Music Therapy in Fort Lauderdale and across Florida and Illinois
Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP): A Path to Nervous System Regulation
Safe and Sound Protocol is a gentle way to feel more at ease in yourself and in connection with others.
Unlike talk therapy, there’s no need to share or process experiences. You simply listen to five hours of filtered music over time using over-the-ear headphones.
This approach helps ease sensory issues, soften big emotions, and make it easier to settle, even in challenging moments.
SSP Provider in Fort Lauderdale
Hi, I’m Amy!
I’m really glad you’re here.
When life feels overwhelming—whether it’s anxiety, being on edge, or physical discomfort—it can affect every part of your day, making it harder to connect, focus, or enjoy what matters. I know how heavy that can feel, and I’m here to support you.
As an SSP Provider, I help people of all ages ease the tension and stress that keep them stuck in overwhelm. Whether you're here for SSP alone or open to somatic therapy, I bring in gentle insights from Somatic Experiencing to support your needs.
Together, we’ll create a space where your nervous system can settle, helping you feel more regulated, resilient, and open to the safety cues around you.
What is the Safe and Sound Protocol?
The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is a gentle, science-backed music therapy developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, the founder of Polyvagal Theory. SSP uses specially filtered music to stimulate your vagus nerve, which plays a crucial role in regulating your nervous system. The vagus nerve helps your body respond to signals of safety, and SSP can improve how your brain and body recognize these cues. It’s especially helpful for people dealing with anxiety, trauma, chronic pain, or sensory sensitivities.
By resetting your nervous system, SSP helps reduce how intensely you react to stress or triggers, allowing you to handle everyday challenges with more resilience. It helps both adults and children feel safer and more grounded, improves emotional regulation, and enhances focus and well-being.
How Can the Safe and Sound Protocol Help You or Your Family?
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Support for Adults
Overwhelm from life’s challenges, struggles in relationships, past trauma, or sensory overload can leave adults feeling stuck and on edge.
Safe and Sound Protocol offers a gentle way to help calm your system, making it easier to find balance and handle what life brings.
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Support for Children
Sensory sensitivities, anxiety, autism, or behavioral challenges can make it hard for kids to regulate emotions, focus, and connect with others.
Through Safe and Sound Protocol, I provide gentle support to help kids feel more settled and at ease in their daily lives.
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Support for Families
When a family feels dysregulated, tension and conflict can make it hard for everyone to get along or find peace together.
Safe and Sound Protocol supports the entire family, helping to create more calm, connection, and understanding at home.
When life feels overwhelming, it’s often because your nervous system is stuck in stress mode. You might avoid challenges, hold back your thoughts, or feel shame for reacting strongly or shutting down. This can make it hard to connect—with yourself, others, or the life you want.
SSP helps shift these patterns by calming your nervous system through gentle, music-based therapy. It can:
Bring More Balance: Fewer intense emotions make it easier to feel steady and respond thoughtfully.
Improve Emotional Regulation: Stressors feel less overwhelming, helping you stay grounded in tough moments.
Strengthen Relationships: Greater ease in your system allows for better connection and communication.
Let’s explore how SSP can help you or your family find more calm and connection.
How SSP Can Positively Impact You or Your Family
How SSP Therapy Works
SSP involves listening to five hours of filtered music through an app with over-the-ear headphones. The music emphasizes frequencies that help your brain tune into signals of safety, like the soothing tones of a comforting voice. As your nervous system adjusts, you may feel calmer and less reactive.
What to Expect with Safe and Sound Protocol
SSP works differently for everyone, and finding the right pace is key. Some people need to go slower, and that’s okay. I’ll help you notice how your body responds and adjust as needed. Gentle movement or small changes to your surroundings can also support the process.
You might feel more tired, restless, or even spacy at times—natural signals that your system is adjusting. Everyone’s experience is unique, and we’ll work together to help you feel more at ease, both during SSP and in daily life.
For more information on Safe and Sound Protocol, please visit Integrated Listening.
SSP Listening Options
I offer SSP for children, teens, and adults. There are several ways to integrate SSP into your healing process:
Listening During Somatic Therapy Sessions: We can listen to SSP together in session, and I’ll help guide your body’s responses and ensure the experience is comfortable and supportive.
Supervised Independent Listening: Some clients prefer to listen independently with check-ins for support. *This is only available case-by-case and requires ongoing therapy (with me or another provider), as SSP isn’t a stand-alone treatment.
Hybrid Option: Many therapy clients combine in-session listening with independent listening, receiving regular support and guidance throughout the process.
