Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) Podcast- A Polyvagal Theory Informed Therapy Joanne McIntyre

Welcome to episode 31. Today is a very special gathering of fellow iLs instructors to honour the life of Ron Minson, M.D. whose life work impacted so many.  iLs systems changed lives from the bottom up. Dr Ron, as we call him,  received his medical degree from UCLA School of Medicine and is board-certified in  Psychiatry and Neurology. His general medical background includes serving as a family physician and health center Medical Director and clinical psychiatrist. Dr. Minson served as Chief of Psychiatry for Presbyterian Medical Center and Director of Behavioral Sciences at Mercy Hospital in Denver.
However, his life took a radical new pathway when he witnessed the successful treatment of his daughter for severe depression and dyslexia from a sound therapy program. He subsequently chose to devote his life to learning about the power of filtred sound in clinical application; developed programs, and taught practitioners so more people could heal from sound and bone conduction therapy. He developed  Dynamic Listening Systems (DLS), which he integrated into his psychiatric practice and later,  in 2007, iLs was launched to provide a more affordable and multisensory therapy- which is sound combined with visual, vestibular and movement, that could be used in homes and schools as well as therapy clinics.

Dr Minson worked closely with his wife, Kate Minson. Some words from Kate...

 “In the time I have been an eye-witness to Dr. Minson’s trajectory in the field of psychoacoustics, the branch of psychology concerned with sound and its physiological effects, I have noted a few common themes that run through his professional life story: a willingness to go boldly into uncharted territory, an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and an equally passionate desire to help people. 
Please enjoy my conversation with Fellow-iLs trainers, Doreen Hunt; Ann Brownstone; Dillen Hartley and Marianne Judd, all esteemed clinicians,  as we honour the memory and work of Dr Minson, sharing his knowledge and the powerful impact of the iLs and Pro system with clients. 
You will sense the gratitude we all feel to have been a part of the iLs family and the privilege it was to be able to teach the work.

Some key points- listen in for the details and more...
 iLs is a multisensory program incorporating movement with filtered music and bone conduction Dr Ron and Kate- knowledge way before their time Power of breath and voice with breath- impact on the nervous systemSound as healingStudy with Dr TomatisThe entire body as a vesicle for sound. iLs foundation in neuroscience and neurodevelopmentiLs connecting the sensory-motor systeminter-uterine listeningfiltered mothers voicePro System- individualized program with higher filtered music and bone conductionDr Ron's legacy- integrating air and bone conduction in a single program; the ear-to-brain connection; bottom-up integration to build a foundation for integrationLeadership through care- Kate and Dr RonI hope you all enjoyed this conversation. For me, it was lovely to connect again with some old friends and share story. There were a couple of other trainers who were unable to attend, Clinicians Mary Jones,  Andrea Pointer and Cindy Dawkins who were very much missed.  Being an iLs Trainer was a special time in my life.


To find out more about the iLs system or the SSP contact Unyte in Denver, or if you are located in Australia or New Zealand, contact Integrated Listening Australia.

Wishing you all kindness, Joanne.


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Welcome to episode 31. SSP as a Vagal Resonance Field Tuner for Healing with Paula Scatoloni. Today you are all in for an interesting conversation about the SSP and SSP group work; we talk about resonance and coherence in the body and between humans for attuned, present-moment connection.
A little bit of background about Paula.... she has been on a journey to understand the connection between consciousness and embodiment through Western and non-Western perspectives. Paula has a Masters in Social Work and has brought cutting-edge perspectives to institutions such as Duke University and co-developed clinical and training programs such as The Embodied Recovery Institute

As a sound, body, and energy-oriented practitioner, Paula loves to blend movement, sound, and vibration with neuroscience and body-based therapies to offer a holistic approach to support individual and collective nervous system healing.
 
