Yes. Both the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) and the Rest and Restore Protocol (RRP) can be delivered remotely.
I work with children, adults, and families around the world, so you do not need to live in Ontario - or even in Canada - to explore either program with me.
Remote delivery does not mean that you simply receive access to some music and complete a program entirely on your own. SSP and RRP are provider-guided listening programs. My role is to help determine which program is appropriate, prepare you for listening, establish a suitable pace, monitor your responses, and adjust the plan when needed.
Some people need close support throughout the process. Others can listen more independently after an initial assessment and orientation. For children, a parent or caregiver is an essential part of the listening team.
Here is what remote SSP and RRP support actually looks like.
Both programs are accessed through the Unyte Health app. I provide access to the appropriate program and manage it through the provider platform.
We meet for an online session in which I observe the start of listening for those ages 13 and over - or I meet with a parent and advise them on how to start the process with their child under the age of 13.
Listening happens in your own home using a smartphone or tablet and appropriate headphones or speakers.
Some listening sessions may take place while we are connected by video.
Other sessions may be completed independently or with a parent, caregiver, partner, or trusted support person nearby.
You can read more about how clients access SSP and RRP through the app, including what happens after registration.
SSP and RRP are both sound-based programs, but they are not interchangeable.
| Safe and Sound Protocol | Rest and Restore Protocol | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary emphasis | Social engagement, sound sensitivity, connection, and nervous-system regulation | Rest, settling, restoration, and physiological balance |
| Program structure | Five hours of filtered music, divided and paced according to the listener’s responses | Ten structured tracks, generally 30 minutes each |
| Typical pace | Often completed gradually over several weeks or months | Often completed over a few to several months, with adjustments when needed |
| Common equipment | App-based listening, usually with over-the-ear headphones | App-based listening with suitable headphones, earbuds, or external speakers |
| Level of support | May involve substantial co-regulation with a friend, family member, or provider | May sometimes be completed more independently, depending on the listener |
| Provider role | Assessment, preparation, pacing, monitoring, and integration | Assessment, preparation, pacing, monitoring, and integration |
SSP uses specially processed music and is often considered when someone has difficulty with sound sensitivity, connection, social engagement, or regulation in relation to the outside world.
RRP uses purpose-composed, rhythmically structured soundscapes. It is oriented toward rest, recovery, settling, and internal physiological rhythms.
Some people complete only one program. Others use both at different stages - or, potentially, within the same timeframe.
Decisions are based on your nervous system, current capacity, and goals - not simply on which program sounds more appealing.
For a fuller explanation, read The Difference Between SSP and RRP: Two Gentle Paths to Nervous System Healing.
For either program, you will generally need:
SSP is usually delivered through comfortable over-the-ear headphones. Fit is important, especially for someone with sensory sensitivities. Headphones that pinch, become hot, feel heavy, or slip out of position can interfere with the listening experience.
Earbuds can not be used for SSP.
RRP offers somewhat more flexibility. Depending on the individual plan, headphones, earbuds, or good-quality external speakers may be used. Built-in phone or tablet speakers are not recommended.
I will discuss equipment with you before listening begins. If you or your child cannot comfortably wear headphones, let me know during the consultation. This is something to plan for - not something the listener should be expected to push through.
Remote listening begins with assessment and preparation.
The initial process may explore:
For a child, I also consider how the child communicates comfort or overwhelm, what helps the child regulate, and how a parent or caregiver can support listening.
This process helps us decide:
Access to the music is only one part of remote delivery. The quality of the preparation and support surrounding it matters just as much.
The pace is individualized.
Although SSP Core contains five hours of filtered music, this does not mean that everyone should listen for one hour a day or finish in five days.
Some people comfortably manage longer sessions. Others may begin with only a few minutes - or, for very sensitive nervous systems increments may be measured in seconds - and build gradually.
A person who is sensitive, easily overwhelmed, or still developing awareness of nervous-system responses may need:
Some people start with SSP Connect, which uses unfiltered music to establish familiarity with the playlist, headphones, listening routine, and provider relationship before moving into SSP Core.
