FOR WOMEN | ONLINE ACROSS CA
Talk Therapy
Helping your mind and body process what words alone can’t.
Do your emotions ever feel too big, too fast, or too confusing — and you’re not sure what to do with them?
GROWING UP YOU WERE TAUGHT TO STAY STRONG, BE GRATEFUL, AND KEEP GOING… NO MATTER WHAT WAS HAPPENING INSIDE OF YOU.
So now, when a wave of emotion hits, it makes sense that your first instinct is to push it down, explain it away, or get mad at yourself for even feeling it.
Because no one taught you how to slow down.
No one asked, “What’s coming up for you right now?”
And no one modeled what it feels like to be cared for during big emotions.
So when your chest tightens, your stomach drops, or your thoughts start spiraling, you go straight into survival mode. And the part of you that learned to stay small, polite, and perfect jumps in.
You might have tried therapy before but felt like it was focused just on “coping”...not on actually getting to the root of the issue. You’re ready to go deep and put these patterns to rest for good.
Brainspotting bypasses the “thinking” part of your brain to access & heal the root of what’s troubling you.
Brainspotting can help you:
soften your self-critical part and understand where it comes from
ease the guilt that shows up around family, culture, and expectations
feel more grounded in your body, even during big emotions
quiet the constant pressure to perform or “get it right”
build a kinder, steadier relationship with your inner world
hear your true voice — separate from fear, comparison, or obligation
navigate relationships with more clarity and less emotional reactivity
set boundaries without feeling like you’re betraying anyone
feel more confident speaking up at work or in relationships
reconnect with parts of yourself you’ve pushed aside to keep others comfortable
move through the day with more ease, presence, and internal safety
HOW IT WORKS
Where you look affects how you feel. Brainspotting uses where you look to help you heal.
Like files in a computer, our memories must be processed, encoded, and stored in our brains. When we experience something painful, this processing and encoding system can go awry. In Brainspotting, we can access where the troubling files are stored, properly process them, and resolve them, storing them in a way that causes less distress, anxiety, and pain.
Together, we’ll find a “brain spot”: an area in your field of vision to focus on. I’ll ask you to mindfully observe what comes up as you keep your eyes on this spot and consider what’s bothering you. Sometimes, we’ll use tools like bilateral music (via headphones) to enhance the process, encouraging both sides of the brain to engage in the process.
As you continue to focus on the brain spot, your brain will begin to re-process and neutralize the “file” stored there, and you’ll start to notice feelings of more calm, clarity, and relief. You’re in control of every step of the way of this process—we trust that your brain knows what to do. My role is to be here as a guide and a safe container: a safe, stable presence that allows your nervous system to do the hard work to heal.
In the midst of challenges like the ones you’re facing right now, it can be easy to forget that your body has an innate ability to heal. In our work together, you can access that ability, it just requires a bit of help to get unstuck. Dr. Pipkins provides Brainspotting online throughout California. As someone who experienced the power of Brainspotting as a client first, she brings both training and personal understanding to this work.
My services are available online across CA, making it convenient for you to access care no matter your situation.
How We’ll Work Together
We’ll start with an in-depth intake session. This will give me an opportunity to learn more about you and your goals, answer any questions you have, and co-create a plan to track your progressthroughout our work together.
You choose the format that works best for you:
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If you prefer to make progress steadily over time, we can meet weekly for 45-minute sessions. This format offers consistent support and space to work through longstanding patterns at a pace that feels manageable and sustainable.
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If you have recently experienced a traumatic event, meeting twice per week for 45-minute sessions may provide additional support during the early stages of treatment. This more frequent schedule can help create greater stability and momentum as you begin processing what has happened.
WHY I DO THIS WORK
I specialize in Brainspotting and body-based therapies because of the positive—and often more immediate—changes I saw in my clients.
When insight alone was not enough, deeper shifts began when we worked directly with the nervous system.
If this resonates with you, I invite you to reach out for a consultation.
Healing doesn’t have to stay stuck in insight alone.
Experience the shift that becomes possible when your nervous system finally feels safe enough to change.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Brainspotting sessions are often quieter and more internally focused than traditional talk therapy, though every session is different. We may spend time noticing body sensations, emotions, activation patterns, or subtle shifts in attention while staying connected to what your nervous system is experiencing in real time. Many people describe the process as focused, grounding, and less verbally demanding than expected. Sessions are collaborative and paced carefully — there is no pressure to force emotion or revisit painful experiences before your system feels ready.
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Both Brainspotting and EMDR are effective, brain-based therapies that support the processing of stress and trauma through the nervous system.
EMDR follows a more structured protocol, often using bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements) and a sequence of steps to guide processing.
Brainspotting is typically more flexible and less structured. It focuses on identifying specific eye positions connected to emotional or physical activation, then allowing the brain and body to process at their own pace—without needing to follow a set sequence or put everything into words.
Many people find Brainspotting especially helpful when they’ve already developed insight but are looking for a deeper, more felt shift in how their body responds.
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Absolutely. While Brainspotting is widely known for trauma work, many people also find it helpful for anxiety, chronic stress, perfectionism, burnout, emotional overwhelm, relationship patterns, and persistent nervous-system activation. Often these experiences are shaped by deeply learned physiological patterns that continue beneath conscious awareness. Brainspotting can help support greater regulation, flexibility, and recovery in the nervous system over time.
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Many clients who seek this work already have strong insight into their patterns.
Brain-body approaches focus on the nervous system responses that sometimes remain even after we intellectually understand our experiences. Rather than relying only on discussion, this work helps your system process experiences at a deeper level.
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For many people, yes. Many clients who are drawn to Brainspotting have already done meaningful therapy and understand their patterns intellectually. They may know where certain responses come from and still feel emotionally or physiologically stuck in moments that matter. Brainspotting works differently by engaging the nervous system more directly, helping access patterns held beneath conscious thought rather than relying only on analysis or verbal insight.
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No. In many cases, the work can move forward without revisiting or describing every detail of a difficult experience.
We move at a pace that feels safe and manageable
You always have control over what you share
The goal is not to relive experiences, but to help your system process them differently
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Many people who come to this work wouldn’t initially describe their experiences as trauma. Sometimes what shows up first is anxiety, burnout, or a sense that something in your reactions, relationships, or stress responses doesn’t fully make sense.
Trauma doesn’t always come from a single dramatic event, nor is it always from the past. For some people it develops through repeated experiences—such as social injustices or discrimination, emotionally difficult work environments, or professions where exposure to crisis and tragedy is simply part of the job. First responders, helping professionals, and others working in high-stress systems often carry experiences that accumulate over time.
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The consultation is simply a chance to explore fit.
During that brief call we can:
talk about what you’re looking for
answer any questions you may have
decide whether this approach feels like the right next step
If it feels helpful, you’re welcome to request a consultation and we can take that next step together.
“Dr. Ly Franshaua Pipkins is one of the kindest, most authentic and caring professionals you might have the pleasure to work with. I learned a great deal from her during my time at Mills College. She is warm and empathetic, while also helping clients to remain at their growing edge. I recommend her wholeheartedly.”
-Dr. Zoey Rogers