The Safe and Sound Protocol
Think, feel, and connect better through nervous system regulation.
Five hours of music.
Long-lasting impact.
The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is a powerful listening therapy designed to help regulate the nervous system, so your child can better connect with themselves, others, and the world around them.
Humans need social connection.
Subconsciously, the nervous system is always looking for cues of safety from other people through things like body language, facial expression, or tone of voice.
But if your child struggles to interpret these cues of safety due to past experiences or the way they take in information, their brain and body can misinterpret these cues, limiting their ability to connect in a meaningful way.
How does the SSP work?
Through specially filtered music, the SSP sends cues of safety to the nervous system, building the foundation for awareness, embodiment, and resilience.
Benefits of Nervous System Regulation
Tunes that retune.
The music of the SSP is unlike any other. Each track has been filtered through a patented algorithm that highlights specific sound frequencies that are similar to the human voice.
As your child listens to the music of the SSP, these highlighted frequencies send cues of safety to retune their nervous system, which can help them feel more settled, engaged, and balanced.
Works alongside your child, wherever they are on their journey.
Supports individuals across a wide range of needs
The SSP may be helpful in supporting overall health and resiliency for individuals seeking support for:
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Depression and anxiety
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Neurodevelopmental differences (i.e., autism, ADHD, general neurodivergence)
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Learning difficulties
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Sensory processing differences
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Trauma history
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And more
Listen from almost anywhere
Your child can listen to the music of SSP either in person with your certified provider or remotely from the comfort of your own home, allowing for flexibility and ease. Your provider will collaborate with you on a listening plan that works for you and your child.
Works with other therapies
The SSP can also be combined with other modalities, including:
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Neurodevelopmental treatment, such as occupational therapy & play therapy
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Forms of mental health and trauma therapies, such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Somatic Experiencing® (SE™), and Internal Family Systems (IFS)
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Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and other forms of talk therapy (e.g. DBT, MCBT, etc.)
Safe and effective for all ages and families
The SSP has helped over 100,000 children, adolescents, and adults in more than 70 countries worldwide.
What to Expect from the SSP Experience
Your and Your Child's Role
Our SSP providers will guide your child through the listening session, attuning to your child's regulation needs and providing support when needed. Your child's provider will collaborate with your child to help them with identify feelings or sensations, whether emotional or physical, that may arise.
Your provider may also have your child engage in regulating activities during their listening sessions based on their individual needs, such as stretches, breathing exercises, movement, or drawing. Be sure to stay in close communication with your provider, so they can adjust the listening plan to suit your and your child's needs.
Your Provider's Role
Your certified provider will be your child's guide along the SSP journey. They are trained to assess your child's readiness for the program before they start listening to the music and will recommend an individualized listening plan for them. They will provide education, answer your questions, and prepare you and your child for all that your child may experience once they begin.
During the listening process, they will monitor progress and make sure your child is completing the program in a timeline that respects their unique needs. They will support and work with you to find the right pace and conditions for the optimal listening experience for your child.
As a parent or caregiver, you may also be a listening partner for your child. Follow your provider’s guidance for what activities to do and how to guide your child.
Continue your learning
It's important to stay informed and educated along the listening journey. Watch this short video for an introduction to the SSP, including:
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What a listening session may look like
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What the SSP music sounds like
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How often or how fast your child should listen
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What to expect from your SSP provider
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And more
Frequently Asked Questions
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How do I get started with services?Schedule a complimentary consultation with us! You will start by completing and submitting our consultation form. Once submitted, you will be automatically redirected to schedule a 15 phone call with our team to discuss billing, scheduling, and any additional questions.
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Do I need a referral/order to begin services?We handle the referral process for you! As part of our intake process, we will ask for your primary care physician’s (PCP’s) information. Our team will then contact them on your behalf to obtain a referral/order for services.
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Is a diagnosis required to receive services?A formal diagnosis is not required to receive services from us at Blume. We will still obtain all required documentation and authorization through insurance regardless of whether or not your child has a formal diagnosis. Occasionally, certain formal diagnoses may increase the number of sessions that insurance will cover in a calendar year. Contact our operations team if you would like to learn more!
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Which diagnoses do you work with?While a formal diagnosis is not required to receive services at Blume, we work with many diagnoses. These include, but are not limited to: autism, PDA, ADHD, sensory processing disorder, trauma, anxiety, global developmental delay, phonological disorder, mixed receptive-expressive language disorder, apraxia, and more.
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Do you take insurance?Yes we do! We are currently in-network with Medicaid, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, Anthem/BCBS, and Zero Health. While we are not in-network with Aetna, we will submit claims on your behalf to be applied to your out-of-network benefits, with no work required by you. For all other insurance providers, we will happily provide you with the documentation that you will need to submit claims to your insurer (i.e., a Superbill).
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Do I need to obtain an insurance authorization to begin services?It depends on your insurance company and the specific plan. Many insurance plans do require an authorization for services. Our team will handle the process of obtaining an authorization on your behalf, so there is no action needed on your part to ensure this step is in place.
