What to Know About Brainspotting
Brainspotting is a relatively new form of therapy that was developed in 2003 by Dr. David Grand. Since its inception, over 25,000 therapists worldwide have been trained in this innovative approach. But what exactly makes it different from other therapies we offer? Brainspotting works by using specific eye positions to access and process emotional experiences stored deep within your brain.
What makes this approach particularly fascinating is how it strategically uses your visual field to tap into your brain's natural self-scanning and self-healing abilities. Unlike traditional therapy, where you might spend sessions analyzing and discussing your feelings, brainspotting allows your brain to do much of the healing work naturally, with gentle guidance from your therapist.
How Does a Brainspotting Session Actually Work?
During a brainspotting session, your therapist will help you identify what we call "brainspots," specific eye positions that correlate with unresolved emotional or physical distress in your brain. These spots are discovered through subtle eye movements and reflexes that indicate areas of heightened brain activity.
Once we've identified a brainspot, you'll be encouraged to maintain your focus on that position while staying mindful of any emotions, sensations, or memories that arise. This might sound simple, but it's incredibly powerful. By holding your gaze on these specific points, you're essentially giving your brain permission to access and release stored trauma or emotional pain that may have been locked away for years.
The beauty of this process is that it doesn't require you to relive traumatic experiences verbally or even consciously understand everything that's happening. Your brain and body know how to heal; Brainspotting simply provides the pathway for that healing to occur.
The Science Behind the Healing
You might be wondering how looking at a specific spot can lead to emotional healing. The answer lies in the intricate connection between your eyes, your brain, and your nervous system. Brainspotting engages your brain's limbic system, the area responsible for emotional regulation and memory processing. When we focus on a brain spot, we're activating neural networks associated with unresolved trauma or distress.
This activation allows your brain to reprocess and integrate difficult experiences at a neurobiological level. It's like updating old software that's been causing your system to glitch. The nonverbal nature of brainspotting means it can access unconscious material that might be difficult or impossible to reach through talking alone.
Who Can Benefit from Brainspotting?
We've seen brainspotting help clients with a wide range of challenges. This approach has shown remarkable results for:
Trauma and PTSD: Whether from childhood experiences, accidents, or other life-altering events, brainspotting can help process deeply stored traumatic memories without requiring you to verbally relive them.
Anxiety Disorders: Including generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorder, and specific phobias that haven't responded well to other treatment approaches.
Depression: Especially when rooted in unprocessed emotional pain or past experiences that feel stuck or overwhelming.
Addiction and Substance Use: By addressing underlying emotional triggers and trauma that often fuel addictive behaviors and cravings.
Performance Issues: From sports performance to public speaking, academic challenges to creative blocks, brainspotting helps release the fears holding you back.
ADD/ADHD: Working deep in the subcortex to address root causes of impulsivity, inattention, and hyperactivity beyond just symptom management.
Grief and Loss: Processing the complex emotions of bereavement when words alone aren't enough to express the depth of your pain.
What Makes Brainspotting Different?
Brainspotting recognizes that healing doesn't always require analyzing or understanding every aspect of your experience. Sometimes, the most profound healing happens when we step back and allow our brain's natural healing mechanisms to do their work.
Another unique aspect is the emphasis on the therapeutic relationship. During brainspotting, your therapist maintains what we call "dual attunement," staying deeply connected both to you and to their own internal experience.
Brainspotting can be seamlessly integrated with other therapeutic approaches. Whether you're already in therapy or just beginning to explore your options, brainspotting can complement and enhance your overall treatment plan. If you're curious about whether brainspotting therapy might be right for you, book a consultation today.
