Brainspotting
While Talk Therapy can help with many things, trauma is in a part of your brain that talk therapy isn’t going to reach. You may not even know you have trauma.
If you have chronic pain, if your doctors look at you and shrug because they can’t figure out what you have, there is a good chance trauma is at the root.
If you have insomnia and anxiety there is a good chance trauma is at work.
You don’t have to remember the trauma. It could have happened in utero or during birth. It could have been “just part of growing up,” as in “mean girls” or hazing. Brainspotting can assist you in healing that trauma.
What is Brainspotting?
Brainspotting is a revolutionary therapeutic approach that builds on the understanding that where you look affects how you feel. Developed by Dr. David Grand, Brainspotting (BSP) is designed to access and process deeply rooted traumas and emotional experiences that can be difficult to reach through traditional talk therapy alone.
At its core, Brainspotting is based on the idea that trauma and other emotional stressors are stored in the body, often outside of our conscious awareness. These unresolved issues can manifest as physical pain, anxiety, depression, or other emotional challenges. Brainspotting leverages the brain’s natural ability to heal itself by using the visual field to access these deeply held experiences.
During a Brainspotting session, I will guide you to find a specific “brainspot”—a point in your visual field that seems to elicit a strong emotional or physical reaction related to your concerns. This brainspot is like a doorway into the deeper parts of your brain where unprocessed emotions and traumas are stored. By focusing on this spot, while also maintaining mindful awareness of your body and emotions, we can help your brain to naturally process and resolve these underlying issues.
Brainspotting is highly individualized and can be tailored to your unique needs, making it a versatile tool that can be integrated with other therapeutic approaches. It’s particularly effective because it allows you to bypass the thinking brain (the neocortex) and directly access the subcortical brain, where emotional memories are stored.
Benefits of Brainspotting
Brainspotting offers a range of benefits, making it a valuable addition to your therapeutic journey. Some of the key benefits include:
Deep Trauma Processing
Brainspotting is particularly effective for processing and resolving trauma. By accessing the brain’s deeper layers, it can help you work through traumatic memories and experiences that might be difficult to address through traditional therapy. This can lead to significant relief from symptoms of PTSD and other trauma-related conditions.
Reduction of Anxiety and Stress
Many clients find that Brainspotting helps them to quickly reduce anxiety and stress. By targeting the brainspots associated with these emotions, we can help to neutralize their intensity, leading to a calmer, more balanced emotional state.
Improved Emotional Regulation
Brainspotting allows you to connect with and process underlying emotions that may be driving unwanted behaviors or reactions. As these emotions are processed, you may find it easier to regulate your emotional responses in daily life, leading to improved relationships and overall well-being.
Physical Pain Relief
Emotional trauma is often stored in the body as physical pain or tension. Brainspotting can help to release these physical manifestations of emotional pain, leading to relief from chronic pain conditions that have an emotional component.
Enhanced Performance and Creativity
Brainspotting is not only for healing trauma—it can also be used to unlock your full potential. Whether you’re an artist, athlete, or professional, Brainspotting can help you overcome mental blocks, enhance your performance, and tap into greater creativity and focus.
Complementary to Other Therapies
Brainspotting can be used alongside other therapeutic modalities, making it a versatile tool that enhances and deepens the work we’re already doing together. Whether you’re engaged in cognitive-behavioral therapy, EMDR, or another form of therapy, Brainspotting can complement and accelerate your progress.