Safe & Sound Protocol
NOW OFFERED 1:1 or in Small Groups REMOTELY
Are you or your child on high alert much of the time?
Are you struggling with anxiety or depression?
Could your family use a nervous system reset?
CONSIDER ADDING THE SAFE AND SOUND PROTOCOL TO YOUR TOOLBOX!
What is the SSP?
Developed by Dr. Stephen Porges the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is a music-based listening therapy designed to reduce stress and auditory sensitivity while enhancing feelings of safety, connection and regulation. According to Dr. Porges’ Polyvagal Theory, when our physiological state is re-tuned toward safety, the door is opened for improved communication, a greater ability to (co)regulate and more successful therapy (beginning counseling, play therapy, occupational therapy, school or other transitions).
The SSP is a research-based intervention showing significant results in the following areas:
Emotion regulation
Connectedness (to self and others)
Stress resilience
Felt safety is a completely subjective inner sense of safety. It’s needed for relating, learning, healing and thriving. Emotional and physiological state are critical to how we think, perceive, and respond to the environment around us. And many things can shift our nervous system toward protection mode (reaction to perceived threat) including early trauma, a sensitive nervous system, having a different neurotype while living in a neurotypical world, and health challenges being just a few. The catch 22 is that in order to heal, our nervous system needs to have access to our connection mode (rest and digest). Experiences that help settle our nervous systems can help us begin to create space for healing. The Safe and Sound Protocol is one way of offering safety and access to our connection mode (rest and digest) without having to “do anything” beyond listening and enjoying. When a person has a greater sense of felt safety (not 100% of the time because our nervous system still needs to respond to danger!) it often leads to a wider window of stress tolerance with greater flexibility and control over their state. This can lead to a greater tolerance for stress and change, more comfort around social interactions and greater accuracy in reading cues from others. It also creates a nervous system that is more open, open to whatever might be next!
This non-invasive, passive intervention involves listening to filtered music that has been processed specifically to re-tune the nervous system to introduce a sense of safety and an increased ability to engage with self and others. This allows the person to better handle change/stress, have more comfort in social interactions, greater access to language for their experiences, and accuracy in reading cues from others. Spending more time in connection mode (rest and digest) can also shift the body toward health and healing, settling the immune system and inflammatory processes.
It is especially useful for those with:
Symptoms of anxiety and depression
Sensory processing differences
Neurodevelopmental differences
Symptoms following toxic stress or trauma.
Support Will Include:
assessing the best pacing (1 -> 30 minutes/listening session) and pathway (Connect, Core, Balance)
preparing you, and your family members, for the listening protocol
education around your nervous system, additional exercises and tools for supporting your nervous system, and how to begin to build awareness and track your state
creating a quiet, enjoyable space and routine for listening
offering co-regulation, support, engagement and activities during your first listening sessions.
SSP is now available in three formats:
1) One on One sessions
For adults with vulnerable nervous systems or chronic health conditions, it can be best to go slow, as our bodies have been carrying stress and tension for many years. The introduction of “felt safety” must be slow, gentle and well supported. The SSP is meant to be a safe, connected experience. This is best done with a practitioner available for co-regulation and support. As you become familiar with the listening, develop nervous system tools and grow your capacity for safety, you may be able to listen outside of session as well. Each nervous system is unique!
In this case, individual sessions can be scheduled. Regular session rates apply.
2) Parent/child dyad or Family Package
For families with young children, we often recommend that at least one parent complete the SSP prior to or along with their child. In these situations, a package rate may be most helpful.
The SSP package includes:
Free 30-minute virtual discovery session to answer questions and assess goodness of fit.
Initial consultation to assess and provide nervous system education.
1 additional consultation per family member to provide support, nervous system education and co-regulation for listening. The Family Package includes 3 consultations beyond the initial consultation which can be divided into shorter sessions.
Regular (weekday) email, voice, or messaging support while you are doing the independent, remote portion of your listening.
Access to the appropriate SSP pathways (Connect, Core, Balance) for six months.
Pricing: Duo $579 | Family (more than 2 family members) $779
The SSP is most effective when a parent starts the protocol first or listens with their child.
