Why take Brainspotting training from Dr Roby Abeles?
I have had the privilege of training with Dr Roby Abeles and can wholeheartedly recommend her as a Brainspotting trainer.
What sets Roby apart is not only her extensive knowledge and clinical expertise, but the way she embodies the work. She brings together deep understanding, lived experience, intuition, creativity and genuine heart in a way that is rare to find.
Roby teaches with warmth, authenticity and generosity. She has an exceptional ability to make complex concepts accessible while remaining grounded in the relational and human aspects of therapeutic work. Her training is not simply about learning a technique. It is an experience that invites deeper reflection, curiosity and growth as a practitioner.
I always leave her training feeling more confident, inspired and connected to the possibilities of Brainspotting. I would highly recommend her to any therapist looking for a trainer who combines clinical excellence with wisdom, presence and humanity.
There is something quietly significant about undertaking Brainspotting Phase 1 & 2 training in Aotearoa, New Zealand. While the training is available in Sydney and other cities across Australia, there is something here that meaningfully shifts the experience. It feels both grounding and expansive in a way that is difficult to replicate elsewhere. Held at the Taruna Education Centre in Hawke’s Bay, the setting itself supports the work—the pace, the stillness, and the natural surroundings allow the learning to land more deeply.
What stands out most is the openness of the trainers. Roby Abeles and Kelly Hodgson bring deep knowledge and experience, shared with generosity and without hierarchy. There is a genuine sense of learning together, where each person’s perspective is welcomed and contributes to the whole. It creates an environment that feels safe, collaborative, and rich in clinical depth.
The tiered fee structure reflects a thoughtful awareness of the financial realities many are navigating, with a clear intention to make Brain Spotting accessible and inclusive across the Pacific region.
As an Australian participant, I felt warmly welcomed—not only into the training, but into a broader cultural context. There was a respectful acknowledgement of Māori as tangata whenua, and an openness to the wisdom held within this land. Being invited into that space added a depth to the experience that extended beyond the clinical learning.
The training is both rigorous and deeply integrative, offering a strong foundation in neurology, neurobiology, trauma, and somatics. This is held within a relational learning environment where the content is not only understood, but experienced.
For those entering the world of Brainspotting, I consider this a uniquely well-held and deeply grounding place to begin
My life in Samoa has been a journey of deep love for my family, but also of heavy burdens. As a 24-year-old breadwinner since my early university days, I have often had to pause my own dreams and studies just to survive, struggling with my own mental health while trying to hold everything together.
For a long time, high-level training like Brainspotting felt like a world I could only watch from afar, until I met Dr. Roby and Brooke Randolph when they brought the first BSP training to Samoa.
Even though we started as strangers, they have never once turned down a request for help; they became the pillar I didn't have, making the impossible path a reality by inviting me to participate in trainings in New Zealand, including Phase 2 training this July - an opportunity it is a privilege for me to have.
To me. Equity of Access is the hand that reached across the ocean to tell me l am not alone and a miracle of being seen. It is the bridge that turned a stranger into a mentor who never once turmed their back on my need.
This support has transformed my struggle into a sacred mission; I am no longer just a young woman trying to hold it all together, but a healer-in-training, empowered by a kindness I can never fully repay but promise to pass on to every soul I touch in Samoa
I pray to one day become even half the person Dr. Roby is - a light that reaches across oceans to prove that no matter where you are born, you deserve the tools to heal.
The connection between Brainspotting and Matauranga Maori lies in their shared holistic understanding of human experience, encompassing the interconnectedness of mind, body, spirit, and environment.
Matauranga Maori principles like whakapapa, whanaungatanga, and mauri inform Brainspotting practice, enabling practitioners to consider ancestral trauma, foster relationships and trust, and honour the life force within individuals.
By integrating these principles and incorporating spiritual practices like Karakia, Tauparapara, and Waiata, practitioners can create a sacred space that honours Te Ao Maori and promotes deeper healing and connection.
This holistic approach acknowledges the interconnectedness of physical, emotional, and spiritual realms, allowing participants to tap into their deeper selves and ancestral connections and feel more grounded, connected, and supported throughout the process.
Roby's trainings have been truly transformational, both professionally and personally. Her incredible depth of knowledge and lived experience provide a deeply enriching learning experience. Roby's humility and authenticity are a gift, and cannot recommend her training