shift to more people needing to go more slowly and that even though we are now three years into the pandemic, that continues to be the case.

If someone is working with a very experienced provider who is monitoring closely and listening to SSP for an hour at a time is being tolerated well, it can still be an acceptable approach.

It is not without its risks, however, including that some people may experience SSP related dysregulation in a delayed way: they may feel completely fine during listening sessions and completely fine throughout the process until even a few weeks later and dysregulation may show up then, sometimes in a very vivid way if they went at a pace that was too fast for them.

The dsyregulation will still be temporary and there will still be things that will help to settle it, and the process will almost always still be effective.

It's just that there are safer, gentler ways.

SSP is an extremely powerful approach that can be absolutely life changing for many. For this reason and because most people will benefit from repeating the protocol, I don't ever want anyone to be afraid to do SSP again.

As Stephen Porges, the founder of polyvagal theory and creator of SSP says himself, there are no prizes for finishing quickly.

Should I do SSP before or after I use X approach?

In the vast majority of situations, the best place to begin is with SSP.

By very rapidly shifting physiology, SSP sets a better platform for virtually any other approach to work more effectively and more efficiently, thus saving both money and time.

However, there are a few caveats:

SSP can initially for some people cause the nervous system to become more sensitive and more reactive. Basically, at the start, things may become worse rather than better. For this reason, we do not begin SSP when someone is already at the limit of what they feel they can deal with.
With SSP, in order for the process to be both as smooth as possible and as effective as possible, it is important to have someone who is a support for you or at least neutral, to be there with you while you listen.
SSP is likely to be much more tumultuous and potentially less likely to be effective when someone is living with someone who is toxic, hurtful ,or angry towards them, consistently.

For these reasons, sometimes I may suggest someone begin with another approach that may help their nervous system to become more settled and/or bring more harmony into the home, prior to beginning SSP.

Is it okay to do SSP at the same time as neurofeedback (or EMDR, Brainspotting, HemiSync, etc...)

SSP Core is quite neurologically intensive. When neurological systems tend to shut down rather than process new information when they become overwhelmed. For this reason, generally speaking when doing SSP Core, we do not combine it with other approaches.

Occasionally there can be some possible exceptions to this, particularly when someone is going through SSP quite slowly. If I am your provider (or your consultant), I am happy to discuss specific possibilities you are wondering about.

How do I choose the right time to do SSP?

Before starting SSP I always suggest to people that they look at their upcoming schedule for themselves/their child and their family members.

If there are "big" events coming up that may be stressful or it's really important to be "on" for, like a big presentation at work, exam periods, an expensive vacation - unless possibly it's a very relaxed beach vacation or similar - then it may be better to wait until those events have passed.

Ideally we prefer to find a time when it may be possible to have moments to rest, relax and integrate if needed, and when people around the intended SSP client may feel more able to "hold space" for them and be patient, etc... if any dysregulation were to show up.

This does not have to be perfect - kids can do quite well doing SSP during the school year, for example though if say summer break or Christmas or spring break are approaching soon, sometimes that is an ideal time.

Another thing to check the upcoming schedule for is upcoming dental work. Although things like cleanings and regular dental checkups are totally fine, we avoid doing SSP right before invasive dental procedures such as a root canal or dental implants.

Similarly, we would avoid doing SSP shortly before a surgery or other invasive medical procedure.

What can I/my child do while listening to SSP?

During SSP we ideally would like as much of the focus to be upon actively listening to the music, if possible, rather than just passively hearing it.

For this reason we avoid things like reading, writing or using screens while listening to SSP - other than for online sessions listening to SSP with a practitioner or other support person.

Things like colouring, drawing, playing with little toys, using fidget toys, doing simple crafts, kinetic sand, gentle stretching, walking, etc... are all fine.

Moving while listening to SSP can be useful in staying more regulated during the process. This may be especially important for adults and those with trauma. If moving during SSP listening it is important that the movement be on the slow and gentle side rather than being fast and vigorous as fast vigorous activity may speed the nervous system up and be less rather than more settling to the nervous system.

