Unlocking the Body’s Wisdom: How Brainspotting Supports Somatic Healing
Have you ever had the sense that something inside you hasn’t fully let go—even if you can’t quite explain why? Maybe talk therapy helped you make sense of your story, but you still feel stuck, tense, or emotionally disconnected in ways that words can’t quite reach. That’s not a failure on your part; it’s your body asking to be part of the healing process.
In my work as a somatic therapist in Phoenix, I often meet people who’ve done all the “right” things in therapy but still carry something unspoken. That “something” usually lives in the nervous system, and it’s not always accessible through talking alone. In this blog, we’ll explore what it means to unlock the body’s wisdom, how somatic healing actually works, and how Brainspotting can support deep, embodied change from the inside out.
What Does It Mean to Unlock the Body’s Wisdom?
Your body is more than a vessel; it’s a storyteller. Long after your mind forgets or rationalizes a painful experience, your body may still hold tension, fear, or fatigue. This is the wisdom of the nervous system: it stores what hasn’t yet had a chance to process fully. Unlocking the body’s wisdom doesn’t mean diving into trauma or forcing a breakthrough. Instead, it’s about gently tuning into the sensations, impulses, and emotional signals that live beneath the surface. It’s noticing the clenching in your chest when you think of a specific memory, or the urge to shut down when you feel overwhelmed. These responses may seem subtle, but they carry important messages. Your body isn’t betraying you, it’s trying to protect you in the only way it knows how.
When those protections stay in place long after the original stressor is gone, they can start to feel like roadblocks instead of shields. At Through It All Counseling, my role is to support you in noticing and honoring those signals. There’s no pressure to change them right away. Sometimes, just being able to name what’s happening in your body, with warmth and curiosity, can begin to create space for something new. That’s the beginning of unlocking your body’s wisdom: learning to trust the signals you’ve spent years trying to ignore or push past.
What Is Somatic Healing—and Why Does It Matter?
Somatic healing is about helping your body feel safe enough to release what it’s been holding. It centers on the nervous system, not just the mind, and it gives your body a voice in the healing process. In somatic therapy, we use grounding, movement, breathwork, imagery, and other tools. These support you in returning to your body gently and intentionally. For people who’ve experienced trauma, medical illness, anxiety, or loss, this approach often feels like the missing piece. As a somatic therapist in Phoenix, I’ve seen how powerful it can be when clients realize they don’t have to think their way to healing.
They can feel it, moment by moment, breath by breath. This work isn’t about doing more, it’s about tuning in differently. Somatic healing invites you to slow down, to trust what your body already knows, and to rediscover safety from the inside out. Whether you’re brand new to therapy or returning after feeling stuck, there’s always room to reconnect with yourself in a new way. And sometimes, that reconnection begins in the smallest of shifts: a sigh, a softened jaw, a moment of stillness that tells your nervous system, “You’re safe now.”
How Brainspotting Supports Somatic Healing (Gently and Effectively)
So, how does Brainspotting work? Brainspotting is a brain-body therapy that utilizes eye position to access unprocessed trauma, emotions, and memories stored in the subcortical parts of the brain. These are the areas responsible for regulation, instinct, and survival, not language or logic. In a Brainspotting session, we locate a “brainspot,” or a point in your visual field that connects to an emotional or physical experience. You focus there while we gently track your body’s cues. This includes your breath, muscle tension, or shifting sensations.
There’s no pressure to explain, perform, or relive anything. Your brain and body take the lead, and I hold the space with care. Brainspotting is different from traditional talk therapy because it doesn’t rely on words. It works from the bottom up, helping the nervous system process what it couldn’t at the time of the trauma or stress. For those seeking Brainspotting treatment in Phoenix, this approach often brings relief more quickly than expected. It’s especially powerful for people who feel exhausted by trying to “figure it all out.”
What Happens in a Brainspotting Session?
If you’ve been wondering what happens in a Brainspotting session, you’re not alone. Many first-time clients feel curious but unsure, especially if other forms of therapy haven’t resonated with them. Brainspotting can sound abstract at first, but it’s a very grounded and supportive process. Here’s a step-by-step walk-through to help you feel more prepared and, perhaps, even a little more hopeful about what’s possible in your healing.
Grounding and Safety: We begin by slowing down. We might use breath, imagery, or other resources to help you feel anchored and supported.
Identifying a Focus: You don’t have to have the perfect topic. It could be a symptom, a memory, a feeling, or even just a sense of being stuck.
Finding the Brainspot: I’ll guide your eye movements while noticing shifts in your body. When we land on a spot where something “lights up,” we stay there.
Processing: You stay with the brainspot and simply notice what unfolds. There may be emotion, body sensations, images, or even silence. I’m there with you, witnessing and supporting.
Integration: We conclude with a grounding exercise, helping you return to the present with care and clarity.
This is where real healing begins, not through effort or analysis, but through presence and compassion. It starts by honoring what your body has been carrying, often for years, without words. That weight doesn’t need to be justified or explained, only witnessed and held with care. When we offer space for the body to release, soften, and reorganize, change becomes not only possible but deeply felt.
Why Brainspotting Works When Other Therapies Don’t
Brainspotting can feel deceptively simple, but the change it supports runs deep. Traditional talk therapy focuses on the “thinking brain,” which is helpful for insight and self-awareness. But trauma, chronic stress, and nervous system dysregulation live in the “feeling brain.” That’s why clients who have tried therapy before and still feel stuck often say that Brainspotting is the first thing that has helped.
