About
Thoughtfully paced nervous system support for individuals, families, and providers. Building safety, regulation, and connection through SSP, RRP, and other nervous-system-informed approaches.
Welcome — I’m so glad you found me.
I’m Carol Ann Brayley, MSW, RSW, SEP — a Canadian neurodivergent psychotherapistand Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner (SEP) with over 31 years of clinical experience. I have a deep respect for how unique each nervous system truly is.
Rather than pushing for quick results or following a one-size-fits-all protocol, my work is grounded in listening first - to your physiology, your responses, and what your system is asking for next. Safety comes before the sound.
I’m known for being calm, intuitive, and highly responsive in my work, and for helping people make sense of experiences that may have felt confusing or overwhelming in the past. My role is not to “fix” you, but to help your nervous system find its own path toward greater regulation, resilience, and 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).
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.
Who I help
People come to work with me for many different reasons. Some are navigating neurodivergence or sensory sensitivity. Others are recovering from chronic stress, illness, or trauma. Some are simply noticing that life feels harder than it needs to - and they want support that goes deeper than talk alone. Others come because they’re doing well and want to enhance performance, expand joy, deepen presence, or increase life satisfaction
What they have in common is a desire for care that is:
• Gentle and well-paced
• Responsive to real-time nervous system feedback
• Grounded in both clinical experience and deep attunement
I work with individuals who are curious, thoughtful, and ready to engage with their nervous system in a respectful, collaborative way.
Why work with me?
When it comes to the Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP) or Rest & Restore Protocol (RRP), who you work with truly matters. These are powerful nervous-system-based interventions - and they are not one-size-fits-all.
Over the years, Unyte has referred both clients and fellow providers to me when someone needs especially thoughtful pacing, nuanced decision-making, or a more responsive, individualized approach. I was deeply honoured in the summer of 2023 to also receive a referral directly from Dr. Stephen Porges, the founder of Polyvagal Theory and creator of SSP and RRP.
I’ve supported people from ages 2 to 78 years old in experiencing meaningful, life-changing results - whether navigating sensitivity, chronic stress, or health challenges, or seeking greater clarity, flow, resilience, and a deeper sense of ease and joy in everyday life.
Experience that’s shaped new ways of working
Through years of careful observation, listening, and collaboration with nervous systems of all kinds, I’ve made several discoveries that are now supporting clients and providers worldwide, including:
When SSP or RRP are titrated gently and responsively, both approaches become more effective, more regulating, and less likely to be overwhelming - supporting a wider range of people, including those with trauma histories, health conditions, or heightened sensitivity.
Recognized by Unyte and the wider community
My work has been featured by Unyte on multiple occasions, including:
I’ve also been interviewed on The Spiritually Curious Therapist and featured on The Elevated Life Academy podcasts, speaking about nervous system regulation, intuition, and working respectfully with complexity.
I walk this path too
I’m not only a practitioner - I’m a neurodivergent, gifted, and highly sensitive human myself, and I’ve raised two neurodivergent children to adulthood.
Within my immediate family, we’ve navigated experiences including:
Because of this, I tend to understand quickly. Often intuitively. You won’t need to over-explain or justify your experience — I’ll already be tracking what your nervous system is communicating, sometimes even before words are available.
What it often feels like to work with me
Clients frequently describe:
When appropriate, I also offer NeurOptimal® Neurofeedback and iLs Focus as natural next steps - always with the same care, attunement, and customization.
Practical details
Some lower-cost SSP options offer minimal support. I’ve worked with individuals who were left dysregulated - and sometimes abandoned - when things became challenging, requiring additional care later to help restore stability.
With me, you’re not just purchasing access to SSP or RRP. You’re receiving experienced guidance, real-time responsiveness, trauma-informed care, and a practitioner who knows how to adjust early and safely.
“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
Are you a provider?
Whether you’re new to SSP or experienced but feeling stuck with certain cases, I offer support designed to build confidence, skill, and sustainability:
Your path should be too.
Let’s discover it together.
I’m Carol Ann Brayley, MSW, RSW, SEP — a Canadian neurodivergent psychotherapistand Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner (SEP) with over 31 years of clinical experience. I have a deep respect for how unique each nervous system truly is.
Rather than pushing for quick results or following a one-size-fits-all protocol, my work is grounded in listening first - to your physiology, your responses, and what your system is asking for next. Safety comes before the sound.
I’m known for being calm, intuitive, and highly responsive in my work, and for helping people make sense of experiences that may have felt confusing or overwhelming in the past. My role is not to “fix” you, but to help your nervous system find its own path toward greater regulation, resilience, and 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).
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.
