The information presented in this case study was submitted by the identified provider and reviewed by the Unyte Clinical Team. Modifications to the text have been made solely for the purpose of enhancing comprehension and clarity for the reader’s benefit, and were carefully applied while ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the original submission. Unyte Health makes every effort to use updated terms and inclusive language, this case study retains the author’s original descriptions to be most sensitive to the client’s identity and preferences.
About the Provider
Name: Laura Moorehead
Disciplines/credentials: Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST), Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP)
Modalities: EMDR, Somatic Experiencing
Client Background
Name: AS (pseudonym)
Age and Gender: Adult woman
Program Delivered: Rest and Restore Protocol (RRP)
AS was seeking relief from heart palpitations, hoping to gain the skills to relax her body more easily. Stress and physical ailments, such as long Covid, exacerbated her heart condition. Anxiety especially was difficult for AS to deal with, as emotional stress would almost always trigger palpitations. She was already meeting with provider Laura Moorehead, who suggested that AS try RRP as a treatment for her physical symptoms of anxiety. AS had a solid support system, allowing her to try RRP in a safe environment with an abundance of care.
Implementation of Sonocea® Enhanced Rest and Restore Protocol (RRP)
AS listened to RRP both independently and with provider Laura. With Laura, AS completed 20-minute sessions over Zoom. Independently, she listened in 10-minute increments.
Response
AS “felt an immediate reduction in tension” following her first RRP session. In the successive sessions, she began to notice where she was holding tension, allowing her to be more present and aware in her body. After she progressed to the second level, she felt an immense improvement in her relaxation levels, even falling asleep while listening. AS noticed the most improvement in the first two hours of listening.
The Body Perception Questionnaire, Autonomic Nervous System Symptoms (BPQ20-ANS) measures how often the autonomic stress response is activated. Total scores higher than 42 suggest that the autonomic stress response may be active often, while scores 42 or lower indicate that the stress response activates only occasionally.
Laura administered the BPQ20-ANS to AS before and after RRP listening. AS had a score change from 43 to 35, suggesting a reduction in the sensitivity of autonomic stress response activation. These assessments were reviewed and compiled by Unyte Health’s Research and Training Associate, Susanna Coss.
Discussion
Provider Laura recommends RRP for a variety of physical conditions, including “clients who hold a great deal of tension, chronic pain, digestive issues, anxiety, sleep issues, and … dissociation from their bodies.”
As a provider still in the early stages of delivering RRP, she also has hope for more uses of the treatment, adding, “I am excited to see what else it can do!”
Prior to RRP, AS completed several rounds of SSP Core. Laura noticed that “with SSP, she felt safer in the world, and with RRP, she found more relief from physical symptoms.” This indicates that both programs, in conjunction, can help clients with different symptoms, providing a more holistic treatment overall.
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