A BRAIN-BASED TREATMENT FOR TRAUMA RECOVERY (Podcast Episode 14)

by Heather Putney, PHD, LMFT, CSAT-S, QEEG-DL
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FOUNDER
Untethered Therapy and Transformative Neurotherapy

Trauma doesn’t just shift our mood—it rewires the brain’s operating system. I see this every day in my clinical work. When the nervous system gets stuck in hypervigilance, life can feel like a battlefield. Sleep becomes elusive, focus scatters, and the body braces for impact that never comes. Neurotherapy offers a structured way to help the brain regulate again. By reading its patterns, nudging them with targeted stimulation, and integrating those changes with psychotherapy, we can guide the nervous system back to safety.

Instead of endlessly retelling painful stories, I use brain data—EEG findings, heart rate variability, and region-specific activity—to identify where the system is overpowered or disconnected. The goal is simple but profound: restore balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic networks. When that balance returns, the brain can finally downshift, rest, and process without fear.

Neurotherapy works best when it’s part of a team effort. Trauma is layered: memories, body sensations, meaning, and relationships all intersect. That’s why I pair neurotherapy with psychotherapy modalities like EMDR, Internal Family Systems, or other trauma-focused approaches. The stimulation can unstick old energy the brain has walled off. As those memories and sensations surface, a therapist helps the client make sense of them, reduce avoidance, and install new patterns. This collaboration is especially powerful for clients carrying heavy loads—first responders exposed to crisis, veterans, survivors of developmental trauma, betrayed partners, or those facing sudden loss. For many, the brain feels hijacked. This pairing gives them control back.

Assessment guides everything we do. I listen to the story, but I also look for markers the brain can’t fake. Heart rate variability showing sympathetic dominance is a strong clue of chronic hyperarousal. On the EEG, excessive power in parietal areas or dissociative signatures can point to unresolved trauma—even when clients don’t name it. These findings prepare both the team and the client. Once we begin targeted protocols, sequestered material may surface. That’s why framing is crucial: this is release, not re-wounding. With a therapist on board, the client can experience, name, and let go—while staying grounded with breathwork, orientation, and resourcing skills that keep them within a tolerable window.

For those in acute distress, intensity accelerates healing. I often recommend an intensive model: two neurotherapy sessions a day with built-in therapy. This compresses months of healing into weeks. The frequency strengthens neuroplastic changes and reduces the drift back to old states between sessions. Clients frequently report early wins—quieter racing thoughts, deeper sleep, and an unexpected sense of calm. That early relief isn’t the finish line, but it builds momentum for deeper processing. For someone stuck in fight-or-flight, even one solid night of sleep can change how they show up for therapy, family, and work. The compounding effects—better sleep, steadier mood, improved focus—create a virtuous cycle that supports lasting change.

Safety anchors the entire process. I set expectations early: trauma may rise as the brain lets go. We pace sessions, monitor responses, and adjust stimulation frequencies. I coordinate closely with therapists so clients have a safe place to process anything that emerges. Education plays a key role, too. When clients learn how glial activity and neural rhythms store and release stress, the experience becomes less mysterious. Understanding the “why” builds trust in the process. Over time, the nervous system learns a new default—less scanning for danger, more capacity for rest and connection.

This arc doesn’t erase the past. It restores the present. With the right tools and team, healing stops being a distant goal and becomes a daily reality the brain can finally sustain.