I hadn’t planned to write about iLs just yet.
But lately, I’ve been noticing some changes in my own iLs journey that made me pause.
The kind of changes that are subtle on the surface… but significant when you understand what they reflect neurologically.
Then this morning, iLs kept coming up.
During a consultation, a provider asked me about iLs, in relation to SSP and RRP.
When I came out of that consultation…there was also a question about iLs waiting for me in the Unyte provider community.
I’ve learned to pay attention. My life tends to unfold by following these kinds of synchronicities - and they often end up having a much bigger impact than I expect.
So… here we are.
Because once I started answering, I realized:
This isn’t a short answer.
And more importantly - it’s not just a technical comparison.
Because my experience with iLs lately has been… surprisingly impactful in ways I didn’t expect.
The Integrated Listening System (iLs) is a multi-sensory program that combines:
Unlike purely auditory interventions, iLs is designed to engage the whole brain and body—especially systems related to:
One of the biggest differences from other tools I use is that movement is actually part of the intervention.
You’re not meant to sit still.
You’re meant to do life while your brain is reorganizing.
I sometimes think of iLs as the unsung hero of the Unyte product family.
It’s there… quietly, steadily doing its thing…
But it doesn’t get nearly the airtime it deserves.
And I think part of that is because:
👉 the programs are longer
That alone can discourage people from starting.
But interestingly, that’s also where some of its strength lies.
When we move through a neurological process over a longer period of time, we’re not just creating change…
👉 we’re giving the nervous system time to integrate and stabilize that change
This can support:
It’s less of a quick shift… and more of a rewiring that sticks.
I often think of these three tools as working with the nervous system from different angles:
All three can absolutely lead to people functioning differently in real life.
Where iLs often stands out is in how directly it targets:
👉 how the brain and body coordinate, organize, and execute tasks
So while SSP and RRP might help someone feel:
iLs often builds on that by supporting:
👉 how that regulation translates into action
Things like:
Rather than one being “better” than another…
👉 they complement each other beautifully
SSP can help the system feel safe enough to changeRRP can help restore what’s been depletediLs can help integrate and apply those changes
Together, they create a really powerful and flexible set of tools.
In most cases, I find it ideal to do SSP before iLs - and in some cases, RRP as well.
Because SSP can shift physiology more rapidly, it often helps the system:
Which then allows other processes—like iLs—to work more efficiently and effectively.
SSP is rarely meant to be a standalone, one-and-done process.
It often opens the door.
And iLs can be a beautiful next phase—where we begin to:
There’s also flexibility in how we use these tools together:
This allows us to tailor the process to:
👉 the individual nervous system👉 the goals we’re working toward👉 and what is realistically doable in daily life
iLs programs are structured so that during each hour of listening, there are short “activity” periods - usually about 10 minutes per hour.
These activities are outlined in the handbook and might include things like:
For many people—especially kids—this can feel quite natural, even fun.
Not because they’re hard.
They’re not.
But for me, they’ve been a bit of a psychological barrier.
Even though they’re simple… on many days, they just feel like one more thing.
And I know something important:
👉 The iLs I do imperfectly is better than the iLs I can’t get myself to do.
So I made an executive decision.
I’m incorporating iLs into my day-to-day life.
For me, that looks like listening while:
👉 things I already need or enjoy doing anyway
Would I likely get even more benefit if I consistently did the activities?
Probably.
But just like with SSP:
👉 it doesn’t have to be perfect to be effective
And removing that pressure has actually helped me stay consistent—which matters far more.
For kids, this often blends naturally into play:
Some of the activities line up beautifully with how kids naturally move and play anyway.
I started the Sensorimotor program after getting pushed way too far in vision therapy.
It triggered the worst resurgence of post-concussion symptoms I’ve had in years.
I lost trust in that process… and decided I’d figure this out myself.
So I started iLs.
Within about 10 days, I began noticing very real shifts in my capacity.
Not just how I felt…
…but how I functioned.
One of the most surprising moments for me was when I went back to playing VR mini golf - a game I’ve played casually for years with my kids.
I hadn’t played in a while.
But this time, I was noticeably better.
More accurate. More consistent.
There was no practice effect.
The only thing that had changed was that I’d been doing iLs.
And when I say better....I don't mean just a little bit better. Previously I might have ended games 36 strokes above par. 😄 Now sometimes I might be ending games being two strokes above par or even a few strokes below par.
I’ve now had multiple experiences where I needed to run a series of errands on a timeline.
Normally, this is something that would:
But instead?
It just felt… easy.
I could see what made sense.I moved through it without overthinking.There was flow instead of friction.
My dog was recently on antibiotics - 14 doses over 7 days.
If you know me - or what ADHD usually looks like - you’ll understand why this stood out 😄
I didn’t miss a single dose.
Not one.
Even a couple of days in, I remember thinking:
“Wait… how have I not messed this up yet?”
That level of consistency is not typical for me.
I feel more present.More embodied.Less like I’m trying to manage everything from my head.
Even my physiotherapist noticed.
“I don’t know what you’re doing differently, but keep doing it—you’re quite different today. We could do so much more.”
On the surface, some of these changes might sound minor.
Running errands more easily.Not forgetting medication.Feeling a bit more “in my body.”
But clinically, these are the kinds of shifts I pay very close attention to.
Because they often reflect something deeper:
👉 the nervous system organizing itself more efficiently
These are not just isolated improvements.
They tend to be:
When one aspect of processing improves—like organization, sequencing, or coordination—it often creates a ripple effect.
That same shift can begin to show up in multiple areas of life:
Not because we targeted each of those individually…
…but because the underlying system is functioning differently.
I'm still less than one third of the way through the iLs sensorimotor program - and there are multiple iLs programs that build from there - so what I'm seeing now is just the very beginning.
One of my family members had minimal noticeable shifts with SSP.
They never tried RRP.
But with iLs?
Within 3–5 days of the Sensorimotor program, we saw:
It was… obvious.
Even with all my experience, I’m still surprised sometimes.
What I’m seeing with iLs right now is less about “feeling different”…
…and more about:
👉 functioning differently in real life
And that matters.
A lot.
What I continue to see is that SSP, RRP and iLs aren't competing tools - they're complementary. Each one supports our physiology in a different way, and together they create something much more powerful than any one approach on its own.
If you’re wondering whether iLs might be a fit for you or your clients—especially in relation to SSP or RRP—this is something I often help people think through.
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer.
But there is usually a way to tailor these tools to what your (or your client’s) nervous system is actually needing.