What to Expect in Your First Brainspotting Therapy Session
Brainspotting Therapy: A Gentler, Body-Based Approach
Taking that first step into a new therapy can feel like a big leap, especially when you're unsure of what to expect. You might be drawn to Brainspotting Therapy because talk therapy hasn’t quite reached the parts of your story that still feel tender or unresolved. Maybe you’ve heard that Brainspotting Therapy is a gentler, body-based method, but you’re still wondering what a session actually looks like. This blog will walk you through the experience, so you can feel a bit more grounded before stepping into the room.
As a somatic therapist in Phoenix, I specialize in Brainspotting because I’ve seen how powerfully it helps people reconnect with their nervous system. It supports relief that feels safe, embodied, and lasting; not forced or surface-level. Whether you’re navigating trauma, grief, chronic illness, anxiety, or something you can’t quite name, Brainspotting invites your body to be part of the conversation. Often, it does so in ways that don’t require you to explain or re-live every detail.
What Is Brainspotting Therapy and Why Does It Help?
Brainspotting is a type of somatic therapy that helps you access and process experiences held in your nervous system. It works by identifying a specific eye position, called a "brainspot." This brainspot connects to unprocessed trauma, pain, or emotion stored in the subcortical parts of your brain. These are areas responsible for survival responses, like fight, flight, or freeze. By gently focusing your gaze on that brainspot and tuning into your body’s sensations, your brain begins to release and integrate what it has been holding.
So, How Does Brainspotting Therapy Work in Practice?
As a therapist, I help you notice where your body holds tension, overwhelm, or emotional charge. From there, we identify a brainspot and allow your nervous system to guide the process. You don’t need to describe everything in detail. In fact, the beauty of Brainspotting is that your body does the work, even if your mind doesn’t fully understand it yet.
If you’re seeking Brainspotting in Phoenix because other approaches haven’t helped you feel settled or whole, it may be time to try something different. This method might offer the shift you’ve been craving; a gentler, more intuitive way to help your nervous system move toward relief. It allows you to heal from the inside out, rather than trying to talk your way through a wound that lives deeper than words.
What Should You Know Before Your First Brainspotting Therapy Session?
Before we meet for your first Brainspotting therapy session, we’ll start with an intake process. This could look like a free phone consultation or a few exchanged emails where you can ask questions, share your concerns, and get a feel for my approach. You’re never expected to "have it all figured out" when you reach out. We’ll talk about what brought you here, what your nervous system is carrying, and what kind of support feels most helpful to you. My role as a somatic therapist is to create a space where you feel seen and supported, not analyzed or rushed. From the start, the process is collaborative and paced with care.
Your First Brainspotting Session: What It Might Look Like
Our first session begins with grounding. That might be as simple as taking a few breaths, orienting to the space, or identifying a resource; a word, image, or memory that helps you feel safe or supported. We won’t jump straight into deep processing. Instead, we’ll take time to tune into how your body is feeling in the moment. Once you feel ready, we’ll begin the Brainspotting process. I’ll use a pointer to help guide your eyes to various positions while you stay aware of what’s happening internally.
When you notice something—a shift, a sensation, an image, even a sense of "something there"—we pause and stay with it. This brainspot becomes our focus, and the rest of the session unfolds from there. You might speak during the session, or find that words don’t come at all, and that’s completely okay. Maybe tears come up, or maybe a sense of calm settles in, or perhaps you simply notice your breathing shift or your muscles begin to soften. There’s no "right way" to do this. Brainspotting treatment is meant to honor your pace and your process. My job is to track with you, offer support when needed, and help you feel safe enough to let your body lead.
What You Won’t Be Asked to Do
You won’t be pushed to tell your story before you’re ready. And you won’t be asked to revisit trauma in a way that feels destabilizing or beyond what your nervous system can handle. This process is about meeting you where you are, not forcing a breakthrough. Our work unfolds gently, with your consent and your body’s readiness leading the way. And you absolutely won’t be expected to produce a breakthrough in the first session.
Healing doesn’t look like a dramatic moment; it looks like safety, trust, and small shifts over time. In somatic therapy, and especially in Brainspotting, we work from the inside out. That means we build from regulation, not rupture. I respect your boundaries and honor your body’s signals. If something doesn’t feel right, we pause. You are always in charge of the process.
What You Might Notice During and After
During your session, you might notice physical sensations—tingling, heaviness, warmth, or tightness. You might feel emotions come up gently, or memories surface without needing to be spoken aloud. Some clients describe a wave of calm or a sense of relief. Others simply feel like something inside is starting to shift. After the session, your brain and body will likely continue processing.
This is part of how Brainspotting works. You might feel tired, introspective, or more aware of your emotions. I always recommend taking it easy after your first session; give yourself time to reflect, rest, and hydrate. You may want to journal, move your body, or just be quiet. There is no wrong way to support your integration.
