The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is a therapeutic listening program designed to support nervous system regulation, reduce sound sensitivity, and help children, teens, and adults feel more comfortable during listening, communication, therapy, school, work, and daily life.
At Auditory Processing Center, we often recommend SSP for individuals who show sound sensitivity, auditory overwhelm, anxiety around listening, sensory defensiveness, or difficulty calming their nervous system enough to participate comfortably in daily activities.
SSP may be especially helpful for individuals who react strongly to everyday sounds, struggle in noisy environments, or seem to stay in a fight, flight, or shutdown state even when they are safe.
What Is SSP?
SSP uses specially filtered music delivered through the Unyte app and over-the-ear headphones. The music is designed to emphasize acoustic frequencies important for processing the human voice. The goal is to gently exercise listening pathways involved in detecting speech, interpreting vocal cues, and helping the body stay more settled during listening.
SSP is based on Polyvagal Theory, developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, which describes the relationship between the autonomic nervous system, emotional regulation, social engagement, and how the body responds to cues of safety or threat.
When the nervous system is under stress, everyday sounds may be experienced as uncomfortable, unpredictable, or threatening. This can contribute to auditory overload, anxiety, irritability, withdrawal, meltdowns, or difficulty participating in therapy, learning, work, or social interaction. SSP is designed to help the nervous system respond to sound and social cues in a more regulated way.
Who May Benefit From SSP?
SSP may be considered for children, teens, or adults with concerns such as:
- Sound sensitivity or auditory defensiveness
- Auditory overwhelm in noisy places
- Anxiety related to listening, school, work, social situations, or daily routines
- Sensory processing differences
- Autism or other neurodevelopmental differences
- Difficulty calming after becoming upset
- Emotional reactivity, shutdown, or frequent fight-or-flight responses
- Difficulty tolerating therapy, school, work demands, or social interaction
- History of stress or trauma that affects regulation
- Signs of retained primitive reflex patterns, such as Fear Paralysis or Moro reflex activity, when sound sensitivity and nervous system reactivity are also present
SSP is usually most helpful when it is part of a broader support plan and when the listener’s sound sensitivity, sensory needs, emotional regulation, and support system suggest it may be a good fit.
SSP, Autism, and Sound Sensitivity
Many autistic children, teens, and adults experience sound sensitivity, auditory overwhelm, sensory defensiveness, anxiety, or difficulty recovering after noisy or unpredictable situations. Even when hearing is normal, the nervous system may respond to everyday sounds as stressful or uncomfortable.
SSP may be considered when sound sensitivity and sensory regulation concerns interfere with comfort, communication, therapy participation, school, work, social interaction, or daily routines. The goal is to support the nervous system so listening and everyday sound environments may feel more manageable.
Because autistic individuals can vary widely in sound tolerance, anxiety level, sensory profile, communication needs, and regulation, SSP should be paced carefully. Some listeners may need very short sessions, preparatory listening, more time between sessions, or a supportive facilitator nearby for co-regulation. Auditory Processing Center individualizes the listening plan based on the listener’s response rather than using a one-size-fits-all schedule.
How SSP Is Provided Through Auditory Processing Center
Auditory Processing Center provides SSP through an app-based platform, allowing the program to be completed at home with remote support. This format makes it easier to individualize the listening schedule and adjust the pace based on the listener’s comfort, tolerance, and response.
SSP through Auditory Processing Center is provided as a 3-month supported listening program. During this time, families receive app access, orientation, listening guidance, individualized titration, monitoring, and support.
The original SSP Core listening program includes five hours of specially filtered music designed to be completed in segments over time. Some listeners can complete this in 30-minute sessions over several days or weeks, while others need a slower schedule with shorter listening periods and more time between sessions. The pace is adjusted based on the listener’s regulation, comfort, fatigue, sound sensitivity, and overall response.
When appropriate, additional listening, booster sessions, or continued access may be recommended after the initial 3-month period.
