More Safety.
More Calm.
More Yourself.
Personally guided, at-home listening support for your nervous system.
For many people, the body never quite gets the message that the danger has passed. A quiet background hum of vigilance keeps running, even when everything around you is objectively fine. The Safe and Sound Protocol works on that signal from the bottom up. You listen to specially processed music at home, at your own pace, and your nervous system gets the chance to relearn what safety feels like.
- Certified Unyte Provider
- 1,100+ guided online programs since 2010
- Clinical oversight by a Dutch-registered psychologist
- 85% report less anxiety (Unyte/iLs, 2024)
Before you begin — please read this
The SSP is a non-invasive listening program. It is not an FDA-approved medical treatment, not U.S.-licensed psychotherapy, and not a replacement for care from your own healthcare provider. Please check in with your physician or licensed mental health provider first if you are in acute crisis, experiencing psychosis, having active suicidal thoughts, living with unmanaged epilepsy or severe dissociation, or if your home does not feel like a safe enough place to listen right now. Not sure if this is the right moment? Send us a message. We are happy to think it through with you →
Who Uses the Safe and Sound Protocol
People reach for the SSP from many different places. Sometimes after years of high-functioning exhaustion. Sometimes after trauma therapy plateaued. Sometimes simply because the volume of life has become too loud. The SSP is used as a complementary tool by adults and children navigating a wide range of nervous system challenges.
- Anxiety & chronic stress
- PTSD & Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)
- ADHD — focus & emotional regulation
- Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASD/ASC)
- Sensory Processing challenges (SPD)
- Social anxiety
- Long COVID / vagal dysautonomia
- ME/CFS & chronic fatigue
- Burnout recovery
- Sleep difficulties
- Children with behavioral challenges
- Hypervigilance & freeze states
The SSP is also widely used as preparation for trauma therapy. When the nervous system has more room to regulate itself, EMDR tends to move faster, somatic work goes deeper, and cognitive approaches actually land. Many therapists recommend the SSP before or alongside their own treatment, especially for clients who feel stuck.
What Clients Notice After Listening
Real experiences from real people, shared with their permission. Names have been changed for privacy. More experiences and longer case studies are on our experiences page.
“One of the first changes I noticed was in my thoughts. Even in the middle of an incredibly stressful season of life, I could access more regulated, open, curious thoughts. There was suddenly space between a trigger and my reaction. Instead of going straight into a heightened state, I had room to ask: is this actually a threat? That pause has been a gift. The second change has been deeply personal. This protocol helped me move out of a long-standing freeze state that had affected my relationships for 17 years. I have been able to be present and emotionally connected in a way I had not experienced in nearly two decades.”
“I keep being amazed by the difference. The depression I had struggled with for almost 10 years is nearly completely gone. I am sleeping better and waking up rested, which had not happened in over 6 years. I feel more patient and calm. I do not have to act calm anymore. I actually feel it.”
“It has made a world of difference. For me, for my partner, even for our dog. Your support for the hypersensitive client was exactly right. I couldn’t go beyond 10 seconds for quite a while. Then suddenly my system responded and I could follow the full schedule. I intend to continue every year.”
“I noticed a mild response already on the very first one-minute day, like a small inner stirring. After just a couple of days I was already a little calmer during the day, and some persistent digestion issues seemed noticeably better. Small, consistent increases worked well for me. My body seems a bit more resilient now, more able to adapt and adjust itself.”
How the Safe and Sound Protocol Works
Unlike talk therapy, the SSP works on a layer of the nervous system that sits underneath thinking. The brainstem. The auditory pathway. The vagal pathways that govern safety and connection. No talking required. No insight required. You just listen.
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Specially filtered music meets your middle ear The SSP uses patented music processed to emphasize frequencies between 500 and 4,000 Hz. This is the range of a calm human voice. The voice of a lullaby. The voice of someone you trust.
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Your middle ear muscles get a gentle workout The stapedius and tensor tympani are tiny muscles inside your middle ear, often described as a remote control for your nervous system. The SSP gradually trains them to pick up cues of safety with more speed and precision.
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A safety signal travels through the brainstem The trained middle ear muscles send a signal up the auditory pathway to the ventral vagal complex. That is the most recently evolved branch of the vagus nerve, the one associated with social engagement, learning, and felt safety.
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Your autonomic nervous system may begin to shift Heart rate variability can rise. The Social Engagement System comes back online. The constant background hum of fight-or-flight may quiet down. Not through willpower. Through biology.