The Power of a Safe Start
Starting something new can stir up nerves, especially if you’ve been carrying pain for a long time. My job is to make sure that your first session isn’t just informative, it’s also calming and affirming. We don’t rush, and we don’t push. The goal isn’t to "go deep" right away, it’s to help your nervous system feel safe enough to begin.
You are the expert of your experience. I bring tools and training, yes, but your body brings wisdom too. Together, we’ll build a therapeutic relationship grounded in trust, curiosity, and compassion. That relationship becomes the foundation for deeper healing work later on.
How I Practice Brainspotting Therapy in Phoenix
At Through It All Counseling, my approach to Brainspotting is deeply integrative. I often combine Brainspotting with other somatic therapies like Polyvagal work, breathwork, guided imagery, or expressive arts. For children and teens, we might use play therapy or movement to help the process feel natural and developmentally appropriate. And for adults, we might use mindfulness or metaphors that help you connect with your internal experience.
Each session is tailored to your unique nervous system. That might mean we move slowly. It might mean we take breaks, track subtle shifts, or return to a resource when needed. There is room for laughter, emotion, silence, and surprise. That’s what makes Brainspotting treatment in Phoenix so adaptable—it meets you where you are.
I work with people navigating complex grief, chronic illness, anxiety, identity transitions, and trauma. My clients include parents, caregivers, and those who feel emotionally overwhelmed but can’t always pinpoint the reason. I understand that these experiences don’t always come with clear language, and they don’t have to. Together, we make space for what’s hard to name, and we follow the body’s cues to help the healing unfold. Brainspotting allows us to access those deeper places and bring them into the light—gently and with care.
Ready to Take the First Step Into Brainspotting Therapy in Phoenix?
Beginning something new, especially a body-based therapy like Brainspotting, can feel uncertain at first. But it can also be the beginning of something deeply healing. At Through It All Counseling, Brainspotting in Phoenix offers a safe, grounded way to begin listening to your body’s quiet signals and gently working with what you’ve been carrying. You don’t have to explain it all or revisit every painful memory. You just have to show up—and together, we’ll take it from there. I’ll support you with presence, compassion, and care every step of the way. If you’re curious about what your first session could feel like, I’d love to connect.
Take the first step today.
Then reach out to schedule your Brainspotting session and begin your journey toward relief, reconnection, and nervous system healing.
Other Therapy Services Offered at Through It All Counseling in Phoenix Arizona and Scottsdale, Arizona
At Through It All Counseling, I believe that somatic therapy is more than a technique—it’s a philosophy. It’s about creating space for your body’s wisdom, honoring the ways it has adapted, and gently supporting the nervous system as it moves toward balance. That’s why I offer a range of integrative, trauma-informed, and creative therapies designed to meet clients where they are—in their emotions, their stories, and their bodies.
In addition to Brainspotting treatment in Phoenix, I offer Play Therapy, Expressive Arts, Bibliotherapy, and Creative Art Therapy for children and expressive learners. These approaches help kids and teens process emotions through movement, metaphor, and imagination in developmentally supportive ways. For adults and families, I bring in Polyvagal Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Interventions, Parent Work, Family Systems Therapy, and Co-Parenting Support—all grounded in safety, attunement, and connection. Depending on your needs, I may also integrate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), or Motivational Interviewing when clarity and structure feel most helpful.
Sometimes healing looks like quiet reflection. Sometimes it looks like art, movement, or breath. And sometimes it looks like showing up in your body, just as you are. However your nervous system wants to engage, I’ll meet you there—with curiosity, compassion, and care.
If you're curious about whether Brainspotting or another somatic therapy might be the right fit, I’d love to talk more. Feel free to reach out for a free consultation—it’s a chance to ask questions, get a sense of how I work, and see what kind of support feels most helpful to you right now. You don’t need to know exactly what you need to begin. Together, we’ll figure it out, step by step.
About the Author
Cristina Yturralde, M.C., LPC is a certified Brainspotting therapist, Brainspotting Consultant, and somatic therapist in Phoenix. With nearly two decades of clinical experience and more than 30 years of supporting families navigating trauma, chronic illness, and emotional overwhelm, she brings deep empathy, grounded presence, and professional insight into every session. Cristina’s work is rooted in her lived experience and clinical expertise—and is guided by a belief that healing is possible when the body feels safe, supported, and heard.
At her private practice, Through It All Counseling, Cristina integrates Brainspotting treatment with Play Therapy, Expressive Arts, Polyvagal-informed practices, and other somatic approaches that meet clients where they are. She supports children, teens, and adults with a focus on nervous system regulation, trauma healing, and reconnecting with the self. Her style is warm, intuitive, and deeply relational, helping clients explore the quiet signals of their bodies with gentleness and care. Whether you’re seeking Brainspotting in Phoenix or curious about how somatic therapy works, Cristina offers a steady presence and a path toward healing that honors your story and your pace.