Ideally we prefer for the background to be as quiet as possible. However, if doing SSP with a child and they keep talking throughout, it is more important that the child feel safe and supported, than that they be quiet. It's fine to respond with playful fun gestures, big smiles and maybe putting a finger to your lips if that is well received but otherwise - don't worry about if if your child speaks during listening.

We know that SSP listening does not need to be perfect in order to be effective - many kids and some adults talk throughout SSP listening and still have wonderful results.

It is also the case that, while the usual instructions for SSP listening is that if someone falls asleep during listening it's important that they go back and listen again to the part they slept through. However, when I do SSP with my dogs they are virtually always asleep the entire time and have wonderful improvements. And, some very interesting and encouraging work is being done currently with SSP being administered to children during their sleep, while their nervous system responses are being monitored.

If you are interested in reading about my dogs' responses to SSP, you can do so on my blog. The posts about SSP and dogs begin October 2019 and there are several more, involving three different dogs, if you scroll up from there.

Do I really need to have someone present with me during SSP listening?

Generally speaking, the theory is that SSP is more likely to be more effective when listening is done in the presence of someone we feel safe and comfortable with.

Part of how SSP works is by activating the social engagement systems and, while those systems might not come on board in a different way for some people until a few to several weeks after the process has been completed, for others, they may start to come on board immediately, during listening. If someone during listening experiences the urge to connect and they look around and they are alone or, worse, someone is present that they feel unsafe with, our feeling is that that may not support the process as well.

Having said that, not everyone has someone in their life that they feel safe with and supported by.

Some people also do not generally feel safe with other humans.

I have very often had people do SSP with me who either chose to listen while alone or did so from necessity and - while we can't be sure what their process or improvements might have looked like had they had someone else present - they have virtually all still had wonderful improvements.

I have also had someone who did all of their listening with me but felt very awkward in doing so. She later repeated the process listening on her own at home, with her dog and felt she had better improvements that way.

If you are considering doing SSP with me and don't have someone who can be present with you throughout, one option is that all of the listening is done with me present, as long as we can work out scheduling that works well for both of us.

The cost of doing SSP is then my usual hourly rate with no "extra" charges for SSP but, the cost can be unpredictable as we have no idea ahead of time how many sessions will be required for you to complete the process.

Alternatively many people listen with their pets present or connect with friends or family online or in person after listening, or look at photos of those they care about while listening to SSP.

For myself I actually never worry about whether or not I have someone present with me during listening anymore - most of the time when I am listening to SSP I am hanging out with my pets while listening and having them listen too, over speakers and we all end up showing improvements. :)

How long do improvements last for?

For some people, some or all of their SSP improvements stick into the long term.

Since we are humans though, a caveat is that as we reach different life stages or hit pockets of intense stress, it's normal that some things may resurface, or new concerns may appear.

My husband, whose misophonia improved in August 2019, has not had it return since.

Other people may find that their improvements may fade after a few to several months or longer. Generally speaking, when we start to see improvements fade this tends to be a sign that it may be time to repeat SSP. Typically what happens in those situations is that with a subsequent round of SSP the improvements that had faded kick right back in again and each time they do SSP the improvements last longer.

Some people may experience a combination where some improvements stick and others may fade over time.

I did my first round of SSP in May 2019. The improvements I had with social anxiety, assertiveness and self protectiveness have never faded. I did not experience improvement with chronic pain (fibromyalgia and arthritis) until my third round of SSP. That particular improvement for me would fade after a few to several months with subsequent rounds of SSP but whenever I repeat SSP pain relief tends to kick in again right away.

Choosing the right provider who knows how to customize SSP to the specific nervous system will greatly increase you our your child's chances of an extremely positive outcome. All SSP Yoda Associates have this skill set.

Following SSP with another approach such as NeurOptimal, iLs Focus, or VR Koji's Quest - as well as many other modalities - help can also help SSP related improvements to "stick".

SSP is meant to be the beginning rather than the end of treatment.

How long before I see results?

SSP improvements may begin to appear any time from the moment listening begins, until up to 2-7 weeks following completion of the entire protocol.

