Why try the RRP?

The Rest and Restore Protocol™ (RRP) is a new listening therapy developed by Safe and Sound Protocol™ (SSP) creator Dr. Stephen Porges and musician Anthony Gorry. It specifically targets those areas connected to the dorsal branch of our vagus nerve, the branch which manages our Freeze and Collapse responses. While the Safe and Sound Protocol™ (SSP) works to increase our felt sense of safety within the body by stimulating our Social Engagement System, the Rest and Restore Protocol™ (RRP) does so by reaching deep into our core, connecting with our nervous system to stimulate a state of gentle relaxation.

What is the RRP?

The RRP is several hours of music that contain the physiological rhythms of the body. The frequencies of our heartbeat, respiration, cranio-sacral rhythm, digestion, and more have been infused into the music via a new audio technology called Sonocea®, entraining the nervous system through rhythmic stimulation. Dr. Porges describes listening to the RRP as “being gently rocked while floating on a raft without any fear of falling off.”

The RRP is brand new in 2024, and its effects are still being studied. Preliminary pilot data, however, suggests gains in the following areas:

  • Enhanced efficacy of other therapies

  • Increased physical, mental, and emotional ease

  • Better sleep

  • Reduced depression and anxiety

  • Greater access to feelings

  • Improved digestion

  • Decrease in PTSD symptoms

More information about the RRP and how it works can be found at this official Unyte/RRP site.

Which should I choose: the SSP or the RRP?

Simply put, the SSP helps us to connect with others, and the RRP helps us to connect with ourselves. The SSP is focused on the Ventral Vagus complex and as such is designed to support Social Engagement. The RRP works with the healing qualities of the Dorsal Vagus, improving parasympathetic “rest and digest” response and functions related to the brain-gut axis (such as chronic pain and digestive disorders).

Both systems are helpful, and most clients will benefit from both. Those with physical issues (functional disorder diagnosis, sleep apnea, retained primitive reflexes, etc.), and/or those with a habitual dorsal vagal (freeze/collapse) response to stressors may wish to begin with the RRP. Those who want to feel more emotionally regulated, connected, and safe might start with the SSP.

Why this Group?

The RRP is brand new, and is currently only offered through existing SSP Providers. If you are curious, this is an exchange rate-friendly, low cost way to fully experience the RRP. You will:

  • connect with a small, supportive group of colleagues,

  • realize personal growth, and

  • learn experientially about the potential benefits of the RRP for your own clinical practice.

I’ve been using the SSP since 2017 and became a certified provider in 2019. I keep current with training updates, and am also certified as a remote SSP facilitator.

I participated in the first and second pilot studies of the RRP, and experienced what I describe as a “gradual, deep unthawing” within my core. Gains I’ve observed in other therapies (SE, bodywork) have happened more quickly and been long-lasting.

I believe the RRP has the potential to transform how we address developmental and severe trauma, freeing clients from challenging habitual shutdown states and offering them more direct access to their innate healing potential.

To learn more about my background, please click here.

What are the Group Details?

**The following is subject to modification based on the final RRP format.

We will gather on Zoom for up to 90 minutes once a week over five consecutive weeks. While incorporating frequent breaks for discussion and processing, each week we will listen to part of one of the playlists. You will be encouraged, but not required, to complete some listening on your own prior to the next week’s meeting.

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The price for the five week group is USD$299/280€/CAD$299/AUD$299/¥30,000/₹15,000/R3000. For those who listen at a slower pace, and/or for those who wish to repeat any part of the RRP, continued access will be available for a monthly fee following completion.

You will need two electronic devices: one that supports apps (a cellular phone or a tablet) and a separate device (most likely a personal computer) in order to view the group. Any headset/earbuds may be used, as can speakers with left and right audio channels.

A detailed schedule and other supportive materials will be sent to all participants upon registration. The group will be conducted in English.

Who is Eligible?

This group is intended for Somatic Experiencing® Practitioners (SEP™’s) or similarly-trained professionals who have experience processing emotional material in a collective setting. The RRP can be a powerful stimulus. While the group will form and hold a supportive container, participants must be familiar with their personal nervous system responses and have confidence in their ability to witness and to self-regulate these responses.

The RRP is not intended to be a stand-alone therapy. Access to supportive resources during and after is recommended and is the responsibility of the participant.

When is the Group Offered?

I plan to begin hosting RRP for Somatic Professionals™ groups as soon as the technology becomes available. My best guess is Spring, 2025.

I am located in Portugal, and will be offering times conducive to both the Western Hemisphere (the Americas, Europe, and Africa) and the Eastern Hemisphere (Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia).

I will contact interested participants via email before releasing schedules to the public. To place yourself on the initial notifications waitlist or to ask any questions, please click one of the buttons below.

How Do I Enroll?

Please select one of the buttons below to proceed.