Therapy, Coaching & Nervous System Support
Turn to the provider that providers turn to...
Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP) • Rest & Restore Protocol (RRP)
Professional Consultations & Advanced SSP Training
About
Intuitive, heartfelt therapy, coaching, and nervous system support. After several years of limited availability, I now have a few openings for new clients seeking ongoing therapy and coaching. If you’ve been considering working with me, I’d love to hear from you.
Therapy, Coaching & Thoughtfully Paced Nervous System Support
With Carol Ann Brayley, MSW, RSW, SEP
More ease in your life. More room to be yourself.
Have you spent years feeling different or working hard to fit in? Are you beginning to understand yourself in new ways? Have you gained insight through therapy, yet still find yourself caught in familiar patterns?
Whether you’re seeking healing, exploring who you are, or hoping everyday life could feel a little easier, you’re welcome here.
I offer individual therapy, coaching, Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP), Rest & Restore Protocol (RRP), and professional consultation - with care shaped around your needs, your goals, and your pace.
Welcome
I’m Carol Ann - a neurodivergent clinical social worker and Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner with over 31 years of clinical experience.
My work is intuitive, heartfelt, and collaborative. I listen closely, notice subtle cues, and stay curious about your experience. Together, we make sense of what you’re navigating and explore what helps you feel more settled, connected, and comfortable being yourself.
There’s room here for complexity, uncertainty, humour, and being human. You don’t need to have everything figured out before we begin.
Therapy & Coaching: A Space for You
I especially enjoy working with neurodivergent women, including those discovering ADHD or autism later in life, and LGBTQ+ adults who are coming out later in life or exploring their gender identity.
These discoveries can bring relief and possibility alongside grief, uncertainty, and questions about relationships, belonging, and the life you want to build. You deserve space to explore all of it.
I also support adults navigating anxiety, trauma, burnout, sensitivity, imposter syndrome and overwhelm - including the challenges that can arise as the seasons change.
You may recognize yourself in experiences such as:
Learn More About Therapy & Coaching
When Insight Hasn’t Been Enough
Understanding your story can be valuable. Sometimes, though, that understanding hasn’t yet translated into feeling different.
My approach brings attention to how experiences show up in your emotions, physical responses, relationships, and everyday patterns. I draw on Somatic Experiencing, Brainspotting, EMDR, parts work, and other approaches, choosing together what fits.
We work at a manageable pace, with room to notice, adjust, and build on what helps. Our work can support both meaningful understanding and changes in how you experience daily life.
A Place for Therapists to Exhale
Finding your own therapist can be surprisingly difficult when you’re used to being the person who helps everyone else.
I particularly enjoy working with therapists and other health professionals who want a space to feel understood, receive care, and simply be themselves.
You’re welcome to bring your knowledge - and the parts of your experience that knowledge hasn’t made easier.
SSP, RRP & Other Listening-Based Support
You may know me as “SSP Yoda.” Supporting people through the Safe & Sound Protocol remains a central part of my practice, alongside the Rest & Restore Protocol, iLs, and NeurOptimal® neurofeedback.
I’m an Unyte-approved mentor, and my SSP work is especially known for careful pacing and microdosing: beginning with very small amounts when that suits the person’s needs.
Through this work, I also discovered what I call the Mini Reset - a way of using SSP that I’ve found can help dysregulation settle quickly, often within seconds. In my practice, I’ve seen it help with both SSP-related dysregulation and dysregulation arising in everyday life.
The safe comes before the sound.
Whether you’re exploring listening support for yourself or your child, my approach includes close attention to responses, ongoing communication, and adjustments along the way.
These services can be explored on their own or, where appropriate, alongside therapy or coaching.
Explore SSP & RRP
Learn About iLs & NeurOptimal® neurofeedback
I’ve Walked My Own Path, Too
Alongside my professional training, I bring lived experience of trauma, high sensitivity, late-identified neurodivergence, and coming out later in life.
Through my own healing work, I’ve found genuine happiness, better focus, and a life where overwhelm has become rare. My experience doesn’t tell me exactly what yours will be, but it shapes the intuitive, heartfelt care I bring to my work - and the joy I find in helping others discover their own path forward.
I know how much it can mean to begin understanding yourself differently, and to discover possibilities you once struggled to imagine.
Get a Feel for How I Work
Choosing someone to work with is personal. My podcast interviews and Unyte webinar offer a chance to hear me speak, get a sense of my personality, and learn more about my approach to healing and nervous system support.
Watch & Listen
Support for Fellow Providers
I also offer consultation, mentoring, and advanced learning for professionals working with SSP and RRP.
As an Unyte-approved mentor and RRP pilot study provider, I bring extensive experience with thoughtful pacing, sensitive nervous systems, and complex presentations. Consultations offer space to explore questions, consider options, and develop confidence in your work.
Explore Provider Support
Let’s Find Your Starting Point
You’re welcome to come with a particular goal, a question, or simply a sense that you’d like something to change.
Appointments are online.
If you know what you’d like to book, you can go directly to my appointment page. If you’re unsure where to begin, email me and I’ll help you identify a suitable starting point.
With Carol Ann Brayley, MSW, RSW, SEP
More ease in your life. More room to be yourself.
Have you spent years feeling different or working hard to fit in? Are you beginning to understand yourself in new ways? Have you gained insight through therapy, yet still find yourself caught in familiar patterns?
Whether you’re seeking healing, exploring who you are, or hoping everyday life could feel a little easier, you’re welcome here.
I offer individual therapy, coaching, Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP), Rest & Restore Protocol (RRP), and professional consultation - with care shaped around your needs, your goals, and your pace.