Some key points you will hear in our discussion:
Supporting practitioners in SSP group learning experience- how to become "Master Regulators"
SSP group experiences for individuals- sound, vibration and movement
Cultivating the practice of witnessing the present moment
Emotion phobic
Working with structures (somatics and subconscious safety) of the early 0-3 years developmental period  that may have been impacted by early life trauma
Therapeutic work of "presence" and "touch for trauma healing
Attuned Presence to the body for healing- the body knows how to self-correct
Narratives around relational safety- how Touch work can shift this
Somatic Experience practitioners can sense into the many layers of the body
How do Attachment styles show up in touch, interactions, and communication
Trained Touch Work practitioners work
When our emotions, thoughts, and behaviours are not congruent we are in dissonance- Dan Seigal
Importance of setting intentions
Developmental movement patterns- push-pull-grasp- and subconscious attachment system
Somatic work to help develop body boundaries
Embodied Recovery Program
Integrating Somatic and IFS with SSP

To Contact Paula:https://paula-scatoloni-s-school.teachable.com/

Such an interesting conversation. I am excited to share that I will be experiencing one of Paula's   The Healing Power of Sound:Cultivating Body, Mind, Heart Connection Through Self Harmonics - groups in early 2024 and will podcast about my experience.





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Welcome everyone to episode 30.
Today's conversation is focused on the SSP for Kids. In my work supporting families with children who are experiencing challenges, whether that be neurodevelopmental or mental health-related; I have observed significant improvements following the SSP. I am also privileged to receive a lot of feedback from pediatric-focused therapists on the improvements they observe because of the SSP.  So I wanted to help build awareness both for practitioners working with children or for any families listening who are experiencing challenges. As you will hear the SSP offers hope and evidence-based improvements across psychosocial-biophysiological systems.
Today I am speaking with two senior-level clinicians, each with over 30 years of experience in pediatric therapy. I am honored to know them both as colleagues and good friends. Doreen Hunt, Occupational Therapist is the co-owner of Children’s Therapy of Woodinville, Seattle USA. Irena Woodward, Occupational Therapist, is the owner of Family Connections in Sydney Australia. Both have extensive training beyond the Safe and Sound protocol and I will include their contact details at the end of the podcast.
 Some of the Key Points:
Doreen discusses the case of an adolescent female who had significant mental health challenges- hospitalized for self-harm and had begun auditory hallucinations- after the first 30 min of SSP, her hallucinations stopped.- Listen in for more to this story.Irena discusses a young female with Functional Neurological Disorder and eating disorder- initially on nasogastric tube feedings- over SSP repeats was able to eat regular foods.SSP impacting the integrated social engagement system to see improved intake for feeding difficultiesSSP for infants - micro premi or failure to thriveSSP and vagus stimulation and resulting bowl and bladder awareness in a young childSSP to improve facial expressivity- connection to attachmentMore harmonious family life after SSPSSP and improved emotional intelligenceSSP and increased feelings of happiness in kidsSSP and improved vocal quality and inflectionSSP with improvements in gross and fine motor skillsWe discuss the neurobiology of SafetySSP with resulting improvements in family dynamicsImprovements in global developmentImportance for the family to nourish a sense of safetyI hope you enjoyed this episode and found the information helpful.  It would be a great honor if you could share this episode with a colleague, friend, or family member. Knowledge is power and sharing this episode may help someone who is struggling. 
A big thank you to those who sent in questions. My apologies if I did not get to yours. We do plan to record a follow-up session in early 2024 targeted to specific questions around SSP implementation so if you have any questions or suggestions please email me joanne@integratedlistening.com.au or message me via the Safe and Sound Protocol Podcast FB group.
Doreen, Irena, and I, support clients globally. I will list contact details in the show notes and our SSP FB page.
But to contact Irena- contact Irena@familyconnections.com.au
Doreen at- dhuntotr@comcast.net 
Myself- Joanne@integratedlistening.com.au
 My next guest is the esteemed Dr Sue Carter, founder of Oxytoxin, the Social bonding hormone and wife to Dr Stephen Porges. I look forward to sharing that with you. Sending you kindness and self-compassion until next time. Take care, Joanne.




