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About the Provider
Name: Kyra Firestone
Organization: Family First Adolescent Services
Disciplines/credentials: Mental Health Provider, MSW, LCSW
Modalities: Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP)
Client Background
Name: Sam (pseudonym)
Age and Gender: 12-year-old boy
Program Delivered: Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) Core (Hours 1-4)
Sam, a preteen boy, struggled with his history of significant early trauma. As a child, he suffered from neglect and abuse. As a result, Sam experienced hypervigilance and deep mistrust of others.
When he first met his provider, Sam was in residential care. He presented with chronic impulsivity, suicidal ideation and severe symptoms of both anxiety and depression. His stress response included engaging in self-harm, property destruction and explosive outbursts.
While he had participated in previous mental health treatment plans before, these attempts did not provide long-term relief or stabilization. Sam hoped to develop healthier coping strategies, improve emotional communication and reduce self-harm.
Implementation of the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP)
Sam listened to the SSP independently. He began with a few minutes of music at a time and gradually increased the music duration. During his listening sessions, he participated in self-selected regulating activities, such as coloring, kinetic sand or breathing exercises. His provider, Kyra, supplemented listening sessions with psychoeducation and autonomic mapping during their sessions.
Response
Sam exhibited both quantitative and qualitative improvements after several sessions of SSP.
On the BBCSS scale, Sam’s score decreased from 86 out of 200 to 23, indicating greater nervous system stability through physiological stabilization.
His score on the GAD-7, or the anxiety scale, reduced from 12 to 6.
Likewise, on the depression scale, the PHQ-9, Sam’s score decreased from 11 to 4, demonstrating a significant improvement in his overall mental well-being.
As his anxiety and depression symptoms decreased, Sam felt an improved ability to sit with discomfort as it arose, no longer immediately turning to destructive coping mechanisms. He also became more engaged in therapy, starting to engage more thoroughly and earnestly in conversations without resorting to outbursts.
In his day-to-day life, staff at the treatment center noticed improvements in Sam’s demeanor. He demonstrated improved focus and cooperation with daily tasks. In his peer relationships, Sam became more engaged and sociable. At night, Sam experienced more consistent, restful sleep patterns.
Discussion
For clients struggling with complex trauma, the SSP can help establish a secure emotional basis to build further regulation upon.
For Sam, the SSP helped him form this physiological foundation of safety. His history of complex trauma and dysregulation meant that he struggled with developing a baseline for emotional safety and stability. The regulatory effects of the SSP combined with its flexible delivery methods that gave Sam agency and autonomy allowed him to cultivate a standard of safety, helping him feel more secure on a daily basis.
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