Will SSP cause any discomfort or pain?

SSP does not involve physical touch or needles, so it should not be painful. Some clients may notice temporary sensations, emotions, fatigue, or sensitivity as the nervous system responds. At Theraspace, SSP is paced gently and collaboratively, with adjustments made to support comfort, safety, and regulation throughout the process.

How do I know if SSP might be right for me?

SSP may be worth exploring if you struggle with anxiety, stress, emotional overwhelm, shutdown, sensory sensitivity, trauma-related symptoms, or difficulty feeling calm and connected. It can be especially helpful for people who feel “stuck” in fight, flight, or freeze patterns. A consultation can help determine fit.

What happens during SSP?

During SSP, you listen to specially filtered music through headphones, usually in short, gradual sessions. Your provider will help pace the program based on your nervous system’s response. You may be invited to notice body sensations, emotions, or changes in regulation before, during, and after listening.

What if I’m sensitive to sound or easily overwhelmed?

That is important to share before starting. SSP can be adjusted and paced very gently, especially for clients with sound sensitivity, trauma histories, anxiety, or nervous system overwhelm. At Theraspace, we prioritize safety, consent, and flexibility. The goal is not to push through discomfort, but to support regulation.

How can SSP work with other Theraspace services?

SSP can complement therapy, acupuncture, nutrition, or other body-based supports by helping the nervous system feel more regulated and receptive. For example, therapy may help process emotions, acupuncture may support body relaxation, and SSP may support regulation. A multidisciplinary approach allows care to be tailored to your needs.

SERVICES

Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP) in Montreal

Sometimes the body needs to feel safe before the mind can begin to heal. SSP is a gentle, evidence-based listening therapy that works directly with your nervous system — helping it settle, so that everything else becomes a little more possible.

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What is SSP?

When your nervous system is stuck in survival mode, even ordinary moments can feel like too much...

The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is an evidence-based auditory intervention developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, grounded in Polyvagal Theory. It uses specially filtered music to gently train the nervous system to feel safer — shifting you out of chronic states of stress, shutdown, or hypervigilance, and toward a place of greater calm and connection.

SSP works by stimulating the vagus nerve through sound frequencies that mimic the cues of safety our nervous systems are wired to listen for — like the prosody of a calm, caring voice. Over time, this helps regulate the autonomic nervous system in ways that make it easier to engage with therapy, relationships, and daily life.

How it works?

SSP is built on a simple but powerful idea: before the mind can heal, the body needs to feel safe. By filtering music through frequencies that mimic the natural cues of safety, SSP gently coaxes the nervous system out of its defensive state — creating the conditions for therapy, connection, and everyday life to feel a little less like a threat.

Filtered Music

You listen to specially filtered music through headphones, typically over several sessions.

Nervous System Training

The frequencies gently signal safety to your autonomic nervous system, encouraging regulation.

Supported Throughout

Sessions are guided by a trained clinician who monitors your responses and adjusts the pace.

The body keeps the score — and it also holds the key to healing.

Inspired by Bessel van der Kolk

AREAS OF SUPPORT

Who can SSP help?

SSP is designed for anyone whose nervous system has learned to stay on guard...

Safe and Sound supporting nervous system

Anxiety & PTSD

SSP helps reduce hypervigilance and creates a safer physiological state for processing traumatic memories alongside other therapies.

Chronic stress & Generalized Anxiety

For those stuck in a persistent stress response, SSP can help the nervous system find its way back to a calmer baseline.

Sleep difficulties and insomnia

A dysregulated nervous system often makes rest feel impossible. SSP can help the body learn to settle at the end of the day.

Neurodevelopmental conditions

SSP is widely used to support individuals with autism, ADHD, and sensory processing differences by improving nervous system flexibility.

Physical symptoms of stress

Because the vagus nerve regulates digestion, heart rate, and more, SSP can help ease physical symptoms — such as gastrointestinal issues — rooted in an overactive stress response.

Addictions

Addiction often lives in a nervous system that has never felt truly safe. SSP can help reduce the underlying stress and hyperarousal that drive addictive patterns, supporting greater regulation and making other recovery work more accessible.

Chronic pain

When the body is stuck in a prolonged stress response, pain signals can become amplified and harder to manage. SSP works to calm the nervous system at its roots, which can help reduce the intensity of pain maintained or worsened by chronic physiological tension.

How we use SSP at Theraspace

At Theraspace, SSP is offered as part of an integrated, personalized care plan — not as a standalone fix, but as a powerful foundation that can make your other therapeutic work more accessible and effective. When the nervous system feels safer, it becomes easier to engage with therapy, connect with others, and respond to life with greater ease.

SSP pairs particularly well with:

Sessions are delivered online and guided by a trained clinician who will support you at every step — adjusting the pace based on how your body is responding, and checking in with you throughout.

IMPORTANT TO KNOW

SSP is not suitable for everyone. It is currently contraindicated for individuals with seizure disorders. During your initial consultation, we'll talk through your full history to make sure SSP is a safe and appropriate fit for you - and if it's not, we'll help you find the right path forward.