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

by Stephen Porges PhD, Karen Onderko, Peter A. Levine Ph.D. (Foreword by)

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781649632357
Publisher:	Sounds True
Publication date:	04/22/2025
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	352
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

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.

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.

Editorial Reviews

“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

“For years, our bright and sensitive five-year-old son has often been agonized and dysregulated. We had daily battles over bedtime and dinnertime. It seemed as though everything triggered a meltdown for our poor guy. His OT recommended Safe and Sound Protocol. While he moved a toy truck around her office, she played a six-minute piece of innocuous music on her smartphone. ‘How could this possibly help?’ I thought. It was very underwhelming. That evening, our son was different. He was happier, more settled, and more connected. When his little brother got upset, instead of screaming at him—his usual response—he looked concerned and offered to get his brother’s stuffy from upstairs. Who is this kid? It has now been one month. Every other day I play six minutes of music next to him while he draws or makes LEGO castles. He has far fewer meltdowns. His natural, gentle, sweet self shines through. The anecdotes in this book—from clients and practitioners—show that SSP works. The groundbreaking science is fascinating too. Thank you, Stephen and Karen. This will help a lot of people.” —Jeff Warren, coauthor of Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics

From the Publisher