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Welcome to episode  29.  I am so thrilled to share my conversation with Christine Dickson. Get ready to be inspired; hopeful, and think deeply about your Pathway in Life.  
"Christine Dickson is a Transformational Mentor, Clinical Hypnotherapist, and Equine Assisted Coach. She works with people to map out their vision and reframe their limiting belief systems to create radical shifts in their lives.
She has a solid background in working with people moving away from addiction and pathological relationships, supporting their quest to live a more free and purposeful life. Her ideal client is a fellow traveler who has come to a crossroads and dares to walk in the direction of their hearts longing. 
A self-described “Late Bloomer”, she traveled a slow but steady path to rewrite her subconscious conditioning and take responsibility for her own life. By becoming more self-aware and intentional she was able to propel herself into taking meaningful action and change course. Now, she helps others do the same. What does your heart long to bring forth into the world? When that small inner voice whispers to you what you know to be true, do you listen?"
Some key topics, quotes, or points:



Everything you have done in life is building toward somethingChildhood adaptive brilliance- living inside other people's nervous systems for survival- a way of "being" to stay safeBeing primed for repeating non-adaptive behavioursEverything that happens to you is an opportunity to see......What is the Gift within the event.......even if is a traumatic eventI am responsible for my decisions- it doesn't serve me to not take responsibilityYou have 2 choices- you can either be angry at what happened or you can LIVE....but you can't do both- holding anger will eat away at any future happinessFear- can be a good motivatorOnce you say "Yes" to create a new life- do the work- the Universe sends things your wayI'm just going to start...what is the worst that can happenThe dreaded...."I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH"Malibu Addiction Centre- what is the root cause of the coping mechanismThe power of your Mindset- overcoming anxiety, fears, worriesJust keep showing up.....keep moving forwardSubconscious mind- the only thing it is afraid of is the UNKNOWNThe best thing anyone can do is to be really really interested in their own process-observe self from a distanceAddiction- often a child or partner of someone with a personality disorder or pathological disorder"Love Bombing"Pathological Relationships- Addiction link- you can leave without "leaving" by drinking or taking drugsAddiction in Families- "often a dance of interactions" like a "supporting cast in a movie."Christine's Work- "On the Path"- helping people work out their life purpose "Survivor......the problem with being a survivor is that you have to create situations you need to survive in order to show your skills."I choose to ThriveThe fear of not stepping fully into  being ourselves- always holding a bit backEquine work- people typically trust animals quicker than they do humans.Horses help us tap into something primal- help us open up more for explorationYour Internal Family Systems play out in front of you with the horses- like the embodiment of a part right in front of you.Books
The War of Art,  by Steven Pressfield
Big Magic, by Elizabeth Gilbert
A great podcast with Christine- check out The Journey On Podcast-
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 Welcome to Episode 28.  What I really enjoy about hosting this podcast is the opportunity to meet authentic people passionate about their work and who are open to sharing their knowledge with you. In this episode, I speak with 6 .....yes 6 skilled Somatic Experience (SE) practitioners. To be honest I was a little concerned about how it would flow with 6 people but I feel it resulted in a wonderful conversation.  Please listen in as I speak with Paula Scatoloni, Laura Moorehead, Kate Appleton, Melinda Cornish, Katie McClain, and Leah Dawang about Somatic Experience therapeutic work and supporting clients with an integrated model of SE and the Safe and Sound Protocol.

This team of practitioners can be thanked for their work in developing a set of Guidelines for Unyte which inform SE practitioners about how to integrate the SSP to facilitate deep somatic healing work.
 You will hear as they each discuss their unique approach and their commitment to an integrated SE and SSP model to help in the healing process.