Why “bottom-up” changes everything
When your nervous system is locked in defense, your prefrontal cortex goes partially offline. That is your center of insight, language, and logic. Talk therapy, mindfulness, and cognitive tools can only land when your system is safe enough to receive them. The SSP works on creating that ground floor of safety first. It is the foundation that makes everything else more effective.
The three SSP programs
SSP Connect
A gentle introduction with unfiltered music. Prepares your nervous system for the more active phase that follows. Especially helpful if you are highly sensitive or want to ease in slowly.
~1 hour · Optional but recommendedSSP Core
The active neural program. Gradually filtered music takes your middle ear muscles through their full training. This is where the deeper shift tends to happen.
~5 hours · Spread over days or weeksSSP Balance
The integration phase. Lighter filtering helps maintain and deepen Core results. You can return to this whenever life starts asking more of your system again.
Ongoing · As neededThe “Day 4 Effect” — something you won’t read anywhere else
Around day 4 of SSP Core, we regularly notice a brief window of heightened sensitivity. Sometimes irritability. Sometimes emotional rawness. This is not a setback. It is your auditory system recalibrating. Two days later, most clients report the deepest calm they have felt in years. We prepare every client for this in advance, so nothing comes as a surprise.
What Actually Happens When People Listen
These are not survey numbers. They are validated clinical scale outcomes collected from real clients who completed the Safe and Sound Protocol. All figures represent self-reported improvements. Individual results vary.
The numbers behind the change
Anxiety scores dropped an average of 6.0 points on the GAD-7 (from 14.6 to 8.6). Trauma symptoms improved by 16.3 points on the PCL-5 (from 45.4 to 29.2). Depression scores dropped 5.5 points on the PHQ-9 (from 15.3 to 9.8). More than half of clients who started in the clinical range moved into the non-clinical range. After just 5 hours of listening. In 2024, the U.S. Department of Defense awarded nearly $3.8 million for a double-blind RCT on SSP for PTSD, funded through the Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program. Individual results vary.
1,100+ Guided Programs Since 2010. Every Single One Online. Every Single One Real.
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Certified Unyte Health Provider Official SSP and RRP certification by Unyte/iLs, the organization that works directly with Dr. Stephen Porges to deliver the protocol through its global provider network.
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Clinical oversight by a Dutch-registered psychologist (GZ-psycholoog) Shahera el Katib holds GZ-psycholoog registration in the Netherlands (BIG: 89919609425), the Dutch state registry for licensed health professionals. This is not U.S. licensure. We do not provide U.S.-licensed psychotherapy, medical diagnosis, or medical treatment. Every program operates under her professional oversight at Dutch clinical standards.
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Online experience since 2010 — serving U.S. clients remotely 14+ years in mental and behavioral health care. 5+ years specifically in online SSP delivery. Our remote protocol has been refined for sensitive nervous systems across the US, UK, the Netherlands, Australia, and beyond.
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Individual written intake — for every client, every time We read every intake carefully. What you share shapes your starting duration, your pathway order, and how often we check in. Every program is different, because every nervous system is different.
Officially certified Unyte Health Provider — Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) and Rest and Restore Protocol (RRP).
Your home is your safe place. Our entire protocol is built around that.
Available remotely from the Netherlands. No visit required.
We are based in Utrecht, Netherlands, and we serve U.S. clients entirely online. Here is what that looks like in practice:
- Delivered through the Unyte app, available in the U.S.
- No video sessions required
- No diagnosis required to start
- No U.S. insurance billing
- Payment in USD ($300)
- All support provided in English
- Not a U.S.-licensed therapy or medical service
- GDPR-compliant data handling (European standards)
Start when you are ready, not when the system allows it
Specialized sensory and behavioral health support in the U.S. often comes with months of waiting, multiple referrals, and insurance pre-approvals that may still get denied. With the SSP through SoundTherapy, there is no waitlist, no referral needed, and no pre-authorization. You sign up, complete your intake, and begin. On your timeline. In your own home.
What happens after you sign up?
- You sign upYou receive your order confirmation and access to the next step right away.
- You receive our written intake formComplete it at your own pace. No rush. No deadline.
- We build your personalized listening scheduleBased on your intake: your starting duration, pathway order, and notes specific to your nervous system.
- You download the free Unyte appAvailable on phone, tablet, or laptop. A regular pair of stereo headphones is all you need.
- You listen at home, in your own safe spaceOn your couch. In your chair. No camera. No scheduled appointments.
- You send us an optional written updateAfter your sessions, you can message us. What you notice. How you feel. No obligation, just an open door.
- We respond and adjust as neededIn writing, in English, professionally. For all 12 months.
How does this fit into your life?
- 5–15 minutes per session on average Many clients listen in short, gentle sessions. No long blocks required.
