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Dr Alessia Bruno is a Clinical and Sport Psychologist, EMDR Europe and Brainspotting Consultant, Trainer, and Performance Coach. She speaks at major international and European congresses, lectures at national sport events, and leads accredited courses. An expert in trauma and performance, Dr Alessia Bruno works internationally with young people and adults.

Today’s episode is one I’m excited about because our guest isn’t just an accomplished clinical psychologist, but also a close friend whose work always sparks new ideas. Fresh from presenting at the Hong Kong Performance and Sport Psychology World Congress, Alessia brings a unique blend of expertise and creativity to our conversation.

We’ll dive into innovative ways of understanding ourselves, exploring how stories shape both mind and body, and why all of life can be seen as performance—not just the big moments, but the everyday ones too. Our guest encourages us to expand our sense of self, connecting with others, our ancestors, and embracing the interconnectivity of all things.

We’ll also unpack Brainspotting—a fascinating technique for unlocking deep issues, rooted in neurobiology and designed to help us grow and heal. If you’re curious about these approaches to performance or interested in training, our guest is happy to connect and share more.

For more information on Alessia's work go to:

https://eng.performanceexpansion.com

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There’s a gentle magic that unfolds when you encounter someone who embodies a rare harmony—deep knowledge, ancestral wisdom, and an effortless grace in sharing their insights. This is the gift you receive in the presence of Mariya Javed-Payne, whose story invites us to move beyond simply looking, to truly seeing.

Mariya Javed-Payne is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, Alcohol and Drug Counselor, and International Brainspotting Trainer and Consultant. As a somatic psychotherapist and owner of Awaken Consulting Services, she provides Brainspotting therapy, training, and consultation in trauma treatment, somatic psychotherapies, psychedelic-assisted therapy, anti-racism, and ancestral healing. Her practice integrates psychedelic medicines and non-ordinary states—such as ketamine, cannabis, and breathwork—with somatic therapy and Brainspotting. Bridging the mystical and scientific, she has trained thousands of therapists and healers to offer attuned, trauma-responsive care through a post-colonial, earth-honouring lens.

Listening to her story is more than an experience; it’s an enrichment. She navigates the delicate dance between traditional Eastern healing and contemporary Western scientific approaches, illuminating the necessity of difference and the wisdom found in our moments of pain and division. These inflection points become our teachers, guiding us gently towards deeper consciousness.

In a world that often feels distorted and troubled—a society that can harm the earth and its creatures—Mariya offers hope. Through altered states of consciousness and awareness, she reminds us that from plant medicine to Brainspotting, there is immense potential in remembering our heritage and reconnecting with the essence of ourselves, our communities, and our planet.

Her story is a gentle, loving invitation to return home—to see with the heart, to embrace the wisdom that lies beneath the surface, and to honour the journey of learning and healing. It is a call to cherish the beauty of true seeing, and to let it transform the way we live, love, and grow.

For more information on Mariya's work go to:

www.awakenconsultingservices.com/trainings

www.awakened-roots.com

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For more information on Brainspotting and to train with Dr Mark Grixti go to:

https://bspuk.co.uk/trainings-and-events/

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https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/awe-in-trauma/id1580294433?i=1000543054793

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Glenda Z. Villamarín, MA, LCP, is a clinical psychologist, Brainspotting Trainer , and PhD candidate whose work gently weaves together neuroscience, ancestral wisdom, and cultural reflection to support individual and collective healing. She is the author of Cultural Critique and Psychology: Attachment Theory in Ecuador and co-author of Tunkawan: The Path of Wisdom—an invitation to walk with reverence through ancestral teachings and inner transformation.

This episode will take the curious, erudite and noetic listener on quite a journey. Glenda brings a balanced measure of great experience with a touching, gentle humility. In doing so she covers here one of the most powerful insights into how ancestral healing and Andean medicine integrate such respect for the wisdom of the plants and the planet, in human healing. She goes well beyond many modern misconceptions of indigenous knowledge to identify the importance of epistemology in the framing of, and engaging in, the field of healing. An incredible example of how the Andean indigenous people understand the master plant, tobacco, gives a fascinating developmental insight into the integrative and spiritual power of such plants through ritual and ceremony. This is incredible when one extrapolates it's meaning to our relationships with other plants too and the life force on which we depend. In addition, the flow of this conversation leaves the listener with an unmistakable insight into the power of humility in taking a well educated yet non-expert position of uncertainty, when this is applied to attuned investigation, curiosity and spiritual awareness.

For more information on Glenda’s work go to:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SerendipitaEcuador/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/serendipita_ec?igsh=MWdpc2VjN3F5OXh1dg==
Website: www.serendipitaecuador.org

WhatsApp: https://wa.me/message/IAAADOMKYZ7EO1

Support the show

For more information on Brainspotting and to train with Dr Mark Grixti go to:

https://bspuk.co.uk/trainings-and-events/

https://www.facebook.com/brainspottinguk

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/awe-in-trauma/id1580294433?i=1000543054793

https://twitter.com/BrainspottingUK

https://www.instagram.com/brainspotting_uk/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-wfQEAwQX3qr36zkhh9J0g