THE SAFE AND SOUND PROTOCOL (SSP)

Pricing and Protocol Costs:

“The SSP is a physiological, bottom-up protocol that affects the nervous system. While the music is a potent factor, therapist facilitation and education throughout the process of listening plays a major role in its outcomes.” Integrated Listening/iLs

► The basic SSP ‘Home’ Package (for new clients) - delivered virtually - costs £250. This is based on 4 hours worth of therapist-lead listening+coaching time.

The initial 28-day SSP technology subscription (via Unyte-iLs) is charged separately - at £100

N.B. It is important to note that more complex cases (especially those on the trauma spectrum) are likely to require substantially more therapist facing time, over a period of weeks, or even months. The basic SSP Home Package DOES NOT include personal therapy, but rather coaching , delivery and bespoke titration - relating to the acoustic protocol itself.

Supplementary therapist-lead work (see ‘considerations’ below) will be invoiced out at £35 per 30 minute increment.

Unyte-iLs technology subscription extensions (on accounts running beyond the 28-day period) will also incur an additional charge of £25 pcm

► Existing therapy clients may be offered a bespoke (‘pay as you go’) SSP plan, based on their therapy objectives. The majority of therapist-lead listening may, for example, be absorbed into a standard therapy session, with any additional virtual appointments (if necessary) invoiced out at £35 per 30m increment. The 28-day Unyte-iLs technology subscription will be billed separately - at £100 (with subscription extensions beyond the 28 days charged @ £25 pcm).

► Sliding scale pricing may apply to protocol repeats (averaging a third of the cost of the initial round), multiple users in a single house-hold and young children (2 - 10) - if less therapist-lead time is required.

What’s included in the basic ‘SSP Home’ package?

• Access to your password protected, therapist-assigned, SSP account. This may include Connect, Core and/or Balance playlists. The downloadable Unyte-iLs app is compatible with both android and iPhone technology.

• An in-depth 60-90 minute intake session. This will include: a personal history review; an introduction to the Polyvagal Theory (creating a shared platform of language & understanding between client and therapist); a detailed presenting symptom/problem/state *assessment; a Q&A segment and your **proposed treatment plan.

• Up to 2.5 additional hours worth of therapist-lead active listening+coaching time (***split over 4/5 sessions) - where you will benefit from exploring safe and informed co-regulation. Within these sessions you may be advised on a bespoke selection of self-regulating strategies including breath-work; somatic (body-based) techniques, meditative and/or mindfulness practices and more.

• Text/email support on the days you’re diarised to log in and listen on your own.

• A wrap-up phone session to debrief the experience, review outcomes and decide any potential next steps.

• A 8-12 week check-in to evaluate any additional/cumulative changes you may have noticed. Many find that it takes a period of time for the nervous system to fully adjust/settle.

*Although we may have spoken on the phone briefly beforehand (a free of charge/no commitment call, of up to 20m), this is NOT considered an initial consultation and would not provide me will all of the information I might need in order to safely proceed with the SSP delivery. There is a chance that the profoundly more detailed/nuanced information gathered within the official initial consultation (as we thoroughly detail the case history and go through the forms together) may shed light on a seemingly unimportant detail that renders the application of the SSP unsuitable.

**Treatment plans may be adjusted as you progress - based on your nervous systems response to the intervention. Therapy is an important part of the delivery and some require more support than others.

***Session length may vary according to requirements (i.e 15-45minutes).

How much time do I need to set aside to do the program?

The virtual ‘SSP Home’ program (SSP Core - with it’s potent filtration algorithm) would likely be titrated at between 5 & 30 minutes listening time per day - depending on the severity of your symptoms and the complexity of your case. In some cases, you might need to take a 24-48 hour break, or even an extended time-out between listening days. There may also be intermittent pauses within a listening session if a regulation break is required. SSP is not a one-size fits-all approach. Your provider will adjust the delivery to suit your ANS. Please factor this into your budget as we strongly advise against ‘pushing through’ on your own where it has been deemed that support is key for a safe and successful outcome.

Clients who need a much gentler approach to the autonomic intervention would be invited to first explore the 5 hour SSP Connect program. This preparatory (full-spectrum) playlist has been curated to enhance calming and to prime the nervous system for better listening tolerance and protocol familiarity. Less, if any, therapist downtime is required for this element.

