About

Welcome — I’m so glad you found me.

I’m Carol Ann Brayley, MSW, RSW, SEP — a neurodivergent psychotherapist and Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner with over 30 years of clinical experience. I specialize in helping neurodiverse families and highly sensitive, complex individuals become more regulated, feel safer in the world, and able to fully embrace their gifts—with fewer meltdowns and more connection.

I’m fully certified by Unyte in the Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP), Rest & Restore Protocol (RRP), and iLs Focus, and I’m an officially approved Unyte Mentor for other providers.

In the summer of 2024, I was deeply honoured to support Dr. Stephen Porges, Anthony Gorry, and Unyte in the pilot study for the brand-new Rest & Restore Protocol (RRP). You can learn more about RRP on the Unyte website.

Whether you’re:

     •     Seeking SSP or RRP for yourself or your child,
     •     Already working with a provider but want extra support or a second opinion,
     •     Or you’re a provider yourself seeking consultation, advanced guidance, or tools to enhance your practice…

I’m here to help.

Why work with me?

With SSP or RRP, the provider you choose really matters. These protocols aren’t one-size-fits-all. I’m known for helping even the most sensitive, complex, or misunderstood clients. In fact, Unyte has often referred both clients and providers to me when things feel too complex, when someone needs advanced support, or when things have gone wrong.

I’ve helped several hundred people - from 2-78 years old - experience life-changing results with SSP — including those for whom SSP previously didn’t work or even made things worse.

Along the way, I’ve made some unique discoveries that are now helping other providers and clients worldwide, including:

     •     The Mini Reset – a simple but powerful way to quickly settle dysregulation, often in real time
     •     The ability to microdose SSP – delivering it in extremely small, gentle increments for those with extreme sensitivity or complex histories

Too often, SSP is delivered too quickly, especially by providers who haven’t worked with complex systems. 

When SSP is titrated gently and responsively, SSP becomes far more effective, more regulating, and far less overwhelming — even for those with extensive trauma or health concerns.

My work has been featured by Unyte:

     •     November 2022 – Featured SSP provider in a live Unyte-iLs webinar on offering SSP safely and gently to complex clients
     •     September 2024 – Provider Spotlight speaker for the free recorded Unyte webinar: How Anxiety Manifests in the Nervous System
     •     October 2024 – Invited expert panelist at a live event in Toronto, interviewed by Jan Winhall, a leading voice in trauma and nervous system work. 

I walk this path, too.

I’m not just a practitioner — I’m a neurodivergent, highly sensitive human with complex health concerns. I’ve also raised two amazing neurodivergent kids to adulthood.

In just our immediate family, we’ve navigated:
     •     Autism, ADHD (including slow cognitive type), anxiety, and depression
     •     Selective mutism, Tourette’s syndrome, misophonia, and auditory processing issues
     •     Brain injury, fibromyalgia, MTHFR mutations, autoimmune conditions, and more

I get it. Deeply. Intuitively. Quickly. You won’t have to explain everything — I’ll already be attuned to what’s going on, often before words are even needed.

What it feels like to work with me:
     •     Relief, because you won’t have to educate your provider or prove your complexity
     •     Respect, because I see neurodivergence as a gift to be supported, not a problem to fix
     •     Creativity, because I find flexible, personalized ways to meet your needs
     •     Ease, because I can track subtle cues of dysregulation and adjust the process early
     •     Confidence, because I hold the bigger picture so you can simply show up and heal

And when you’re ready to go further, I offer NeurOptimal Neurofeedback and iLs Focus as natural next steps — all with the same level of care, insight, and customization.

I offer flat rate independent listening packages for SSP or RRP.  

However, if you want a more fully coregulated experience of SSP or RRP, I also have a pay-as-you-go option where we can some even deeper work with me present for all or most of listening, while we also weave in together elements of Brainspotting, Somatic Experiencing, and parts work.  

A note about pricing and quality of care

Some low-cost SSP providers offer little support, and I’ve worked with clients who were left dysregulated or abandoned when things got hard.  This often creates unexpected added expense requiring seeking help to get things settled again.

With me, you’re not just getting SSP—you’re getting expert support, real-time responsiveness, trauma-informed care, and a compassionate partner who knows how to handle complexity safely. I’ve built my practice around helping people feel deeply supported, seen, and safe throughout the entire journey.

“I thought I was saving money with a low-cost provider. But when things started to unravel, they disappeared—and I was left to pick up the pieces. Finding Carol Ann changed everything. She knew exactly how to help, and for the first time, I felt safe, seen, and supported.”
— Former SSP client, now thriving

Are you a provider?

Whether you’re new to SSP or highly experienced but feeling stuck with complex cases, I offer a range of supports to help you grow in confidence, skill, and ease:

     •     Individual & group SSP/RRP consultations
     •     Advanced SSP training, including the option to have your own SSP process expertly guided by me with teaching woven in at no extra cost
     •     Somatic Experiencing® skills group – Build your nervous system literacy and learn to track physiology more deeply in yourself and others
     •     Brainspotting sessions – Personalized support to help you regulate your own nervous system, process stuck points or past difficult experiences with SSP/RRP, and work through core beliefs or unresolved trauma that may be quietly limiting your success and confidence as a provider.
     •     Marketing support – Strategic, heart-centered help to attract more ideal clients, get clearer on your niche, and make your practice more sustainable
     •     Customizable SSP Practice Forms
     •     A Deluxe SSP Provider Practice Bundle with substantial savings on my advanced training, consultations, and more

Are you a Neurodivergent Woman?

Whether you are dealing with ADHD, autism, giftedness or other forms of neurodivergence - you are welcome to join my supportive Online Neurodivergent Women's Group.

Your nervous system is unique. Your path should be too. Let’s discover it together.