Life today is stressful! How often have you heard that you need to “get rid of stress” but try telling yourself to stress less, it often just leads to feeling more stressful. It’s a vicious cycle. Stress is harmful, we all can feel that, whether it’s psychological stress such as worrying about our families or physiological stress like not getting a full night of sleep. But the answer is not to force yourself to be less stressful, but instead to work on retraining your nervous system to become more resilient to stress and to gain a larger boundary of feeling safe and okay as you are in this very moment. I do a lot of work with the nervous system; I find it plays a massive role in my patient’s health. Nervous system dysregulation can cause or exacerbate issues with digestion, concentration or ‘brain fog’, headaches, muscle tension and pain including almost 80% of chronic pain, hormonal health, and the list goes on.
My approach to nervous system regulation is to first start by teaching my patients about the Polyvagal Theory which is a revolutionary theory that separates our autonomic function (like heart beat, breathing, digestion, immune function) into 3 states dependent on how safe or “okay” we feel, as well as the physical and emotional symptoms that go along with these states. Developed by world-renowned researcher, Dr. Stephen Porges, Polyvagal Theory focuses on what is happening in the body and the nervous system, and explains how our sense of safety, danger or life-threat can impact our behavior, our bodies and our health. Understanding Polyvagal Theory gives us a scientific framework that can be applied through physiological, or “bottom-up” therapies, to help change and improve how we feel, think and connect with others. With that understanding, I support my patients through a nervous system regulation program that incorporates lifestyle practices to reestablish safety and increase resilience to daily stressors. One of my favorite tools in nervous system regulation is the Safe and Sound ProtocolTM, which I am a certified provider.
The Safe and Sound ProtocolTM (SSP) is an evidence-based listening therapy designed to reduce sound sensitivities and improve auditory processing, behavioral state regulation, and social engagement behaviors through filtered music.As a practical application of Polyvagal Theory, the SSP acts as a non-invasive, acoustic vagal nerve stimulator, helping to retune the nervous system to better support connection, collaboration and resilience.The SSP involves listening to specially filtered music through headphones alongside a provider in person or remotely. It helps activate the client’s social engagement system, helping to accelerate and enhance therapeutic outcomes.
Learn more about the science and background of the Safe and Sound Protocol at www.whatisthessp.com. Video courtesy of Unyte Health, learn more at unyte.com.
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. Image and videos courtesy of Unyte Health. Learn more at integratedlistening.com.