483: Healing With The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) | Dr. Stephen Porges + Karen Onderko

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week we have another new episode, which I've been super excited to share with you! I had a powerful experience with the SSP myself, over the last couple of years, and prior to that I had been interested in its potential since first hearing about it around 2017.

The challenge I found was in understanding - and then explaining - how it can benefit those who participate in the protocol! My guests today understand all the ins and outs of the protocol. In fact, they literally wrote the book! The new book, Safe and Sound: A polyvagal approach for connection, change and healing, is out now! It covers the research on SSP, gives many case examples, and covers some important factors in the delivery of the method.

Stephen W. Porges, PhD, is author of The Polyvagal Theory and creator of SSP. He is professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina and Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University, where he is founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium. He lives in Atlantic Beach, Florida. More at stephenporges.com. Karen Onderko helped bring SSP from the research lab to clinicians, who then enabled individuals to experience the many benefits of improved nervous system regulation.

Together, they answered all of my questions about how the SSP works, who it's for and what the research to date has found. We will continue to learn about the SSP in a few more episodes. Look for my interview with Paula Scatoloni about the importance of the therapist's (or other provider's) embodied presence when delivering the SSP next week! 

Find the Polyvagal Institute website here.

Purchase Safe and Sound: A polyvagal approach for connection, change and healing here.

Access the bonus content my guests mentioned here - you'll see Deb Dana and Arielle Schwartz, among many others!

Therapists, visit the new For Therapists page on the Trauma Therapist Network website for discounts on training, recommended resources and more. 

On behalf of our friends at Unyte Health, we are pleased to share this Trauma Recovery Toolkit, a free resource aimed to support you as you work with clients who present with trauma and nervous system dysregulation. Download the toolkit and access an exclusive discount code for the SSP training! 

Find a trauma therapist near you via findtraumatherapy.com! We believe that trauma is real, healing is possible and help is available at Trauma Therapist Network. 

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