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Where are services provided?We provide services in our clinic, which is conveniently located in Boulder, CO. We chose our office location to be accessible for families in and outside of Boulder given our proximity to major roads and highways. Our clinic offers your child the broadest range of equipment, activities, and experiences to promote their skill development. When applicable and upon occasion, we are able to hold sessions via telehealth for children who have established relationships with their clinicians.
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Do you provide in-home care or school visits?We do not provide in-home services. We can accommodate occasional in-school visits upon request, although it will depend on your clinician’s schedule. In-school visits cannot be billed through any health insurance plan and must be paid for privately.
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Why is consistent attendance so important?Regular attendance is crucial to seeing progress in therapy, as well as maintaining the therapeutic relationship between your child and their provider. This relationship is critical in ensuring nervous system regulation and, therefore, higher-level skill building. We reserve the same time every week for your child, and we want to make sure that we make the most of that time. We understand that life happens, but when you need to miss a session, we encourage rescheduling a make-up session. If you are a current client and have questions about our attendance policy, please contact ops@blumekidstherapy.com.
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I have an upcoming family vacation planned. What should I do regarding my child’s scheduled sessions at your clinic?How fun! Our scheduling team will be happy to work with you to reschedule your child’s therapy sessions so that you can enjoy your vacation and quality of care is maintained.
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I have a scheduling question. Who should I contact?Please reach out to our scheduling team at scheduling@blumekidstherapy.com. You can also text or call our main number, which is (303) 620-6987. They will be happy to assist you with any scheduling request, question, or concern you may have.
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How do occupational and speech therapists use play in their sessions?A child's main occupation is...play! Play is critical to the progress that occurs in occupational and speech therapy. You can read our post about neuroscience of play here!
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Can you work with my child if they already receive similar services at school?Absolutely! Typically, services provided at school are limited to being “scholastic in nature.” This, combined with the time limitations that often exist in the school setting, enables us to provide services that target a wider variety of skill areas as compared to the school setting. We will also coordinate with other clinicians to ensure that our plans of care do not conflict.
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Can I drop my child off and come back when the session is over?As long as another team member besides your child’s therapist is present, then you can absolutely drop your child off and come back when the session is over. We just ask that you return to our office 15 minutes prior to the end of your session so your clinician can update you about your child’s session. You are also more than welcome to wait and/or do work in our waiting area, which is complete with games and books for both you and our clients.
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What is the difference between crisis intervention and the services that Blume provides?Outpatient services, such as occupational and speech therapy, focus on building functional skills and supportive strategies at multiple levels. This may include tackling the challenges that are present in everyday life. However, if your family is in crisis, we will refer you to providers that can assist you immediately so that you may receive the best care from the most qualified provider. We remain available to continue supporting your family in accessing services and community resources, which may include returning to outpatient services when the situation has stabilized.
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What does Neurodiversity mean?The term “neurodiversity” is simply a way to reflect the substantial diversity of human neurology. At Blume Kids Therapy, we believe that differences in the human brain and experience are natural. Our goal is to support our clients in further understanding their unique strengths and needs while promoting meaningful skill development and participation in valued activities.
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Are you able to diagnose my child through your evaluation?Our evaluations are focused on establishing a plan of care rather than providing a diagnosis. If you are interested in seeking a formal diagnosis for your child, we will happily provide you with our recommendations for neuropsych evaluators in your area.
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What support do you provide to caregivers or families?We reserve the last ten minutes of every session to connect with caregivers, during which we will review how the session went, update you on progress, and share strategies to promote carryover at home. Additionally, we offer caregiver coaching services to provide direct support to the families we serve. Caregiver coaching sessions are a specialized service that differ from brief weekly check-ins and updates around OT services. This scheduled time can be used to dive into specific issues with your clinician, which can include caregiver education and coaching around how to implement certain strategies in the home, creating a plan to implement new routines in the home, addressing rising concerns in multiple environments, and many other areas. Mainly, these sessions allow for an extended time block (30-60 minutes) to address larger concerns, needs, or education, that extend beyond weekly updates after sessions. If you’d like to schedule a caregiver coaching session with your clinician, please contact scheduling@blumekidstherapy.com. We are here to support the family unit!
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What is your inclement weather policy?Our weather policy addresses situations in which inclement weather and poor driving conditions may prevent us from holding in-office sessions. When bad weather rolls around, we will follow the decision of Boulder Valley School District and will shift our services to telehealth when schools are closed. We will not offer in-person sessions when BVSD is closed. We reserve the right to amend this decision as needed and will consider all factors that support the safety of our team and the families we serve. The process for communicating weather-related information will be as follows: The day before inclement weather is expected, you will receive an email from our operations team alerting you to monitor your email for an update regarding the status of our office. Our team will follow up with you the next day notifying you of the location of your session (in person or via telehealth). Your clinician will communicate with you regarding scheduling details when sessions are switched to telehealth. The telehealth session will take place through one of our HIPAA-compliant platforms: SimplePractice, Google Meet, or RingCentral. If you cannot accommodate the telehealth session, please work with our scheduling team to reschedule your appointment according to our attendance policy. If the session cannot be rescheduled, it will count as a cancellation and any relevant fees will apply, depending on your status relative to the Attendance Policy.
