The Power of Brainspotting: An Innovative Approach to Healing
Traditional talk therapy assists so many people searching for help healing trauma and overcoming emotional challenges, but what if talking through it isn’t enough for you? Unresolved trauma often manifests in the body, and you can physically feel the aftermath of difficult emotional experiences. Perhaps you hyperventilate, or maybe you feel intense pressure in your chest. These physical sensations connect back to your trauma, disrupting your nervous system. This makes coping with triggers and unresolved issues much more difficult.
An alternative option may be the solution for you. Brainspotting is a method of therapy that relies on the brain’s natural ability to process and heal itself. Some things may be outside of your vocabulary, and it may be too difficult to verbally process events in your life. Brainspotting allows you to physically locate the source of your pain and anxiety, so that you can work through it with a trained professional.
What is Brainspotting?
A lot of the Brainspotting process works beyond your cognitive thinking. The therapist will be able to trigger signals deep in what is called the subcortical brain, bypassing the surface level of conversation and conscious thoughts. Sometimes, the way we think can get in the way of how we process trauma and heal. Brainspotting moves past that to get to the core of the issue and unlock the trauma preventing your nervous system from functioning normally.
Dr. David Grand discovered this technique while furthering his research on Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. During a session with a patient, he noticed her staring at one particular spot in her field of vision. The longer she stared, the deeper she went into her feelings. This allowed her to work through her trauma in a way she never had before.
As Dr. Grand continued to explore this new technique, he established that it is more beneficial than EMDR because the client does not have to relive the trauma or talk through the event while using this tool.
How does Brainspotting work?
The basic principle behind the technique is that trauma can become lodged in the body, creating intense physical and mental symptoms. Using this method helps the body reset from the trauma and alleviate those symptoms.
Traditional talk therapy works as a “top-down” method. The patient starts with conscious thoughts and feelings and continues deeper into the issue to resolve the trauma. Brainspotting, on the other hand, functions as a “bottom-up” therapy. If a client struggles to verbalize their emotions, they instead can work with a therapist with this modality to get to the heart of the issue.
What does a typical Brainspotting session look like?
There is no standardized method for a Brainspotting session. However, you can expect our therapists to start the session by guiding you through relaxed breathing exercises. They will bring you into a mindful state and ground you in the moment.
Once relaxed, you can tell the therapist the area of your body that you feel the most distress, and they will ask you to rank that distress on a scale of 1-10.
Then, the therapist will help you find the “brain spot,” the place where your eyes naturally focus when you feel the most physical discomfort.
Together, the two of you will focus on that point and the discomfort. You will process that moment, and you will experience a feeling of relief as you work through it. Many clients report a lightness or slight shakiness after the session, and their distress level significantly decreases.
Be sure to take care of yourself after a session. Some clients feel a little more emotional than usual. This process gets the client and the therapist to the deep source of the problem, which means you might feel quite a lot more than you are used to. This is all part of the process, and you will notice a huge difference as you attend more sessions.
What are the benefits of Brainspotting?
Regular Brainspotting sessions alleviate symptoms for several issues across a broad spectrum. This modality can be effective for anyone, no matter the reason they seek therapy. It can help with issues such as:
Attachment issues
Anxiety
Posttraumatic stress disorder
Complex posttraumatic stress disorder
Depression
Brainspotting helps resolve so many other issues, and our clients see continued positive effects with this type of counseling such as:
Pain reduction
Fewer negative thought patterns
Better sleep
More energy
Reduced physiological reactions to triggers and stressors
How do I schedule an appointment?
We would love to set you up with one of our therapists. Please fill out an inquiry form, and we will reach out to you for more information and set you up with an appointment.