Who I help
People come to work with me for many different reasons. Some are navigating neurodivergence or sensory sensitivity. Others are recovering from chronic stress, illness, or trauma. Some are simply noticing that life feels harder than it needs to - and they want support that goes deeper than talk alone. Others come because they’re doing well and want to enhance performance, expand joy, deepen presence, or increase life satisfaction
What they have in common is a desire for care that is:
• Gentle and well-paced
• Responsive to real-time nervous system feedback
• Grounded in both clinical experience and deep attunement
I work with individuals who are curious, thoughtful, and ready to engage with their nervous system in a respectful, collaborative way.
Why work with me?
When it comes to the Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP) or Rest & Restore Protocol (RRP), who you work with truly matters. These are powerful nervous-system-based interventions - and they are not one-size-fits-all.
Over the years, Unyte has referred both clients and fellow providers to me when someone needs especially thoughtful pacing, nuanced decision-making, or a more responsive, individualized approach. I was deeply honoured in the summer of 2023 to also receive a referral directly from Dr. Stephen Porges, the founder of Polyvagal Theory and creator of SSP and RRP.
I’ve supported people from ages 2 to 78 years old in experiencing meaningful, life-changing results - whether navigating sensitivity, chronic stress, or health challenges, or seeking greater clarity, flow, resilience, and a deeper sense of ease and joy in everyday life.
Experience that’s shaped new ways of working
Through years of careful observation, listening, and collaboration with nervous systems of all kinds, I’ve made several discoveries that are now supporting clients and providers worldwide, including:
- The Mini Reset - a simple but powerful way to help settle dysregulation, often in real time
- Microdosing SSP - delivering SSP in extremely small, gentle increments for those who benefit from a slower, more attuned approach
- Unique insights with RRP that is helping to influence how it is being delivered.
When SSP or RRP are titrated gently and responsively, both approaches become more effective, more regulating, and less likely to be overwhelming - supporting a wider range of people, including those with trauma histories, health conditions, or heightened sensitivity.
Recognized by Unyte and the wider community
My work has been featured by Unyte on multiple occasions, including:
- November 2022 – Featured SSP provider in a live Unyte-iLs webinar on offering SSP safely and gently
- September 2024 – Provider Spotlight speaker for the recorded Unyte webinar How Anxiety Manifests in the Nervous System
- October 2024 – Invited expert panelist at a live Toronto event, interviewed by Jan Winhall, a leading voice in trauma-informed nervous system work
I’ve also been interviewed on The Spiritually Curious Therapist and featured on The Elevated Life Academy podcasts, speaking about nervous system regulation, intuition, and working respectfully with complexity.
I walk this path too
I’m not only a practitioner - I’m a neurodivergent, gifted, and highly sensitive human myself, and I’ve raised two neurodivergent children to adulthood.
Within my immediate family, we’ve navigated experiences including:
- LGBTQ+ identities 🌈
- Autism, ADHD, anxiety, and depression
- Selective mutism, Tourette’s syndrome, misophonia, and auditory processing differences
- Brain injury, fibromyalgia, MTHFR mutations, MCAS, autoimmune conditions, and more
Because of this, I tend to understand quickly. Often intuitively. You won’t need to over-explain or justify your experience — I’ll already be tracking what your nervous system is communicating, sometimes even before words are available.
What it often feels like to work with me
Clients frequently describe:
- Relief, because they don’t have to educate their provider or prove their experience
- Respect, because neurodivergence is seen as something to support, not fix
- Creativity, because solutions are flexible and individualized
- Ease, because subtle signs of dysregulation are noticed and addressed early
- Confidence, because I hold the broader arc of the process so you can simply show up
When appropriate, I also offer NeurOptimal® Neurofeedback and iLs Focus as natural next steps - always with the same care, attunement, and customization.
Practical details
- Flat-rate independent listening packages and pay-as-you-go options for SSP or RRP
- Flexible payment plans available in CAD or USD
- When I offer SSP or RRP to humans, supervision of a pet’s SSP or RRP process is included at no additional cost
Some lower-cost SSP options offer minimal support. I’ve worked with individuals who were left dysregulated - and sometimes abandoned - when things became challenging, requiring additional care later to help restore stability.
With me, you’re not just purchasing access to SSP or RRP. You’re receiving experienced guidance, real-time responsiveness, trauma-informed care, and a practitioner who knows how to adjust early and safely.
“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
Are you a provider?
Whether you’re new to SSP or experienced but feeling stuck with certain cases, I offer support designed to build confidence, skill, and sustainability:
- Individual and group SSP/RRP consultations
- Advanced SSP training
- Somatic Experiencing® skills group to deepen nervous system literacy
- Brainspotting sessions to support regulation, integration, and unresolved provider experiences
- Strategic, heart-centered marketing support
- Customizable SSP practice forms
- A Deluxe Provider Practice Bundle with significant savings that incorporates having your own SSP or RRP journey with teaching incorporated into the process
Your path should be too.
Let’s discover it together.