- No fixed daily commitment Pause whenever your nervous system asks for it. The 12 months are yours.
- Listen during your natural wind-down Evenings, after work, on your couch with a blanket. The setting is part of the therapy.
- Micro-dosing protocol We never start anyone with 60-minute sessions. Based on your intake, your first session might be 10 seconds. Slow is always faster in nervous system work. We developed this approach over 200+ programs with highly sensitive clients.
- Written support, not surveillance We do not watch you on video. Our support is asynchronous, professional, available. Without the pressure of a camera or the friction of fixed appointments.
- Your environment as part of the therapy Your chair. Your blanket. Your pets. These are ventral anchors: signals of safety that help your nervous system receive the SSP input as non-threatening. We help you set up your space.
- Depth through repetition With 12 months of access, you can return to the program whenever your system is ready. Each pass tends to deepen the neural change. Our longest-running clients have done 5+ rounds.
How we do it differently
Many SSP providers bill per session. We chose a different path. Nervous system regulation takes time and repetition. It cannot be compressed into a handful of appointments.
| Aspect | Session-based offering | SSP with SoundTherapy |
|---|---|---|
| Intake | Usually general history-focused | Thorough written intake, tailored to your nervous system, sensitivities, and daily life |
| Protocol | Standard for everyone | Micro-dosed and adapted to your system |
| Support | During sessions only | Written support in English, throughout 12 months |
| Video required | Often | No. Low-demand, autonomy-based |
| Environment | Clinical setting or fixed video call | Your home, your safe space |
| Pricing model | Per-session billing | One price, 12 months access |
When high performers discover the SSP
Not everyone who comes to the SSP is in crisis. A growing part of our clientele are executives, athletes, founders, and professionals who function brilliantly under pressure and then collapse at home. The off-switch is broken. For this group, the SSP is less about repair and more about investing in long-term cognitive capacity: the bandwidth to stay focused, to recover from stress, to think clearly when everything is moving fast. In elite sport this ability to shift fluidly between high demand and deep rest is called Autonomic Agility. It is not a relaxation technique. It is a performance skill.
Everything Included. One Price. One Year.
No hidden fees. No per-session billing. Just you, the music, and time for your system to heal.
That works out to about $25 a month, billed once annually at $300.
- SSP Connect — all versions
- SSP Core — all versions
- SSP Balance — all versions
- All musical pathways
- Personal written intake
- Customized listening schedule
- Written support in English, 12 months
- Bonus Polyvagal course
After signing up, you receive your personal intake form. Based on what you share, we build your listening schedule. You download the Unyte app and start when you are ready. At home. With regular stereo headphones. During your 12 months, you can repeat the protocol as many times as your system asks for. Each round tends to deepen the effect.
Maybe this is your moment to begin
You do not have to push through anything. Just listen.
Sign up and you receive your personal intake form. Complete it whenever you are ready. No rush. No pressure. We take it from there.
What Clients of SoundTherapy Say
Experiences from our own programs, shared with permission. Names have been changed for privacy.
“Within 2 weeks, our son was willing to try new things: slides, climbing, playing with friends. By 4 weeks in, he started asking for hugs. The occupational therapist is so impressed with his progress that she wants to learn about SSP herself. My husband thought this was a silly idea. Now that he has seen the change, he is a complete believer.”
“I noticed I no longer had the sweaty palms, the sick feeling in my stomach, or the heat rising in social situations. My boyfriend called me ‘a different person.’ At work, on public transit, in restaurants. The anxiety was simply gone. I now make conversation easily with strangers, which I had never dared before.”
“Everyone with ME/CFS should know about this. After lying down almost completely since October, I can do small exercises again. Qigong. A bit of yoga. My nervous system has clearly improved. It is bringing me back to life.”
“I feel like my senses are coming back online. It is almost as if I did not realize how dim everything had become. I am noticing things I have never noticed before, even though they were always there. I am calmer. I sleep deeply. My body feels like mine again.”
Your Questions, Answered
What is the Safe and Sound Protocol?
The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is a non-invasive, 5-hour listening program developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, based on his Polyvagal Theory. It uses specially filtered vocal music to gently train the middle ear muscles and support the nervous system toward more regulation and felt safety.
You can do it entirely at home, at your own pace, spread over as many days as your system needs. The SSP is not an FDA-approved medical treatment and is not a substitute for care from a licensed U.S. healthcare provider.
Is the SSP covered by insurance or my HSA/FSA?
We do not bill U.S. insurance, neither private nor government plans. The SSP through SoundTherapy is a self-pay listening program delivered digitally from the Netherlands. No diagnosis code is required or provided.