RRP consists of ten tracks that are generally 30 minutes long. Some people complete one track per session, but the schedule can still be adjusted and some may need to do amounts that are much shorter.
Depending on your response, we may change:
Neither program should become an endurance exercise. Finishing quickly is not the objective. The objective is to create an experience that remains manageable and useful for your nervous system.
I explain these principles more fully in Getting the Most Out of SSP and RRP Listening, including pacing, positioning, co-regulation, and what to notice after a session.
Not necessarily.
I generally meet with people for their first listening session - that is included in any SSP or RRP process with me.
Certain clients may need live support for most or all listening.
Others can listen at home after assessment, preparation, and one or more supported sessions.
A remote program may include:
The level of support is determined by the person, not merely by the program.
Even when I am not present during listening, the process remains provider-guided.
We establish a communication plan before home listening begins.
You will know:
You may be asked to notice patterns involving:
You do not need to analyze every sensation or behaviour. We are looking for meaningful patterns that may tell us whether the pace is comfortable or needs to change.
Progress is not always dramatic or immediately recognizable. My article on tiny signs of nervous-system regulation describes some of the quieter changes people can easily overlook.
I can also monitor listening activity through the provider platform, but app data does not replace conversation. Your lived experience - and, for children, caregiver observations - remains essential.
Listening does not necessarily mean sitting rigidly and doing nothing.
During SSP, gentle activities can sometimes help the nervous system remain comfortable and engaged. Depending on the listener, this might include drawing, using a fidget, working with kinetic sand, stretching, rocking gently, or walking slowly.
Activities that absorb attention completely may make it harder to remain connected with the music. Screens are generally avoided unless they are being used to connect with a supportive person.
RRP has a more restorative intention. It is generally best experienced while sitting or lying comfortably. We avoid standing, walking or doing an activity that requires effort during RRP listening as we are encouraging the body to let go.
You can find more examples in What Things Are Okay to Do While Listening to SSP?.
For children, remote SSP or RRP is usually a collaboration among the child, caregiver, and provider.
A parent or caregiver may help by:
Children do not need to sit perfectly still. Depending on the plan, they may draw, build, complete a puzzle, cuddle a pet, stretch, or engage in another gentle activity.
Part of my role is helping parents recognize the child’s individual signs of comfort, activation, fatigue, avoidance, and overwhelm.
A child should not be forced to continue through significant distress simply to complete a predetermined number of minutes.
For families supporting an autistic child, teen, or adult, I have also written about how SSP may support autistic nervous systems at any age.
Closer provider involvement may be appropriate in some settings for:
Relevant medical, neurological, hearing, or mental-health concerns should be discussed before beginning. When appropriate, I may recommend consultation with another member of your healthcare team.
These factors do not necessarily rule out remote SSP or RRP. They may indicate a need for more preparation, shorter sessions, closer monitoring, additional local support, or a different starting point.
Not in the way many people assume.
Because SSP and RRP are app-based, I am easily able to support clients and families all over the world.
Remote work can be especially helpful for people who:
Time-zone differences require some scheduling coordination, but they do not prevent us from working together.
Remote listening does not replace local medical or emergency care.
When someone has complex needs, I may recommend maintaining contact with appropriate professionals in their own community while we work together.
Yes. I work with SSP and RRP clients all over the world.
Our work begins with a remote consultation. We will discuss:
You do not need to know which program you need before contacting me. Determining the most appropriate starting point is part of the assessment process.
It does not have to be.
Remote delivery allows you to listen in a familiar environment, avoid travel, involve family members, and move through the program at a pace that fits your daily life.
For children, it allows me to help caregivers develop a clearer understanding of the child’s regulation patterns. For adults, it can make it easier to integrate listening into the places and routines where support is actually needed.
The quality of remote delivery depends less on physical distance than on the quality of the assessment, pacing, communication, observation, and relationship surrounding the program.
The most helpful question is therefore not simply:“Can SSP or RRP be done online?”
It is:“What type of listening program and support will be most appropriate for me or my child?”
If you are considering remote SSP or RRP, you can book an appointment with SSP Yoda & Associates. An initial consultation will help us decide which program may be the better fit and what a well-supported remote listening plan could look like.