I have had SSP clients notice vivid improvements - anything from sudden improvement in chronic constipation that had been an issue for decades, to a child who had never spoken before saying their first word - right from their first listening session, even when the session may have only been one to 10 minutes long.

I have also had SSP clients who noticed nothing at all during listening sessions, nothing in between listening sessions, and nothing for a few weeks after completion of the entire process.

Although it is rare, there are some people who do not appear to respond on a first round of SSP. The vast majority of those people are likely to experience a significant response on a second round of SSP, if they are willing to repeat it.

Is SSP effective for misophonia?

A little known fact is that, at one point. SSP stood for "Sound Sensitivity Program".

While we can not guarantee that any one person will have any one specific thing improve with SSP - or even that anything will improve for that specific person at all, as every nervous system is different, the vast majority of the time I do see misophonia improve with SSP - and sometimes disappear completely - very often on a first round of SSP Core.

Those who do not have it improve on a first round are likely to have other concerns such as anxiety or depression improve, and those improvements tend to make living with misophonia a little bit easier.

Then with a subsequent round of SSP Core it is extremely likely that misophonia will improve.

At the same time, it is important to understand that SSP is not a treatment for misophonia - or for any other specific condition.

Instead, what SSP is, is a modality that helps the nervous system to become better regulated. When that happens, a wide range of areas and concerns have the potential to improve, including sound sensitivities and misophonia.

I have a very high volume of clients who seek me out for help with misophonia.

My husband, who did not show any improvements either of us could detect on his first round of SSP Core in May 2019, had his misophonia resolve completely by his second hour of listening on his second round, back in August 2019. It has never returned.

Depending upon how the misophonia shows up some clients may prefer the classical version of SSP Core that was released in December 2022, if some of their misophonia triggers are related to vocals in music.

I've done SSP - what next?

SSP Core is considered to ideally be the beginning of treatment, rather than the end. One of many benefits of SSP is that it helps physiology to shift very rapidly, when then very often allows other approaches to then work more efficiently and effectively. SSP is not meant to be used as a stand alone approach.

Although most people will benefit from repeating Core and can do so as many times as they wish, it is important to wait at least 3 months in between rounds of Core.

What one may choose to follow SSP with will depend partly upon what their concerns are.

Someone may find that after SSP their work with occupational therapy, psychotherapy, speech and language therapy, etc... progresses more easily and rapidly.

Other approaches that SSP Core can be followed with include Unyte-iLs Focus and neurofeedback.

I am rapidly growing pretty excited about Unyte-iLs Focus after seeing some wonderful shifts in myself, a family member and a number of clients. While Focus has much longer programs, they can be condensed as needed. Furthermore, during Focus listening we actually want people to do be doing things so this makes it relatively easy to incorporate into daily life at the schedule you and your provider determine is ideal for you or your child.

You can learn more about Unyte-iLs Focus here.

For my clients who are in Canada, I do have NeurOptimal neurofeedback rental systems available for home use. You can read about NeurOptimal here. For those outside of Canada who wish to explore neurofeedback, I am happy to provide a referral for providers that I trust.

I heard of someone who had a rough time when doing SSP and I'm scared to try it

SSP only tends to become rough when someone goes at a pace that is too fast for them. This is why choice of SSP provider is extremely important.

If a provider tells you that with SSP listening you will follow a particular schedule - whether that schedule looks like 30 seconds per day, or 30 minutes per day - this is not the best type of approach with SSP.

While some SSP clients will do just fine with a formulaic approach, SSP is more likely to be both gentle and effective when it is tailored to the specific nervous system response of the individual.

Ideally what you want to hear from a provider is that they will be monitoring the process throughout, whether it is done with them present throughout listening or not.

It is important to work with someone who understands how to recognize nervous system responses in the earliest stages and also how to titrate delivery of SSP

They will need to hear from you what you are noticing so that they can advise you as to when to pause listening, shorten listening sessions, lower the volume, and/or when it may be okay to lengthen listening sessions.

