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Book Cover for: Safe and Sound: A Polyvagal Approach for Connection, Change, and Healing, Stephen Porges

Safe and Sound: A Polyvagal Approach for Connection, Change, and Healing

Stephen Porges

From Polyvagal Theory pioneer Dr. Stephen Porges comes a new resource sharing the origin and best practices of his groundbreaking new protocol, and highlighting real-life stories of transformation and healing.

We all want to live and share our truth, but when we don't feel safe, it can be impossible to fully express or even know who we really are. The nervous system impacts daily well-being, to our benefit or detriment. Understanding how may be key to truly knowing yourself and better supporting the challenges holding you back. "When the nervous system regains its capacity to feel safe," say Porges and Onderko, "individuals can express themselves genuinely, engage comfortably with others, and embrace a life of greater openness and ease."

The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is a groundbreaking therapy based in Polyvagal Theory, which looks at the role the autonomic nervous system and vagus nerve play in regulating health and behavior. SSP involves listening to music that's been filtered to prioritize frequencies of human speech, providing auditory input that enables the nervous system to reset to its homeostatic state.

Porges and Onderko offer a glimpse into this innovative approach, highlighting not only the origin of SSP and its best practices but also real-life stories of transformation. They showcase clinical evidence demonstrating SSP's impact on emotional dysregulation, social interaction difficulty, and auditory sensitivity, providing a comprehensive understanding of its therapeutic potential. Some features and conditions addressed include:

- Depression
- Perfectionism
- Addiction
- Suicidal ideation
- COVID recovery
- Navigating gender identity
- Living with Parkinson's disease
- Hypermobility
- Autism
- ADHD
- Dyslexia

Whether patient, family member, friend, or clinician, you'll find a deeper understanding of the nervous system and tools for a more resilient experience. Illustrating the incredible range of application and how autonomic regulation can lead to significant improvements--from stress and anxiety to grief and trauma--Safe and Sound demonstrates how SSP can promote a state of safety and calm, facilitating the foundation for long-awaited healing.

Book Details

  • Publisher: Sounds True
  • Publish Date: Apr 22nd, 2025
  • Pages: 352
  • Language: English
  • Edition: undefined - undefined
  • Dimensions: 8.58in - 6.13in - 1.00in - 0.79lb
  • EAN: 9781649632340
  • Categories: Interpersonal RelationsMental HealthPersonal Growth - Happiness

About the Author

Levine, Peter A.: -

Peter A. Levine, PhD, has spent 45 years studying and treating stress and trauma. He holds a doctorate degree in medical biophysics from the University of California at Berkeley and in psychology from International University. He is the developer of Somatic Experiencing(R), a naturalistic approach to healing trauma. He has practiced and taught at treatment centers, hospitals, and pain clinics throughout the world, and has dealt with a wide range of trauma, including accidents, rapes, assaults, abuse, and invasive medical procedures. Peter was a stress consultant for NASA during the development of the Space Shuttle program. He served with the Institute for World Affairs Task Force for "Psychologists for Social Responsibility" and the American Psychological Association "Presidential Initiative on Responding to Large-Scale Disasters and Ethno-Centric Warfare." He is also the bestselling author of Waking the Tiger (published in 22 languages), as well as several other books and audio programs that teach people how to use the body as a tool in resolving trauma. Peter is the founder of the Foundation for Human Enrichment, based out of Boulder, Colorado, which now has a membership of 5,000 Somatic Experiencing(R) training practitioners worldwide. His current interests include prevention of trauma in children, for which he has published two books, his most recent being Trauma-Proofing Your Kids: a Parent's Guide to Instilling Confidence, Joy, and Resilience.

In Fall 2010, he published his master opus In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness. In October 2010 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the United States Association for Body Psychotherapy (USABP.org).

Porges, Stephen: - Stephen W. Porges, PhD, is author of The Polyvagal Theory and creator of the Safe and Sound Protocol. He's a professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina and Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University, where he's founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium. Visit stephenporges.com.
Onderko, Karen: - Karen Onderko helped transition SSP from the research lab to clinical practice, collaborating with Dr. Porges and providers to evolve its guidelines, training, and resources.

Praise for this book

Praise for Safe and Sound

"In their brilliant and highly accessible book, Stephen Porges and Karen Onderko demonstrate how deeply understanding physiological and biological processes can lead to profound changes in mental health care delivery. Music, from didgeridoo to Indian ragas, and from Mozart to Aretha Franklin, has always been a source of solace and restoration. But the Safe and Sound Protocol enhances this further by applying filters to the mosaic of sounds that provide just the optimal experience to restore both focus and peace of mind." --Bessel van der Kolk, MD, researcher, educator, and New York Times bestselling author of The Body Keeps the Score

"I recently had the privilege of briefly trying the Safe and Sound Protocol described in this exciting new book and found the experience to be as advertised. I felt a shift toward more calm and openness. Using my language, it seems like the music helps protective parts relax so people can access more Self--that healing essence within everyone. I look forward to combining it with the approach I developed called Internal Family Systems, particularly with highly protective systems." --Richard C. Schwartz, PhD, American systemic family therapist and author of No Bad Parts and You Are the One You've Been Waiting For

"This accessibly written book, grounded in Polyvagal Theory, uses inspiring case stories to show how sound attuned to human speech can help rebalance the nervous system, offering a powerful remedy for trauma and dysregulation." --David Drew Pinsky, MD, internist, addiction medicine specialist, television host, and New York Times bestselling author of The Mirror Effect

"Porges and Onderko show significant potential for the Safe and Sound Protocol in addressing trauma-related disembodiment and Parkinson's disease. Their work paves the way for future research exploring sensory-based interventions across a variety of conditions." --Ruth A. Lanius, MD, PhD, professor of psychiatry and Harris-Woodman Chair in Mind-Body Medicine at the University of Western Ontario, Canada

"This book is a most welcome and informative guide to the theory, evidence base, and range of applications of the Safe and Sound Protocol. The combination of case studies and application of theory to real-life scenarios breathes life into the implementation process, which will be invaluable to existing Safe and Sound Protocol practitioners and those exploring the use of the program for the first time." --Billy Smallwood, clinical director, and Waveney Patel, clinical regional director, Witherslack Group UK