We cannot guarantee HSA/FSA eligibility, since it depends on your specific plan. Some clients have successfully submitted receipts to their HSA/FSA administrator. We can provide an itemized invoice after purchase. Please check with your plan administrator before purchasing if reimbursement is important to your decision.
We do not provide Superbills. We do not submit to insurance on your behalf.
Is it safe to do the SSP remotely, without in-person supervision?
Yes. For many clients the home setting is therapeutically preferable. You are not performing calmness for a therapist. You are in your own space, with your own anchors, without the social demands of a clinical setting.
Our remote protocol includes a thorough written intake, a personalized listening schedule, written support throughout, and clear guidance for sensitive phases. Please consult your healthcare provider before starting if you are in active crisis or have a serious mental health condition.
What does $300 include?
$300 gives you 12 months of full access to all three SSP programs (Connect, Core, and Balance) in all available musical versions, via the Unyte app. Included:
Personal written intake · Your customized listening schedule · Written support in English throughout your 12 months · Our bonus Polyvagal course (entirely optional)
No hidden fees. No per-session billing. You can listen once or repeat the protocol multiple times. Each repetition tends to deepen the effect.
What headphones do I need?
Always use over-ear stereo headphones: a pair where the ear cups fully cover your ears. In-ear earbuds are not suitable for the SSP.
Wired or wireless makes no difference. Headphones with Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) are fine to use, as long as you fully disable the ANC and any other sound processing features during your session. If those features cannot be switched off, please use a different pair of headphones.
Do I need a diagnosis to start?
No. You do not need a diagnosis, a referral, or approval from a healthcare provider to purchase and use the SSP. We do not require or process diagnostic information.
That said, if you are currently in active crisis or under care for a serious mental health condition, please let your provider know before starting. And do mention it in your intake form so we can support you appropriately.
Why a Dutch provider for U.S. clients?
The SSP is a standardized protocol delivered through the Unyte app. The music, the filtering, the structure are identical wherever the program is offered. What differs is who guides you and how.
We chose to serve U.S. clients from the Netherlands for a few specific reasons. Our 1,100+ guided programs since 2010 have given us a depth of experience with sensitive nervous systems that is rare to find. Our written, asynchronous model removes the friction of fixed appointments and video sessions. There is no insurance chain, no waitlist, no pre-authorization. And EU data protection (GDPR) is among the strictest in the world, which matters for anything related to your nervous system or mental health.
The trade-off: this is not U.S.-licensed psychotherapy and we cannot bill U.S. insurance. If those are essential to you, the SSP is also offered by Unyte-certified providers based in the U.S.
How does the SSP actually work?
The SSP filters music to emphasize frequencies between 500 and 4,000 Hz, the natural range of a calm human voice. This invites the middle ear muscles (stapedius and tensor tympani) to actively tune in, which sends a signal up the auditory pathway through the brainstem to the ventral vagal complex. That complex is associated with safety, social connection, and regulation.
Think of it as gentle physical therapy for your nervous system’s safety signal. You just listen. The biology does its own work.
Who is the SSP for?
The SSP is used as a complementary tool by adults, adolescents, and children navigating anxiety, PTSD, C-PTSD, ADHD, autism spectrum conditions, sensory sensitivities, social anxiety, burnout, Long COVID, sleep challenges, and chronic stress.
It is also widely used as preparation for trauma processing in EMDR, somatic therapy, or other interventions. It provides a neural foundation that can make top-down approaches more effective. The SSP is not a medical treatment and does not replace care from a licensed U.S. provider.
How long does it take to notice changes?
Many clients notice something during or after their first few sessions. A subtle shift in energy. Easier sleep. Less emotional reactivity. Real-world data shows 85% of clients report improved anxiety symptoms after completing the 5-hour Core program (Unyte/iLs, 2024). Individual results vary.
For deeper or more lasting change, we recommend completing the protocol at least twice. Your 12-month access is designed for that. Effects tend to be cumulative.
What if I am highly sensitive or have found SSP too intense before?
This is exactly what we specialize in. During your intake we get a sense of your nervous system’s starting tolerance. For highly sensitive clients, we sometimes begin with sessions of 10 seconds. Seconds, not minutes.
Our Micro-Dosing Protocol, developed over 200+ programs with highly sensitive clients, lets the nervous system adapt at its own pace. In nervous system work, slow really is faster.
Can I combine the SSP with my current therapy?
In most cases, yes. Combining is often beneficial. Many therapists use the SSP as preparation for or alongside EMDR, somatic therapy, or cognitive behavioral therapy. The SSP may help your nervous system reach a state where other interventions land more effectively.
