In the vast majority of situations, the best place to begin is with
SSP.
By very rapidly shifting physiology,
SSP sets a better platform for any other approach to work more effectively and more efficiently, thus saving both money and time.
However, there are a few caveats:
- SSP can initially for some people cause the nervous system to become more sensitive and more reactive. Basically, at the start, things may become worse rather than better. For this reason, we do not begin SSP when someone is already at the limit of what they feel they can deal with.
- With SSP, in order for the process to be both as smooth as possible and as effective as possible, it is important to have someone who is a support or at least neutral, to be there with you while you listen.
- SSP is likely to be much more tumultuous and potentially less likely to be effective when someone is living with someone who is toxic, hurtful ,or angry towards them, consistently.
For these reasons, sometimes I may suggest someone begin with
neurofeedback or the "Calming" program on the
Focus System instead of, or prior to beginning
SSPIn situations where there is someone in the home that tends to "rock the boat" for the individual - being more angry or stressed or difficult - I often will suggest that the family, if willing, all begin with
neurofeedback and share the sessions so that everyone at home can be feeling better and more peaceful before beginning
SSP.
Similarly, it may be that the family share some or part of a course of
Focus System programs (likely the "calming" programs) to help everyone in the home become better regulated and more able to support the SSP process.
SSP is best followed by another approach, either
Focus or
Neurofeedback or, potentially one and then the other. Or, SSP can be followed with
occupational therapy when relevant for the individual or
psychotherapy, preferably a nervous system based approach to psychotherapy and/or one that involves rapid and gentle trauma processing.
Somatic experiencing can be a wonderful place to start. If you are not already working with an SE therapist and prefer to work individually, you can
check here to find an SE therapist in your area.
I do offer
online somatic experiencing skills groups. While anyone is welcome to attend them, my focus currently is to offer them for people who are preparing to do SSP, currently doing SSP, or have done SSP and want to continue to strengthen their resiliency.
Whether you are doing (or have done) SSP with myself or another SSP practitioner, you are welcome to attend my groups. In some cases we may choose to begin by using
SSP Connect in order to ideally bring more regulation into the nervous system prior to starting SSP Core.
I may also suggest
NeurOptimal neurofeedback as a method to use prior to beginning SSP Core, to bring more regulation on board.
In situations where there is a great deal of stress in the home, and/or someone in the home that tends to "rock the boat" for the individual - being angry or stressed or difficult - I often will suggest that as much of the family as possible, begin with a
NeurOptimal rental system for home use and share the sessions so that everyone at home can, ideally, be feeling better and even a little more harmonious, which then sets a better platform from which to do SSP.
NeurOptimal is also one of the approaches I highly recommend
following SSP with.
If you are within
Canada I have
NeurOptimal rental systems available for home use. Renting NeurOptimal is one of the most cost effective ways of doing neurofeedback. If you are in the
US or the
UK, I have someone I can refer you to to access a NeurOptimal home rental system.
The
iLs Focus System - another remarkably effective system that
I highly recommend following SSP with -
also can be used prior to beginning SSP, in order to settle the nervous system and bring more regulation on board.
As with NeurOptimal, use of the
Focus System programs can be used to increase resilience in the individuals nervous system as well as potentially the system being shared among family members to help everyone in the home become better regulated and more able to support the SSP process.