Discover the Science Behind the Safe and Sound Protocol
The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) was designed by Dr. Stephen Porges based on decades of research that is now known as the Polyvagal Theory.
To understand the science behind the SSP, it can help to first understand our own body and the nervous system.
The Autonomic Nervous System
Our involuntary bodily functions, such as breathing, heart rate, and digestion, are regulated by the autonomic nervous system, which has two parts that work together to help us ebb and flow through life: the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
Sympathetic Nervous System
You can think of the sympathetic nervous system as a mobilization system that would support our "fight-or-flight" responses.
It functions like a gas pedal, mobilizing internal resources in response to danger. When this happens, you might feel an increase in your heart rate, fast and shallow breathing, tension in your neck and shoulders, and anxiousness.
Parasympathetic Nervous System
The parasympathetic nervous system is classically called the "rest-and-digest" state, which helps us heal, recover, and conserve energy when we feel safe.
(Keep in mind that your "fight-or-flight" state and your "rest-and-digest" state may look different from someone else's.)
Your autonomic nervous system is always asking the question, "Am I safe?"
But what if it's tuned to feel unsafe?
Polyvagal Theory: Revolutionizing the way we view the body’s response to stress
According to Polyvagal Theory, the autonomic nervous system is the foundation of our well-being.
Through Dr. Porges' Polyvagal Theory, we now understand that the vagus nerve — an essential component of the parasympathetic nervous system — has two structural pathways with different functions.
Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D., is the author of the Polyvagal Theory and creator of the Safe and Sound Protocol. He is the Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University, where he is the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium, as well as Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina, and Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland.
He served as president of the Society for Psychophysiological Research and the Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences and is a former recipient of a National Institute of Mental Health Research Scientist Development Award.
When we feel safe
When we feel safe, one branch of the parasympathetic nervous system supports our ability to connect socially with others, to better access our higher-level brain functions, and to have balanced, efficient, and healthy bodily systems. In what Polyvagal Theory calls the "Social Engagement State," we feel calm, connected, and more resilient to life's challenges.
When we don't feel safe
When we don’t feel safe, our autonomic nervous system responds by taking action. In this state, you might notice anxiety, fast breathing, and feeling hot or quick to anger.
If the feeling that we are not safe does not go away, another branch of the parasympathetic nervous system will shut us down. In this state, you might notice extreme fatigue, difficulty with digestion, or feelings of depression. This is our body doing its best to conserve our resources to keep us alive.
The autonomic nervous system is constantly taking in and responding to cues from other people, our environment, and even inside our bodies, that tell us if we are safe. The more often our nervous system feels unsafe, the easier it is to get stuck.
So, what could it look like to "get stuck?"
Autonomic Feedback Loop
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Cues from other people, the environment, and from inside your body tell your nervous system it is not safe.
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Your nervous system mobilizes ("fight or flight") or shuts down in response.
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Because your nervous system feels unsafe, it becomes harder to "tune in" to cues of safety.
What does dysregulation look like?
The autonomic nervous system regulates many of our essential bodily functions. When the autonomic nervous system is challenged to access a "safe" state, you may notice one or more of the following sensations:
This is where the Safe and Sound Protocol comes in.
When your child listens to the SSP, the music is working to interrupt this feedback loop, redirecting it with cues of safety to help regulate their nervous system.
Through nervous system regulation, they are then better equipped and more ready to respond more effectively to life's challenges, access higher learning and cognition, and build meaningful relationships.
Difficulty with digestion, eating, or swallowing
Difficulty with falling and staying asleep, or sleeping too much
Rapid or shallow breathing, changes in heart rate and blood pressure
Challenges connecting with other people, feelings of isolation or loneliness, and anxiety
Trouble with concentrating, mental clarity, or creativity
The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) supports greater capacity to ebb and flow and respond to life's changes.
Over 100,000 Supported
Used in 70+ countries, those who've gone through the SSP report increased well-being and ability to participate meaningfully in life.
In-Person or Virtual Listening
The option for delivery in-person, remote, or a hybrid mix offers flexibility to make the SSP work with you and your family.
Safe and Effective for All Ages
Suitable for children and families, with multiple playlist options to choose from, including classical and popular music.
Backed by Real World Evidence
Research showing the positive impact of the Safe and Sound Protocol has been published in peer-reviewed academic journals, including the Harvard Review of Psychiatry, Frontiers, and more.
Works with Other Therapies
The SSP acts passively on the autonomic nervous system, meaning that beyond listening, you do not have to “do” anything to experience the benefits.
By helping to regulate the nervous system, the SSP makes it easier for your child to engage in other therapies, including occupational and speech therapy that includes talking, thinking, or other actions; body work, and other integrative therapies.
This information includes proprietary content about the Safe and Sound Protocol, used with permission from Unyte Health Inc. — leading provider of evidence-based listening therapies for nervous system regulation.