🎶Safe and Sound: How Music Heals the Nervous System In a world that often feels overstimulating and unpredictable.

Our nervous systems are constantly scanning for cues of safety. For many, especially those navigating trauma, anxiety, or sensory

sensitivities, this internal radar can become miscalibrated leading to chronic dysregulation. That’s where the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) steps in, offering a gentle, music-based intervention designed to return the nervous system and restore a sense of calm.

🌿 What Is the Safe and Sound Protocol?

Developed by Dr. Stephen Porges and grounded in Polyvagal Theory, SSP is a listening therapy that uses specially filtered music to stimulate the vagus nerve, a key player in regulating emotional and physiological states. The music is not just soothing; it’s scientifically engineered to mimic the frequencies of a safe human voice, sending signals of safety directly to the autonomic nervous system.

🎧 How Music Sends Cues of Safety

The SSP playlist is filtered through a patented algorithm that emphasizes frequencies associated with calm, connection, and trust. When these sounds reach the middle ear, they activate the muscles and nerves linked to the vagus nerve, helping the body shift from a state of fight-or-flight to one of rest-and-digest.

This process, known as neuroception, allows the brain to unconsciously detect safety in the environment. Over time, repeated exposure to these cues can help recalibrate the nervous system’s response to stress, making it easier to engage socially, regulate emotions, and feel grounded.

✨ Healing Benefits of SSP

Clients who engage with SSP often report:

• Improved emotional regulation and resilience during stressful situations

• Enhanced social engagement, including deeper connections and reduced social anxiety

• Better sleep, digestion, and focus, as the nervous system shifts into balance

• Increased capacity for other therapies, as SSP lays the groundwork for deeper healing

🧘‍♀️ A Gentle Companion to Holistic Therapy

SSP isn’t a standalone cure—it’s a foundational tool that complements other therapeutic modalities. Whether integrated into trauma-informed care, holistic therapy, or faith-based counseling, SSP helps clients feel safer in their bodies, which in turn opens the door for more meaningful therapeutic work.

📩 Contact: 217-430-8933 🌐 Website: www.therapyredefinedbyshellyflachs.com 📍 Sessions available in-person and remotely