*Payment plans are available. Please message me for details or to set up a free discovery session to talk further!
**Sessions may also be billed to insurance for those with Aetna (I am an in-network provider) or other behavioral health benefits (out of network).
Additional consultations are billed at $140/hour, $70/half hour.
***For those working with me via therapy or coaching, the SSP is available as an adjunct to therapy with minimal additional cost. Fees vary depending on how it is being used. Please ask for more information.
3) New this Spring! SSP Small Groups
Working with a SSP practitioner 1:1 can be a transformational experience but isn't accessible to everyone.
An SSP Small Group experience can help reduce some of the barriers to access and offer more opportunities for connection and community building (if that is a part of your need, no pressure though!).
What would an SSP small group experience include?
Initial consultation to begin to build safety, connection and discuss pacing of the SSP for you and your unique nervous system
6, 90-minute small group meetings spread over two months
Access to the therapeutic music of the SSP
Voxer group chat with me and group participants to connect in between sessions
What might a SSP small group session look like?
First of all, I want to emphasize that my approach is open, flexible, and honoring of the experiences and needs of each individual. Anything that I might offer during a session is purely an invitation. It isn't an expectation that anyone would push through discomfort or comply simply because an activity, prompt, or exercise is offered. The idea is for you to have space to be with yourself, first and foremost. To get to know what feels safe, supportive and honoring. Secondary to that is to connect with me, the other participants and the music.
That said, we would likely begin with an open invitation to notice or settle into your body/space/seat/feet
Together we will experience 30 minutes of the SSP per meeting, broken up into 10-minute chunks
Space and permission to attend to your needs
Invitations to map your nervous system, notice sensation, play and practice activities that offer cues of safety, comfort, joy and delight.
After the second meeting you will be invited to listen to some of the SSP in between sessions.
Spring 2025 Dates:
Mondays 6:30-8:00 PM (April 28, May 5, May 12, May 19, (no meeting May 26th), June 2, June 9)
What is the cost?
In order to make the group accessible to a wider group of people, I have adopted a sliding fee scale. You determine what is manageable for you and your situation. I will not ask for income information or verification.
$559 - Sustaining Rate for those that are able to contribute and support the needs of others
$459 - Balanced rate for those who are able to afford the group experience
$359 - Essential rate for those who would benefit from the therapeutic experience, but the full cost would create hardship in other essential areas.
For your consideration: the sliding fee structure is solely available to increase access for those in need. The fee includes 9 hours of group sessions and 1 hour of individual consultation. Without including the cost of the individual consultation, the hourly cost of the group ranges from $40-62/hour, which is a considerable savings over individual SSP or therapy sessions.
Half of the package rate is due at the time of registration. Payment plans are available for those needing it. Please ask!
**A payment plan is not the same as a subscription. The participant is responsible for the full payment even if they discontinue attendance. Cancellation is possible up to the week before the first session (minus an administrative charge of $100).
***1:1 make up sessions can be scheduled at a reduced rate if there is an unexpected absent.
If you are interested in applying to be a part of the Spring 2025 SSP small group, please complete the form below and I will be in touch soon.
Learn More:
The SSP is helping nervous & trauma exposed pets too (w/o the headphones)!
Neuroception: the missing piece in our children's mental health crisis by Claire Wilson
Click the button below to visit my Contact page where you can request a FREE 30 minute discovery session with me to discuss the SSP and how it may benefit you, your child or family.
“My stomach has a bit of a smile, with eyes that blink very happy. That’s why I am very happy. I feel free.” – Bente, 6 year old girl
Jeri Lea Kroll is a psychotherapist specializing in early childhood, parenting, trauma, attachment and adoption using a lens informed by attachment theory and the relational neurosciences. She is also a Being With coach and advanced practitioner and facilitator of Raising Kids with Big Baffling Behaviors: A Course for Parents (created by Robyn Gobbel, author of the book by the same name) and a Safe and Sound Protocol provider. Jeri Lea brings her lived experiences as an adopted person and adoptive parent to her work as well. She provides relationship-focused therapy and coaching to individuals, parents and families virtually and in-person from her offices in Brighton and Ann Arbor, Michigan.