Your/your child’s ideal SSP listening pace is likely to keep changing throughout the process.

Your provider should be encouraging you to stay in touch throughout the protocol and be available to help with not just what pace to listen at but especially how to help SSP related dysregulation to settle more quickly, should it arise.

SSP is a partnership between client and provider - or between a child's parent and provider. The best, most effective SSP processes occur when the provider and client or parent "play detective" together in watching for signs of how the nervous system is responding.

At SSP Yoda & Associates our team members are all very skilled at helping dysregulation to settle - often immediately.

Are there any risks to doing SSP?

With SSP, dysregulation that appears is temporary.

The dysregulation should not get too "big" as long as someone does not go through the protocol at a pace that is far too fast for them. When delivery is adjusted when dysreguation appears, ideally in its earliest stages, SSP can be quite gentle.

If someone keeps pushing ahead either because their inexperienced or misinformed provider is telling them to or because they are pushing themselves to do so, even then there are signs of needing to slow down, dysregulation can escalate and uncomfortable experiences may occur.

If someone already has tinnitus it is particularly important to take a cautious approach with SSP and to pay close attention to that particular symptom and if it appears to becoming aggravated during the process. If SSP is done too quickly with tinnitus, it does tend to become worse and for some it may persist in being more evident for a number of weeks afterwards.

While some people are not particularly bothered by tinnitus, others find it quite aggravating.

SSP does have a way of unearthing things that are lying dormant beneath. For example, a child who has a tic disorder that has not yet been discovered, but they are getting close to the age when tic disorders tend to become evident, those symptoms may begin to show up during or shortly after doing SSP. SSP can not cause something such as a tic disorder, however.

I am (or my family member is) in crisis and/or medically unstable - is SSP right for us?

If someone is already feeling at the limit of what they can cope with - or
they are dealing with complex medical issues, SSP may not be the best place to begin.

For almost all people SSP can be fairly gentle and/or minimally dysregulating if delivery is carefully titrated to the specific nervous system response of the individual.

Many people may find that they immediately become more relaxed and find right away once they start SSP, that they find some improvements appearing right away and that stress rolls off of them more easily.

However, this is not always the case.

If someone is already feeling at the absolute limit of what they can cope with and, if the dial got turned up on their stress temporarily life may become unmanageable, while I absolutely would recommend they do SSP at some point, it is not where I would recommend that they begin.

Luckily, there are other wonderful approaches that can help bring greater regulation to the nervous system, while carrying a lower risk of things potentially at first becoming a little worse before they get better.

Somatic experiencing can be a wonderful place to start. If you are not already working with an SE therapist and prefer to work individually, you can check here to find an SE therapist in your area.

I do offer online somatic experiencing skills groups. While anyone is welcome to attend them, my focus currently is to offer them for people who are preparing to do SSP, currently doing SSP, or have done SSP and want to continue to strengthen their resiliency.

Whether you are doing (or have done) SSP with myself or another SSP practitioner, you are welcome to attend my groups.

If you are interested in attending a somatic experiencing skills group with me please click here.

In some cases we may choose to begin by using SSP Connect in order to ideally bring more regulation into the nervous system prior to starting SSP Core.

I may also suggest NeurOptimal neurofeedback as a method to use prior to beginning SSP Core, to bring more regulation on board.

In situations where there is a great deal of stress in the home, and/or someone in the home that tends to "rock the boat" for the individual - being angry or stressed or difficult - I often will suggest that as much of the family as possible, begin with a NeurOptimal rental system for home use and share the sessions so that everyone at home can, ideally, be feeling better and even a little more harmonious, which then sets a better platform from which to do SSP.

NeurOptimal is also one of the approaches I highly recommend following SSP with.

If you are within Canada I have NeurOptimal rental systems available for home use. Renting NeurOptimal is one of the most cost effective ways of doing neurofeedback. If you are in the US or the UK, I have someone I can refer you to to access a NeurOptimal home rental system.

The iLs Focus System - another remarkably effective system that I highly recommend following SSP with - also can be used prior to beginning SSP, in order to settle the nervous system and bring more regulation on board.