Please let your current provider know you are starting the SSP. We can provide a brief information sheet for therapists on request.
What if I skip a day or cannot keep up?
No problem. That is exactly why you have 12 months of access. The SSP is not daily homework that fails if you miss a day. Your nervous system recovers at its own rhythm.
Just send us a message if you get stuck or want to pause. We will adjust your schedule and make sure your program feels right, even if it goes slower or differently than expected.
Is the SSP safe for my child?
Yes. The SSP is widely used with children for ASD/ASC, ADHD, sensory sensitivities, attachment challenges, and behavioral difficulties. Real-world data shows 84% of children showed psychosocial improvement (PSC, n=219).
For children, we create an adapted protocol with shorter sessions and gradual progression. Parents receive clear guidance on how to make listening sessions relaxed and calm.
Is the SSP evidence-based?
The SSP rests on 40+ years of peer-reviewed research in autonomic neuroscience by Dr. Stephen Porges. Polyvagal Theory is one of the most influential frameworks in modern trauma neuroscience.
The evidence base includes two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with a combined 146 children through the Listening Project Protocol, the direct scientific predecessor to the SSP. Real-world data (Unyte/iLs, 2024): 85% of 752 clients reported reduced anxiety (GAD-7); 87% of 390 clients improved on the PCL-5; 81% of 543 clients reported reduced depression (PHQ-9). All figures represent self-reported improvements on validated clinical scales. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Individual results vary.
Ready to begin?
Your nervous system does not need more willpower. It needs safety.
Sign up, complete your intake at your own pace, and we take it from there. Written support in English, clinical oversight from a Dutch-registered psychologist, 12 months of access.
The Safe and Sound Protocol:
From Brainstem to Gene Expression
Nine chapters. Thirty-one peer-reviewed sources. Seven documented case studies, including a psychiatric inpatient facility, foster care, elite sport, and a rescue dog named Daisy.
This information is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The Safe and Sound Protocol is a non-invasive listening program. It is not an FDA-approved medical treatment, not U.S.-licensed psychotherapy, and not a substitute for care from a licensed U.S. healthcare provider. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. All real-world outcome data represents self-reported improvements on validated clinical scales (Unyte/iLs, 2024). Individual results vary. Please consult your licensed healthcare provider if you have a medical or mental health condition, are in crisis, or are unsure whether SSP is appropriate for you at this time.
Scientific References & Sources
The Safe and Sound Protocol is grounded in peer-reviewed neuroscience. The following sources support the claims and clinical basis on this page.
Polyvagal Theory — Foundational Research
- Porges, S.W. (1994). Orienting in a defensive world: Polyvagal Theory. Psychophysiology, 32(4), 301–318. polyvagalinstitute.org
- Porges, S.W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory. Norton & Company.
- Porges, S.W., Bailey, R., & Dugard, J. (2023). Appeasement: Replacing Stockholm Syndrome as a definition of a survival strategy. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 14(1). tandfonline.com
- Polyvagal theory: current status, clinical applications, and future directions. PMC, 2025. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- When a critique becomes untenable: a scholarly response to Grossman et al.’s evaluation of Polyvagal Theory. PMC, 2026. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
SSP — Clinical & Scientific Basis
- Neurophysiological background for the Safe & Sound Protocol. Unyte. SSPScience.pdf
- Safe and Sound Protocol: A practical application of Polyvagal Theory. Action Trauma. actiontrauma.com
- Unyte / iLs Real-World Data Report (2024). GAD-7, PHQ-9, PCL-5, PSC. integratedlistening.com
- Harnessing non-invasive vagal neuromodulation: HRV biofeedback and SSP. Spandidos Publications, 2025. spandidos-publications.com
Validated Clinical Measurement Tools
- GAD-7: Spitzer, R.L. et al. (2006). Archives of Internal Medicine, 166(10), 1092–1097.
- PHQ-9: Kroenke, K. et al. (2001). Journal of General Internal Medicine, 16(9), 606–613.
- PCL-5: Weathers, F.W. et al. (2013). National Center for PTSD.
- PSC: Jellinek, M.S. et al. (1988). Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 142(10), 1110–1116.
Psychoneuroimmunology & Epigenetics
- From Molecules to Meaning: Neuropeptides, Sociostasis, and the Brain–Heart Axis. MDPI, 2026. mdpi.com
- Epigenetics and Psychoneuroimmunology. PMC / NIH. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- HRV biofeedback and SSP for cardiovascular and autonomic regulation. PMC, 2025. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Scientific references are provided for informational and transparency purposes. The SSP is a non-invasive listening program and not a substitute for professional medical or psychological care. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.