SSP: The Safe and Sound Protocol
You deserve to feel peaceful and grounded. And so do your children.
SSP for Children
Maybe your child falls apart over things that seem small.
A change in plans.
A noise that no one else seems to notice.
The wrong clothes.
Walking into school.
Being told no.
And once they are upset, it can take a long time to come back.
Or Maybe You Are the One Who Feels It
You are exhausted, but your body will not settle. Your mind keeps going long after you want it to stop.
You startle easily, feel everything deeply, or find yourself shutting down when life becomes too much.
You may even know, logically, that you are okay, but your body does not seem convinced.
Sometimes the nervous system gets very good at protecting us.
So good that it keeps sounding the alarm even when we wish it would quiet down.
The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is a gentle, listening-based program designed to help the nervous system become more flexible in how it responds to the world around us.
And you can do it from home, at a pace that works for you.
What Exactly Is SSP?
The Safe and Sound Protocol is an app-based listening program developed by Dr. Stephen Porges.
You listen to specially filtered music through headphones using an app on your phone or tablet. The music is designed to exercise the auditory system in ways intended to support the nervous system and our ability to recognize cues of safety.
But SSP is not something we want you to race through.
Some people are comfortable listening for longer periods. Others do better with just a few minutes at a time. Sometimes taking a break is exactly what their nervous system needs.
The right pace is the pace your nervous system can comfortably handle.
You Listen at Home. We Help You Along the Way.
You do not need to come into our office every time you listen.
Once you are set up, you access SSP through the app and do your listening at home.
But you are also not simply handed an app and left to figure it out by yourself.
An SSP professional helps guide you through the process.
We help you get started, talk with you about what you are noticing, and help you decide whether to continue at the same pace, slow things down, take a break, or make other adjustments.
For children, we work with the parent so you know what to look for and how to support your child through the process.
That combination matters to us:
Your home. Your pace. Professional support along the way.
What Does SSP Cost?
$200 per month
That includes access to the SSP listening program and support from an FTC clinician while you are using it.
There is no need to purchase the entire program upfront.
If your nervous system needs more time, you can take more time.
If you move through it more quickly, you are not committed to months of payments you do not need.
Other companies charge a large fee up front. We choose to allow you to pay as you go to hopefully make it more accessible for you and your family.
You Do Not Have to Change Therapists
Already have a therapist you love?
Keep them.
You do not need to become a therapy client at Family Therapy Center to use SSP with us.
SSP is offered as a separate service. You can continue seeing your current therapist while one of our clinicians supports you through the SSP listening program.
That also means SSP may be available to people who do not live near our Northern Virginia office.
If you are not currently in therapy anywhere, that is okay too. We can talk with you about whether SSP makes sense for what you are experiencing.
Get Started Now
It is time to find peace in your home again.
Reach out today and we will get you started on the path that is right for you and your family.
For children, teens, and adults
Listen from home through the SSP app
Move at the pace that works for your nervous system
Supported by an FTC clinician
No need to change therapists
$200/month