It bypasses the mental loop and invites the body to speak in its language. I’ve seen clients with chronic pain experience physical relief. Clients who’ve struggled with anxiety begin to sleep better and feel calmer without knowing exactly why. Others describe feeling more emotionally present, less reactive, or better able to trust their instincts. This is the body’s wisdom, finally being heard, and Brainspotting helps make that possible.
Who Can Benefit From Brainspotting?
Brainspotting is for anyone ready to access more profound healing, without having to relive everything or find the perfect words. It’s especially supportive for those who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or like their body is holding something their mind can’t make sense of. This approach gently creates space for the nervous system to process what’s been stored, all at your own pace. It’s beneficial for:
Trauma and PTSD
Chronic illness or medical trauma
Anxiety and panic
Grief and loss
Emotional numbness or overwhelm
Feeling stuck or disconnected
It’s also a powerful tool for people who are highly sensitive, neurodivergent, or simply tired of trying to “push through.” If you’ve been searching for brainspotting in Phoenix and wondering if it’s right for you, the best place to start is a conversation. Brainspotting doesn’t ask you to be perfect, articulate, or emotionally polished. It simply asks you to show up and let your body take the lead.
My Approach to Somatic Healing
At Through It All Counseling, my work is rooted in compassion, creativity, and deep respect for each person’s nervous system. I don’t believe healing should be forced or formulaic. Instead, I collaborate with you and your body to discover what feels safe, meaningful, and effective for you. I often integrate Brainspotting with Play Therapy, Expressive Arts, mindfulness, and Polyvagal-informed tools.
For children, this may involve using storytelling or art in conjunction with Brainspotting to process medical trauma or emotional overwhelm. For adults, combining Brainspotting with breathwork or movement can facilitate access to more profound insights and release. As a somatic therapist in Phoenix, I don’t just see symptoms, I see people. People who are already resilient, already capable, and already full of wisdom.
A Gentle Path Toward Reconnection
Healing is rarely a straight line, and even when you’ve done the work, sometimes your body still carries what your mind can’t make sense of. Brainspotting offers a gentle and effective way to connect with what has been stored in the nervous system and give it space to shift. Whether you’ve felt stuck in your healing or you’re simply looking for something that goes deeper than talking, Brainspotting may be the missing piece. At its heart, this work is about returning to yourself, not with force, but with compassion, presence, and trust.
Is Brainspotting in Phoenix, Arizona, the Somatic Support You’ve Been Needing?
If you’ve been holding your breath for too long—trying to stay strong, trying to keep going—you’re not alone. Maybe it’s time to listen to what your body has to say. At Through It All Counseling, Brainspotting in Phoenix offers a path back to yourself. A path that doesn’t ask you to perform or explain, but simply to notice, breathe, and begin. Whether you’re navigating trauma, illness, anxiety, or something you can’t yet name, I’d be honored to support you in the process. You don’t have to keep carrying everything alone. Healing doesn’t mean pushing through; it means softening into safety, reconnecting with your body, and remembering that you are allowed to feel better. If you’re ready to begin that process, I’m here to walk alongside you.
Take the first step today.
Then reach out to schedule your Brainspotting session and begin your journey toward freedom, clarity, and wholeness.
Other Therapy Services Offered at Through It All Counseling in Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona
Somatic therapy isn’t a single technique—it’s a way of honoring the body’s role in healing. That’s why I offer a variety of integrative, creative, and evidence-informed therapies that support the whole person: mind, body, and nervous system. Whether you’re a parent helping a child through big emotions, navigating complex family transitions, or working through your own experiences of trauma, illness, or anxiety, you deserve options that meet you where you are.
In addition to Brainspotting, I offer Play Therapy, Expressive Arts, Bibliotherapy, and Creative Art Therapy to help younger clients and expressive learners process emotions through movement, metaphor, and imagination. For adults and families, I offer Polyvagal Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Interventions, Parent Work, Family Systems Therapy, and Co-Parenting Support—each grounded in safety, curiosity, and compassion. I also integrate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), and Motivational Interviewing when structure and clarity are most supportive.
Healing can look like sitting still. It can also look like painting, moving, breathing, or gently rewriting the stories your body has held onto. Whatever path you’re on, I’m here to help you find what works for you.
If you're interested in exploring any of these services or determining which approach aligns best with your needs, feel free to reach out for a free consultation. Cristina is dedicated to providing compassionate, individualized care to support your journey toward healing and growth.
About the Author
Cristina Yturralde, M.C., LPC, is a certified Brainspotting therapist, Brainspotting Consultant, and somatic therapist in Phoenix. She brings nearly two decades of clinical experience and more than 30 years of supporting families navigating chronic illness, trauma, and emotional overwhelm. Her presence is grounded, warm, and compassionate, deeply informed by both professional expertise and her healing journey. Cristina understands the power of the mind-body connection and brings that same curiosity, empathy, and care to her work with children, teens, and adults.
At her private practice, Through It All Counseling, Cristina integrates Brainspotting with Play Therapy, Expressive Arts, Polyvagal-informed care, and other nervous-system-focused methods to help clients feel more connected and whole. She believes that healing doesn’t always begin with words; it begins with safety, attunement, and listening to the body’s quiet wisdom. Whether you’re exploring somatic therapy in Phoenix or simply wondering if there’s another way to feel better, Cristina is here to support you with a steady presence and an open heart.