As with NeurOptimal, use of the Focus System programs can be used to increase resilience in the individuals nervous system as well as potentially the system being shared among family members to help everyone in the home become better regulated and more able to support the SSP process.

Watch this short video about SSP that includes:

What a listening session may look like
What SSP music sounds like
How often or how fast you should listen
What to expect from your SSP provider

And more...

Real stories. Deep healing. Nervous system care for people and their pets.

19May

New Podcast Interview: Trauma Healing, Polvagal Informed Therapy, Intuition & the Nervous System

19/05/2025 09:06 PM

In this podcast interview, I share how I work as a therapist using Somatic Experiencing, Brainspotting, SSP, RRP, and intuition to support deep, lasting change. We explore nervous system healing, provider alignment, polyvagal-informed therapy, and even using SSP with pets.

14May

How the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) Supports Autistic Nervous Systems—At Any Age

14/05/2025 06:49 AM

Discover how the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) can support autistic individuals of all ages—not by changing who they are, but by helping them feel safer, more regulated, and more connected. This article explores how SSP can gently reduce sensory overwhelm, improve communication, and foster a powerful positive feedback loop of safety and connection. It also highlights how the Rest & Restore Protocol (RRP) can further support grounding, sleep, and digestion.

12May

When Everyday Sounds Feel Unbearable: How SSP Can Help with Misophonia

12/05/2025 02:41 PM

Discover how the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP), sometimes in combination with Somatic Experiencing, Brainspotting, and the new Rest & Restore Protocol (RRP), can support those living with misophonia and misokinesia. Drawing from real-life case examples, this article explores how nervous system regulation can lead to profound shifts—even after years of struggle—and why healing often begins by helping the body feel safe again.

09May

What Builds a Thriving SSP (or RRP) Practice? (Hint: It’s Not Just Marketing)

09/05/2025 06:41 PM

No matter what healing approach you offer, your presence is part of the medicine. This article shares three essential pillars that help any provider build a practice that feels joyful, sustainable, and truly aligned—with support for both your clients and your own nervous system.

17Apr

Following the Call: When Brainspotting, SSP, and Intuition Collide

17/04/2025 06:24 AM

In this post, I share the joy of a recent session with a Safe & Sound Protocol provider, where I combined Brainspotting with bite-sized SSP consultation in a deeply intuitive and healing. We were both teary at different points as we witnessed her reclaiming her confidence and more of who she really is. It’s a story about following what resonates, trusting the process, and the quiet magic that happens when healing is supported from the inside out.

08Apr

Why I Don’t Worry About “Side Effects” with SSP (And You Don’t Need To Either)

08/04/2025 01:33 AM

Worried about “side effects” with SSP? You’re not alone—but what many call side effects are actually signs of a nervous system in motion. In this post, I share why I get excited (not alarmed) by temporary dysregulation, how exquisitely sensitive clients often respond most powerfully, and why titration is the key to success. Whether you’re a provider or a client, this perspective might just shift how you view the process—and the possibilities.

12Mar

From Deep Trauma to Deep Healing: My Journey with the Rest & Restore Protocol (RRP)

12/03/2025 06:52 PM

A heartfelt personal account of my transformative journey with the Rest & Restore Protocol (RRP). I have experienced many profound improvements. Along the way it was a gradual, almost imperceptible process with some dysregulation along the way. Once processed and settled, that dysregulation lead to even deeper healing.

08Mar

How Rest Leads to More Progress than Forcing Productivity

08/03/2025 12:18 AM

What if productivity isn’t about pushing through but about working with your natural rhythm? In this post, I share how a day of following my instincts—repotting plants, building LEGO flowers, and walking my dogs—led to more creativity, inspiration, and progress than forcing myself to work. This shift, influenced by the Rest & Restore Protocol (RRP) and embracing my neurodivergence, has helped me move away from rigid expectations and toward a more compassionate, effective way of working. Read on to see why rest isn’t the opposite of productivity—it’s a key part of it.

