Nervous System Regulation in Your Coaching Practice

Becoming a nervous system-informed coach supports the vital and supportive work you’re already doing, increasing trust, capacity and momentum in your client goals. 

The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP), Rest and Restore Protocol (RRP) and Integrated Listening System (ILS) aren’t just tools — they provide a pathway for your clients to access the external and internal world in a grounded and connected way. Developed from Polyvagal Theory, these protocols work directly with the nervous system to help clients: 

• Regulate under pressure
• Navigate stress and stay grounded in uncertainty
• Unlock clarity, confidence, and connection 

Unlike mindset-only approaches, these tools work from the inside out, creating embodied shifts that help clients show up with confidence, clarity, and capacity. They don’t just cope better — they connect more deeply, perform more consistently, and expand what they believe is possible.

“As coaches, we become a reliable cue of safety. We guide our clients’ integrated brain, body, and nervous system through real-time shifts — between protection and connection, disruption and presence, movement and stillness. And once a foundation of trust is established, we offer clear guidance that challenges just enough to stretch and integrate, not overwhelm or reinforce patterns of protection.”
– Michael Allison, Performance Coach and Developer of The Play Zone™

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When clients feel safe in their bodies, they’re more open to feedback, more resilient through setbacks, and more aligned with their values.

• Foster real growth by helping clients feel safe enough to stretch, shift, and transform.
• Build a stronger connection with clients by showing up in a way that resonates with clients’ nervous systems.
• Stand out with science-backed tools that offer clients a felt, embodied experience and sustained momentum.
• Integrate seamlessly into any coaching style, from executive to wellness and life coaching.

“SSP isn’t just a temporary state-shifting tool. It’s a neural exercise. It gently and repeatedly moves the system in and out of states of safety and disruption, building capacity over time. Clients begin to experience that it’s safe to feel safe — and safe to feel unsafe. They don’t have to analyze their response or assign meaning. They can simply feel, without becoming overwhelmed by the story attached to it.”
– Michael Allison, Performance Coach and Developer of The Play Zone™

Coach and educator Michael Allison explores how you can enhance your coaching approach with Polyvagal Theory to help clients achieve their goals in this on-demand webinar. Plus, learn how the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) can support your coaching playbook and deepen the impact of your work.