Some of the topics touched on include:
What is Somatic Experience - the main premise Peter Levine- SE Founder- his thinking in developing the SE ApproachPriority of the practitioner for self-regulationShock trauma explainedExploring the somatic completion of an event that was not completed in a traumaSSP expands the "relational field" to help the nervous system work through stored stressSSP resourcing the nervous system to enhance expansionSSP helps the relational connection- somatic patterning of early attachment and bondingSomatic scaffolding of the attachment systemOT sensory toolsSSP, Focus, SE, and Parts workSSP and resonant frequencies in the bodyDeveloping agency and controlSE, SSP, and Touch workTouch work to help anchor the sense of safety in the body- a gentle hand over the adrenals or occiputworking with children should involve the whole family6 views of what is the gift that the SSP brings to helping clientsKate Appleton..." a potent experience....opens a portal to safety without language..." Recommended Books
Books by Stanly Kellerman- Father of Somatics
The Gifts of the Body- Johnathon Bowan
What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing- Oprah Winfrey and Dr Bruce Perry
Nurturing Resilience: Helping Clients Move Forward from Developmental Trauma-An Integrative Somatic Approach by Kathy L. Kain and Stephen J. Terrell
The Body Keeps Score by Bessel van der Kolk

To contact the panel members please see below:
Paula Scatoloni- paula@paulascatoloni.com
Laura Moorehead - lauramoorehead@gmail.com
Kate Appleton - kate@kate-appleton.com
Melinda Cornish - mjcspirit@gmail.com
Katie McClain - katiemcclain@me.com
Leah Dawang - leah.dawang@unyte.com


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Questions or comments - joanne@integratedlistening.com.au



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Hello and welcome to Episode 27. Today I have a very rich discussion with Richmond Heath, Physiotherapist, about TRE ( Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises.) Richmond is the Executive Director of Trauma Release Australia and a Level 3 TRE trainer.  He was responsible for bringing Dr David Berceli and TRE to Australia in 2011. 
Richmond also holds an Advanced Diploma of Aboriginal Studies, is a qualified Bowen Therapist, teaches Clinical Pilates, and has a diverse background in both public and private health sectors including youth, community, mental and indigenous health. Richmond coordinates the professional training and supervision of TRE trainers Australia wide providing TRE workshops and training for groups, corporations, organizations and local regions all around Australia and Asia Pacific.

I am sure you all will sense from Richmond his passion for TRE, not only in his own personal journey but to bring this approach to others.

As you will hear, the theoretical premise of TRE is very much embedded in PVT. In our journey as practitioners, we know that we need a variety of tools to draw from as every nervous system we support is unique.  SSP practitioners who incorporate TRE have shared with me they find an integrated approach critical to help resource the nervous system.


Please enjoy my conversation with Richmond.


Some points from our conversation but please listen in as Richmond discusses Polyvagal Theory from a slightly different lens.




TRE Founder David Berceli once posited – “Just as the defence cascade is a subcortical phylogenetically ordered pathway, doesn’t it make sense that the body would have evolved a similar subcortical & phylogenetically ordered pathway to release or come back out of those defensive states?”  ‘Coming down the curve’  - allowing all our systems of the body to restore themselves to their natural variable, flexible pulsation & movementWhen Stephen Porges attended a TRE Global Summit, he summarised the spontaneous movements invoked with TRE like this:“Tension (or collapse) in the body is a defensive response”“TRE is a neural exercise of convincing the body to trust gravity & let go of its habituated defensive responses”“TRE is getting the body to give up its self-protection so its rhythms can return & it can retune defensive patterns in the musculoskeletal structure”‘Movement= external movement ( body movement through space) and internal movement (pulsation & variability within all the systems of the body)PVT- 3 categories of movement calm, curious & connected movement (ventral vagal state)compulsive movement towards & away (sympathetic state)contained (hypertonic mobilization) collapsed (hypotonic immobilization) & disconnected movement (dorsal vagal state)Discharge emotional energy/memories in the bodyReduce chronic tension- body and mentalDevelop a different relationship with your body- start to trust your body.Defensive states are also associated with a process of disembodiment –as sympathetic arousal states are activated along with a shunting of blood to the heart & lungs & muscles of the limbs, there is a reduction in blood flow & awareness of the hands & feet – so with any level of stress we are also subtly beginning to lose connection with our bodyJust as this process of disembodiment is driven by the nervous system & not our cognition during stress, so too, the process of re-embodiment is a subcortical phenomenon ultimately controlled by & limited by the nervous system – not our cognition

Link to TRE Website- https://traumapreventiSupport the show
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