06Mar

The Science of Feeling Safe: How One Nurse Transformed My Fear into Calm

06/03/2025 05:36 AM

A story about how an interaction with a warm, funny personable nurse affected my nervous system during a time of stress and fear, in a way that mirrors what the Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP) does for our physiology.

24Feb

The NEW Rest & Restore Protocol (RRP)

24/02/2025 08:17 PM

Have you heard of RRP and are wondering what all of the excitement is about? I was lucky enough to help this past summer with a pilot study for this brand new auditory intervention designed to revitalize your body, refresh your mind, and restore your energy naturally.

19Sep

How Anxiety Manifests in the Nervous System - Live Webinar Recording

19/09/2024 04:10 AM

Watch the recording of "How Anxiety Manifests in the Nervous System". Unyte Health welcomed Carol Ann Brayley, neurodivergent clinical social worker, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner and expert Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) provider to this Provider Spotlight webinar. This session highlighted her clinical use of the SSP within the context of anxiety, the nervous system and physical health. Exploring the evolutionary basis of anxiety and what happens to our nervous system when we’re anxious, this webinar shared considerations for approaching SSP delivery with anxious clients and how their nervous system may respond. We discussed how the SSP can lessen anxiety by cultivating an internal state of safety and social engagement and discussed practical success stories. You can expect to learn: What the purpose of anxiety is and how it can manifest in the body and nervous system. Strategies for grounding anxious clients. Effective SSP titration for maximized therapeutic impact. How adding the SSP can add to your practice.

09Jun

What things are OK to do while listening to SSP?

09/06/2024 07:08 PM

People often wonder what activities are OK to do during SSP listening. Carol Ann Brayley, MSW, RSW, SEP recognized expert in delivering SSP to the most complex people discusses various possibilities.

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Safe & Sound Protocol Coaching, Consultations & Advanced SSP Training

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About

Healing happens when we listen to what our body knows. With SSP, RRP, Brainspotting, Somatic Experiencing & intuition, I help both clients and providers find clarity, calm, and flow.

Process

SSP

RRP

Therapy

Support for healing, growth, and everything in between. Whether you’re navigating something hard or reaching for something more, sessions are intuitive, body-based, and tailored to your unique nervous system. Covered under extended health plans that include registered social workers in Ontario.

Team

Carol Ann Brayley, MSW, RSW, SEP

Raizy Yormark, MSW, LSW, CCC-SLP

Lara Wrigley, Psy D

Emily Perraut, MA, LLP, CCTP

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Carol Ann Brayley, MSW, RSW

SSP Yoda Associate Pricing

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The following installment payment plans apply to remote delivery of either SSP OR RRP when working with Carol Ann Brayley. Installment plans with SSP Yoda Associate providers can be arranged with them, at their own discretion.

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SSP & RRP don’t have to be confusing. With a mix of intuition and practical strategy, I’ll help you crack the code for your clients—and grow your confidence and your business along the way.

New!! Brainspotting for SSP & RRP Providers!

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Group programs now available. Wonderful at any time including before, during or after Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP) and other services. Covered under extended health plans that cover social workers in Ontario.

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F.A.Q

Answers to frequently asked questions about SSP. If you have a question that is not answered here, please get in touch!

What does SSP music sound like?

SSP Pathways

What equipment/headphones do I need to do SSP?

Why is it a good idea for parents to do SSP before their child does?

How long will it take me to complete SSP listening? How long are listening sessions typically?

But I thought SSP was listened to one hour per day five days in a row?

Should I do SSP before or after I use X approach?

Is it okay to do SSP at the same time as neurofeedback (or EMDR, Brainspotting, HemiSync, etc...)

How do I choose the right time to do SSP?

What can I/my child do while listening to SSP?

Do I really need to have someone present with me during SSP listening?

How long do improvements last for?

How long before I see results?

Is SSP effective for misophonia?

I've done SSP - what next?

I heard of someone who had a rough time when doing SSP and I'm scared to try it

Are there any risks to doing SSP?

I am (or my family member is) in crisis and/or medically unstable - is SSP right for us?

Videos

What to Expect

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