Welcome
I’m Carol Ann - a neurodivergent clinical social worker and Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner with over 31 years of clinical experience.
My work is intuitive, heartfelt, and collaborative. I listen closely, notice subtle cues, and stay curious about your experience. Together, we make sense of what you’re navigating and explore what helps you feel more settled, connected, and comfortable being yourself.
There’s room here for complexity, uncertainty, humour, and being human. You don’t need to have everything figured out before we begin.
Therapy & Coaching: A Space for You
I especially enjoy working with neurodivergent women, including those discovering ADHD or autism later in life, and LGBTQ+ adults who are coming out later in life or exploring their gender identity.
These discoveries can bring relief and possibility alongside grief, uncertainty, and questions about relationships, belonging, and the life you want to build. You deserve space to explore all of it.
I also support adults navigating anxiety, trauma, burnout, sensitivity, imposter syndrome and overwhelm - including the challenges that can arise as the seasons change.
You may recognize yourself in experiences such as:
- Feeling capable on the outside while struggling behind the scenes.
- Spending years adapting to others and losing touch with your own needs.
- Understanding why you react a certain way, yet finding those reactions difficult to shift.
- Wanting to feel safer in relationships and more confident expressing yourself.
- Hoping for more energy, enjoyment, and ease in everyday life.
Learn More About Therapy & Coaching
When Insight Hasn’t Been Enough
Understanding your story can be valuable. Sometimes, though, that understanding hasn’t yet translated into feeling different.
My approach brings attention to how experiences show up in your emotions, physical responses, relationships, and everyday patterns. I draw on Somatic Experiencing, Brainspotting, EMDR, parts work, and other approaches, choosing together what fits.
We work at a manageable pace, with room to notice, adjust, and build on what helps. Our work can support both meaningful understanding and changes in how you experience daily life.
A Place for Therapists to Exhale
Finding your own therapist can be surprisingly difficult when you’re used to being the person who helps everyone else.
I particularly enjoy working with therapists and other health professionals who want a space to feel understood, receive care, and simply be themselves.
You’re welcome to bring your knowledge - and the parts of your experience that knowledge hasn’t made easier.
SSP, RRP & Other Listening-Based Support
You may know me as “SSP Yoda.” Supporting people through the Safe & Sound Protocol remains a central part of my practice, alongside the Rest & Restore Protocol, iLs, and NeurOptimal® neurofeedback.
I’m an Unyte-approved mentor, and my SSP work is especially known for careful pacing and microdosing: beginning with very small amounts when that suits the person’s needs.
Through this work, I also discovered what I call the Mini Reset - a way of using SSP that I’ve found can help dysregulation settle quickly, often within seconds. In my practice, I’ve seen it help with both SSP-related dysregulation and dysregulation arising in everyday life.
The safe comes before the sound.
Whether you’re exploring listening support for yourself or your child, my approach includes close attention to responses, ongoing communication, and adjustments along the way.
These services can be explored on their own or, where appropriate, alongside therapy or coaching.
Explore SSP & RRP
Learn About iLs & NeurOptimal® neurofeedback
I’ve Walked My Own Path, Too
Alongside my professional training, I bring lived experience of trauma, high sensitivity, late-identified neurodivergence, and coming out later in life.
Through my own healing work, I’ve found genuine happiness, better focus, and a life where overwhelm has become rare. My experience doesn’t tell me exactly what yours will be, but it shapes the intuitive, heartfelt care I bring to my work - and the joy I find in helping others discover their own path forward.
I know how much it can mean to begin understanding yourself differently, and to discover possibilities you once struggled to imagine.
Get a Feel for How I Work
Choosing someone to work with is personal. My podcast interviews and Unyte webinar offer a chance to hear me speak, get a sense of my personality, and learn more about my approach to healing and nervous system support.
Watch & Listen
Support for Fellow Providers
I also offer consultation, mentoring, and advanced learning for professionals working with SSP and RRP.
As an Unyte-approved mentor and RRP pilot study provider, I bring extensive experience with thoughtful pacing, sensitive nervous systems, and complex presentations. Consultations offer space to explore questions, consider options, and develop confidence in your work.
Explore Provider Support
Let’s Find Your Starting Point
You’re welcome to come with a particular goal, a question, or simply a sense that you’d like something to change.
Appointments are online.
If you know what you’d like to book, you can go directly to my appointment page. If you’re unsure where to begin, email me and I’ll help you identify a suitable starting point.
Media
Unyte Provider Spotlight: How Anxiety Manifests in the Nervous System
In this webinar with Unyte Health, I explore the relationship between anxiety, the nervous system, and physical health—and how the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) can support a greater sense of safety and connection. Drawing on clinical experience, I share practical examples, grounding strategies, and insights into gently pacing SSP for people with anxiety and sensitive nervous systems.
Healing Beyond the Surface: Supporting Complex Nervous Systems with SSP and RRP With Carol Ann Brayley
In this conversation, I share my personal healing journey and how it shaped my work as a trauma therapist. We explore why insight from talk therapy doesn’t always translate into feeling better, and how approaches such as Somatic Experiencing, EMDR, neurofeedback, and the Safe and Sound Protocol can offer new possibilities. A hopeful discussion about listening to the nervous system and finding gentler, more individualized paths toward healing.
Exploring Healing through Somatics and Sound with Carol Ann Brayley, the SSP Yoda
In this episode of The Spiritually Curious Therapist, I explore how somatic therapies, SSP, and RRP inform my work with trauma and sensitive nervous systems. We discuss intuition, deep listening, and bringing these approaches into therapeutic practice, alongside experiences that have shaped my work—including some unexpected observations from using listening protocols with pets.