Some providers feel strongly that the provider should be present for all of listening whether listening takes place in person or via an online session.
Some providers have people do all of SSP listening without the provider present.
Many providers have a hybrid approach to SSP where they are present for some but not all of listening.
Having delivered SSP to hundreds of more complex people I can tell you that even the most complex people can typically do SSP quite successfully remotely. The provider does not necessarily need to be present with them during listening as long as the provider is highly skilled with SSP, and they feel their provider is sufficiently attuned and responsive to them.
At SSP Yoda and Associates, although my associates and I are happy to come up with alternative possiblities when desired, our flat rate SSP pricing most often includes a somewhat hybrid approach to SSP.
We most often observe the start of listening with those aged 13 and up which is that age at which Unyte-iLs and Dr. Porges have historically recommended that providers should observe the beginning of SSP listening.
For the most part, most of us when kids are aged 12 and under prefer to meet with and coach the parents on how to begin SSP listening.
In most cases, unless a differently customized approach is taken where additional sessions may be added on at the therapist's regular hourly rate - the rest of SSP listening most often takes place without the provider being directly present.
Supervision and support of the SSP process then takes place with regular email check ins throughout the process.
In most cases it is recommended that those listening to SSP have another human that they feel safe and comfortable with present during SSP listening, in order to help with coregulation.
This can be a friend, family member, therapist or healthcare provider that someone is already connected with.
I do also have people who for a variety of reasons may prefer to listen to SSP on their own. In my experience those who listen to SSP alone do typically still have wonderful improvements. Sometimes we creatively problem solve how they can increase the potential effectiveness of SSP when listening to SSP alone.
In many cases people may be able to listen to longer amounts of SSP at a time when they are listening the present of a safe and supportive human, but I find that this is not always true.
There are some people like myself who when I first arrived to SSP had to go MUCH more slowly when SSP listening, if I listened while alone.
For me, a feeling of pressure would start to occur in my body during SSP listening. That pressure would be relieved instantly the moment I made eye contact with my safe supportive other.
Other people may find they are able to listen for longer and with better improvements when listening alone - if doing so is what feels better to them.
With Safe & Sound Protocol we have many slogans. The most important one of them is the safe comes before the sound.
What this means is that although we may have a list of factors that we feel generally speaking are likely to increase the effectiveness of SSP, what is most important at all is that someone feel safe and supported during SSP. If what feels best or safest to someone goes against the usually recommended advice - we most often prioritize their felt sense of safety above the usual SSP guidelines.
It is through regular communication between SSP provider and client that allows us to "play detective" together with our SSP clients and parents of kids doing SSP.
This regular communication is very important in allowing us to titrate SSP delivery to the specific nervous system of the individual in order to maximize SSP's potential effectiveness and to assure that the SSP process is as gentle as possible.
It also helps to build a relationship with SSP Provider and client which is equally important. Feeling comfortable with your SSP provider, and confident in their ability to advise you and support you is just as important for SSP effectiveness as is SSP pacing itself.
There are pros and cons to having the provider present throughout listening.
Pros of having a provider present throughout listening:
If the provider is present you have someone built into the process who can hopefully coregulate well with you or your child, throughout.
You can ask questions in real time, during your regular meetings.
You may be more likely to be carving out a special time that is just for you and/or you and your child together.
Your provider ideally will be equipped with additional tools such as Somatic Experiencing, parts work, body work approaches, or other techniques that they can help to settle dysregulation immediately, should it arise during the listening session.
Pros of working with a provider where some or all of SSP listening may be occurring without the provider being directly present:
In many situations this may be a far more cost effective approach to SSP if a flat rate is charged for SSP. Most providers who are present throughout listening charge their regular hourly rate. Since we can't know in advance what someone's ideal SSP pacing it likely to look like throughout the process, how long the process may go on for, or how many sessions will be needed, with a flat rate pricing approach to SSP it is more likely that the cost is predictable.
SSP listening can be done at the times that work best for you or your child without having to juggle or travel to appointments.
For those who are very sensitive SSP and at least at some points during the process may need to listen as slowly as just 1-3 minutes of SSP at a time or even just a few seconds at a time, it is often more ideal to be listening to SSP most days, as long as doing so goes well. Most of us cannot afford to or do not have time to meet with a provider, most days.
I like to refer to SSP as ideally being a steady drip of safety to the nervous system which is often ideal for more sensitive people.
When people are listening to SSP on their own at least some of the time, this also opens up the door to be making use of some of the unique discoveries I have made with SSP. These include "Microdosed" SSP and the SSP Mini Reset
While there are many SSP providers who DO understand how to titrate SSP delivery to the specific nervous system. Unfortunately, the vast majority of SSP providers do not. This is something that Unyte-iLs and I are working hard to correct. Read this article to help yourself become able to quickly identify if a provider you are considering working with, has this skill set or not.
Very few SSP providers are familiar with and have experience with approaches such as the Mini Reset, or SSP Microdosing both of which greatly increase the effectiveness of SSP as well as potentially enabling us to influence which SSP improvements appear.
All SSP Yoda Associate providers are extremely skilled in all of these areas.
I also have a growing list of SSP Yoda Informed providers who have taken my advanced SSP training for providers. Their feedback upon trying out the Mini Reset and SSP Microdosing has been overwhelmingly positive in immediately seeing a boost of SSP effectiveness once they started using these tools.
At the present moment, I have SSP Yoda Informed providers I am happy to recommend in countries as diverse as Canada, United States, Australia, New Zealand, Austria, France, and Scotland.