Brain Spotting Explained: How Trauma Is Stored in the Body & Brain
What if healing trauma wasn’t about talking more — but about helping the brain process what words can’t reach?
In this episode of Trauma, Tea, and Tangents, Hannah Guy sits down with licensed therapist Ashley Pettway, LPC, to explore Brain Spotting — an innovative trauma therapy modality often compared to EMDR that helps clients process unresolved trauma, nervous system dysregulation, and deeply stored emotional experiences.
Ashley breaks down how Brain Spotting works, why traditional talk therapy sometimes falls short for trauma healing, and how this brain-body approach can help people process experiences that feel “stuck.” Together, they discuss complex trauma, emotional processing, the role of the therapist during sessions, and why individualized treatment matters in trauma therapy.
Whether you’re curious about Brain Spotting for yourself, are already in trauma therapy, or simply want to better understand how trauma impacts the brain and body, this episode offers an accessible and insightful introduction to one of the fastest-growing trauma modalities.
In this episode, we cover:
• What Brain Spotting is and how it works
• The difference between Brain Spotting and EMDR
• Why trauma is often stored in the body
• The limitations of traditional talk therapy
• Complex trauma and nervous system healing
• Emotional processing and regulation
• What a Brain Spotting session actually looks like
• Integrating Brain Spotting with other therapy approaches
• Accessibility, insurance, and trauma therapy costs
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone interested in trauma healing, EMDR, Brain Spotting, somatic therapy, and mental health.
Watch the full episode on YouTube and follow along for more conversations around trauma recovery, nervous system healing, therapy, and mental wellness.
CHAPTERS
00:00 – Introduction to Brain Spotting
01:00 – Understanding Brain Spotting
02:17 – Why Talk Therapy Sometimes Isn’t Enough
05:05 – The Role of Emotions in Healing
06:48 – The Iceberg of Therapy
09:31 – Insurance & Accessibility in Therapy
12:18 – Navigating Trauma Therapy Funding
15:16 – Client Engagement During Brain Spotting
15:41 – Trauma, Memory & Brain Processing
16:45 – Complex Trauma Explained
18:35 – The Therapist’s Role in Brain Spotting
20:30 – Brain Spotting Techniques & Tools
24:15 – Combining Brain Spotting with Other Modalities
27:18 – Final Thoughts on Healing & Recovery
#BrainSpotting #TraumaTherapy #EMDR #MentalHealthPodcast #TraumaHealing #SomaticTherapy #NervousSystemHealing #ComplexTrauma #TherapyPodcast #MentalHealthAwareness
✨ Want more of Ashley Pettway?
Find her here:
Instagram & TikTok: @theunseriouscounselor
✨ Want to work with Hannah and the trauma therapy team at Revive Therapy Services?
You’ve gotta be a PA resident—check us out at revivetherapyservices.com
And don’t forget to follow along on TikTok & IG: @revivetherapyservices
If this episode resonated with you, be sure to follow Trauma, Tea, and Tangents and share it with a fellow therapist or someone considering private practice.