No matter your approach, I’ll make sure you feel supported and that the process works for you.
6 Months of SSP: $400
Includes access to the SSP app and ongoing email support. While some may complete the protocol in less time, others may need longer. If extended, there is a $100 technology fee for each additional 6 months of access, plus $50 for each month of email support utilized.
For non-therapy clients, the following is also required:
Initial Assessment Session: $180
A 55 minute session to tailor the SSP to your specific needs. If you’re already in somatic therapy with me, we can combine this with a regular session.
Monthly Video Check-Ins: $90/month (minimum)
These 30-minute sessions ensure your progress is on track and allow us to adjust the protocol if needed. Additional sessions can be scheduled, or, if you’re a somatic therapy client, we can integrate these into your regular sessions.
I’m committed to guiding you through the SSP process, ensuring you have the support and tools you need. I’m here to help you feel confident and cared for.
Your Investment in the Safe and Sound Protocol
Safe and Sound Protocol Therapy FAQs
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SSP is especially helpful for individuals dealing with anxiety, trauma, chronic pain, or sensory sensitivities by calming the nervous system and reducing heightened alertness. This helps people feel more grounded, less reactive, and better able to handle everyday challenges.
For those who struggle with emotional regulation, SSP supports managing overwhelming emotions like frustration or sadness, leading to more balanced responses and healthier relationships.
It also benefits individuals, including children and adults, who have difficulty connecting with others due to social anxiety or trauma. By helping the nervous system recognize safety cues, SSP fosters security and makes it easier to engage in meaningful relationships and social situations. For children with sensory sensitivities, it reduces reactivity to stimuli, helping them feel calmer and more focused.
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To participate in the Safe and Sound Protocol, you’ll need:
Non-noise-canceling over-the-ear headphones
A smartphone or tablet to access the SSP app
A quiet, safe space where you can fully focus on the music
Dedicated time for listening to the specially filtered tracks—whether during therapy sessions or on your own
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Some potential reactions to the Safe and Sound Protocol include temporary discomfort, such as increased anxiety, restlessness, or emotional sensitivity. You may also notice a heightened awareness of physical sensations or an increase in sensitivity to triggers as your nervous system settles. These responses are usually short-lived and are part of the process of helping your nervous system recalibrate. It’s important to go at a pace that feels right for you, and I’ll be here to support you through any challenges along the way.
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SSP is not suitable for individuals with unmanaged psychosis or certain neurological disorders, such as epilepsy. Additionally, while the Safe and Sound Protocol may potentially help with tinnitus, there is a possibility that it could worsen the condition. Because of this, SSP should be approached with caution if tinnitus is present.
SSP follows the principle of "safe before sound," meaning that certain life or health factors may require us to delay or use SSP carefully to ensure the best possible outcome.
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Yes, SSP can be integrated with other therapies and is often combined with Somatic Experiencing in my practice. Many clients find that blending SSP with somatic therapy sessions deepens their healing, as Somatic Experiencing helps release stored stress and trauma while SSP works to retune the nervous system. This combination offers a more comprehensive approach, helping clients feel more grounded, connected, and resilient in both their emotional and physical well-being. It can also complement talk therapy by addressing both the body’s responses and the mind’s emotional patterns.
It’s also important to note that SSP is not meant to be a stand alone therapy. -
For kids under 13:
The child is the one listening to SSP, but you, as the parent or caregiver, play a key role as the co-regulator. You’ll sit with your child during sessions to help them feel safe and supported while they listen.
Sessions can also happen with me online, where your child listens to SSP with you present. I’ll guide both of you throughout the process.
You’ll be responsible for checking in with me via email and during our monthly phone calls, but I will also need to see your child for at least a few minutes during our monthly video check-ins.
For teens ages 13–17:
How your teen listens to SSP depends on their individual needs. They may listen with you or with me during sessions, or we may use a combination of both.
While I’ll still ask you for basic observations (like changes in your teen’s sleep, appetite, or mood), it’s important to respect their privacy. Your teen won’t be listening on their own without supervision.
This process ensures that both you and your child feel supported, with my guidance every step of the way. We’ll work together to find the best approach for your child’s unique needs.
For more information, click here.
Get help from a Florida SSP Provider
When life feels overwhelming—when emotions run high or it’s hard to settle—support is here. This gentle, music-based therapy helps ease reactivity, sensory challenges, and the feeling of being stuck.
This approach helps the body and mind not just recognize safety, but truly take it in—allowing you to feel more at ease, resilient, and grounded in daily life.
I’d love to support you in the SSP process, helping you find more ease, regulation, and connection.
Relief is possible.
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