Clients enjoying SSP Core success may benefit from a follow-up SSP Balance program (light-filtration) to complement their progress. This may require less therapist intervention than the SSP Core.

SSP Core repeats are available 3 months post completion of a previous round. Many people find that repeating the protocol not only helps to bolster any prior success, but also to trigger sequential shifts. These repeats, again, would likely require less therapist intervention.

Important Information and Treatment Requirements:

• In addition to your SSP provider, it is strongly advised that you are in. or have access to personal therapy; preferably with a therapist who knows your history and your nervous system in great detail. It’s also suggested that you have access to another safe/regulated person (friend/partner etc) who, having been briefed ahead of time, can be called upon to act as a resource - should you need further support. Pets can be great co-regulators too!

• Ensure that you are able to set aside the time necessary to complete the program. Agree (and diarise) a daily listening session with your provider - rather than try to squeeze it in around your existing plans! Your commitment and participation is key if you are looking to reap the benefits.

• Decide on the most appropriate time and place for your practice. This may vary day-to-day. You will need to be in a quiet, comfortable and safe environment to effectively engage with the treatment.

• Make sure that you are comfortably clothed, hydrated and have visited the bathroom before you begin. It’s best be satiated (not stuffed or starving) and to have a glass of water to hand.

• You will be free to walk around the room, stretch and perhaps even ‘potter’ whilst listening - if your provider agrees that it is OK.

• Activities that are calming, help to pass the time and do not interfere with the active-listening element include: drawing, colouring, making a puzzle, bouncing on a yoga ball, gentle walking, sensory equipment exploration etc.

• Avoid singing, whistling and humming during your session as this might interfere with the vagal pathways in use.

• Don’t attempt to listen on the train/tube/bus or whilst running the washing machine or dishwasher. These sorts of vibrations and external sounds may interfere with the quality of this carefully filtered programme.

• DO NOT begin listening for the first time until your provider gives the go-ahead. Just ‘trying it out’ in the absence of a certified professional can result in serious dysregulation in extremely sensitive systems.

• DO NOT be tempted to listen for longer that your provider suggests when doing your home-listening via the app. Listening should be professionally titrated in an attempt to - as far as is possible - avoid unnecessary overwhelm or dysregulation.

• Ensure that you have access to a strong, reliable, internet connection and full battery power on your listening device before a diarised virtual consultation. Check these things in good time, ahead of your session, to avoid losing out on any of your inclusive therapist-facing time.

What considerations would likely impact the cost and delivery time of the SSP intervention?

• Age: In general, children tend to require less facilitation time with a therapist because the parent/caregiver can support the delivery. Where this is the case, it is unlikely that they will incur much in the way of additional costs.

• The intervention can be administered on a hybrid basis with some sessions facilitated by the clinician and some done independently by the client or overseen by a parent or caregiver at home.

• Some clients don’t require such a lengthy intake session. Candidates may include the therapists’ existing clients; ‘Polyvagal informed’ persons or those with a pre-existing repertoire of self-regulating resources to tap into.

• The severity of ones psychological/physiological history, and the degree to which one experiences the effects of that on a day-to-day basis, will likely impact the required facilitation time. The more complex the problem, the more time may be required to work through the programme. This is based on clinical trials, a ‘less is more’ approach and a ‘first do no harm’ ethos. Please factor this into your finances as to avoid trying to ‘push through’.

• Supplementary listening pathways (in addition to the original SSP Core) may be offered in order to further support and integrate the changes. This may increase the length of the overall SSP experience. Although the bulk of the therapist-lead listening will be during SSP Core itself, it will still be necessary to diarise regular text/email/virtual check-ins to assure the listening prescriptions are suitable and proving helpful.

• Good quality over-ear headphones (not ear buds or noise cancelling types) are instrumental in the success of the SSP Core. If you do not have access to a pair you should factor this purchase into your treatment budget. Your therapist can recommend/agree a product.

• Very sensitive clients (or sensitive nervous systems) may respond better to especially short listening sessions. These might be delivered periodically during their regular therapy sessions. Even segments as short as 2-3 minutes, weekly - can be very effective if that is all one’s system can tolerate. Here the cost of the SSP intervention may be absorbed into your regular therapy session fee - bar the original tech-access costs and monthly extension fee.

NOTE: When working with an acoustic vagal stimulator, such as the SSP, I can not know - in advance- how your autonomic nervous system will respond.

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