Music Options and Individualized Titration
The Unyte app includes multiple SSP playlists and music options, including vocal and instrumental selections across different styles. This allows the program to be matched more comfortably to the listener’s age, preferences, sound tolerance, and clinical needs.
Some individuals may begin with gentler or preparatory listening before moving into SSP Core. Others may benefit from additional rounds, Balance, Connect, or Boost listening when clinically appropriate. The listening plan is individualized rather than treated as a one-size-fits-all program.
SSP and Auditory Processing
SSP is not the same as auditory processing therapy, and it does not replace deficit-specific APD intervention when auditory processing deficits are present. Instead, SSP may help support the nervous system so the individual is calmer, less overwhelmed by sound, and more available for listening, communication, and therapeutic work.
For some individuals, reducing auditory defensiveness or emotional reactivity around sound can make it easier to participate in auditory training, speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, counseling, school routines, work demands, and daily family interactions.
SSP and Nervous System Readiness
Some individuals with sound sensitivity, sensory defensiveness, anxiety, or an exaggerated startle response may also show signs of retained primitive reflex patterns, such as Fear Paralysis or Moro reflex activity. These reflex patterns can sometimes contribute to feeling easily startled, overwhelmed, defensive, or unable to calm after stimulation.
When this appears relevant, Auditory Processing Center can help families consider whether reflex-related support may be helpful. Reflex activities are done separately from SSP listening and do not need to be completed before beginning SSP. The goal is to support regulation so the individual can approach listening, therapy, school, work, and daily life from a calmer, more organized state.
What Families Can Expect
Before beginning SSP, Auditory Processing Center gathers information about the listener’s sound sensitivity, sensory profile, emotional regulation, medical and developmental history, and current supports. This helps us determine whether SSP appears appropriate and how gradually the program should be introduced.
Families receive guidance on headphones, app access, listening schedule, signs of overactivation, and when to pause, slow down, or adjust the program. The goal is not to push through discomfort. SSP works best when the listener feels safe, supported, and regulated enough to tolerate the listening experience.
Some listeners benefit from having a supportive facilitator nearby during listening sessions. For children, this is usually a parent or trusted adult. For teens or adults, it may be a spouse, parent, caregiver, therapist, or another calm support person. This is especially important for individuals with anxiety, trauma history, significant sensory sensitivity, or difficulty self-regulating.
The facilitator does not need to “do therapy” during the listening session. The main role is to help create a calm environment, notice signs of stress or fatigue, and provide co-regulation if needed. Co-regulation may be as simple as sitting nearby, offering reassurance, helping the listener pause, or supporting a quiet activity during listening.
Auditory Processing Center provides guidance on pacing, listening length, when to pause, and how to watch for signs that the program needs to be slowed down or adjusted.
Research and Evidence
Research on SSP and its earlier form, the Listening Project Protocol, is encouraging and continues to grow. Foundational controlled research found reductions in auditory hypersensitivity in children with autism following filtered listening. Newer studies and provider-collected outcome data have reported improvements in areas such as sensory processing, auditory sensitivity, emotional regulation, social responsiveness, anxiety, autonomic regulation, and functional participation for some individuals.
The research is especially relevant for individuals who experience sound sensitivity, sensory defensiveness, anxiety, or difficulty staying regulated in everyday environments. This includes many autistic individuals, but SSP may also be considered for children, teens, and adults with other regulation, sensory, trauma-related, or listening-based concerns.
Each person’s response is individual. Auditory Processing Center uses SSP thoughtfully, with individualized pacing, monitoring, facilitator guidance, and attention to the listener’s comfort, tolerance, and nervous system response.
Interested in the Safe and Sound Protocol?
If you are interested in SSP for yourself or your child, please contact Auditory Processing Center or complete our SSP Interest Form. Someone from our office will contact you to gather additional information and help determine whether SSP may be an appropriate option.
Because SSP is individualized, our office will review current program options with you directly.
