What is Brainspotting and how can it help me?

Brainspotting therapy is an alternative approach designed to help individuals process trauma by utilizing specific points in their visual field. This technique aims to access trauma stored in the subcortical brain, which is responsible for movement, consciousness, emotions, and learning. Discovered in 2003 by Dr. David Grand, Brainspotting is an advancement of his work with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. He noted a client getting "stuck" while focusing on one spot during a session, which allowed her to delve deeper into her experiences. This observation led to the development of Brainspotting. One of its key benefits over EMDR is that clients do not need to "relive" their trauma to facilitate its release from the body.

Brainspotting operates on the premise that traumatic feelings can become trapped in the body, leading to both physical and mental issues. It is believed that this therapy helps "reset" the brain's memory of a trauma or incident. Dr. Grand referred to this phenomenon as “frozen maladaptive homeostasis.” While our bodies strive for a stable environment, such disrupted states can be detrimental. Brainspotting seeks to resolve this interruption in the processing of trauma. This therapy belongs to a category of emerging practices focused on the brain-body connection, which also includes Somatic Experiencing and EMDR. In contrast to traditional talk therapy, known as “top-down” therapy, Brainspotting is considered “bottom-up” therapy. It aims to relieve physical stress in the body, thereby addressing emotional stress as well. Brainspotting therapy specifically targets the midbrain, which controls parts of the central nervous system responsible for functions such as vision, hearing, sleep, and motor control. When trauma occurs, the midbrain often enters "freeze" mode to conserve resources for defense, a response that is valuable in immediate danger but less helpful for psychological trauma.

Although Brainspotting therapy lacks a rigid protocol, most sessions follow a general framework that address an issue or concern, activation or a more neutral eye position. Then processing in the attuned presence of a therapist. While primarily aimed at exploring and alleviating trauma, Brainspotting therapy may address a variety of issues, including: - Anxiety - Attachment issues - Substance use - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - Chronic pain - Major Depressive Disorder, just to name a few.

Preliminary studies indicate that participants in Brainspotting sessions experienced reductions in PTSD, anxiety, and depression symptoms after just a few sessions. Other potential benefits include: - Reduced pain - Less suffering from painful memories - Decreased negative thought patterns - Improved sleep - Increased energy. Although research on Brainspotting is still limited, some studies suggest that it may be more effective than EMDR or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for certain conditions. For more information I encourage you to visit www.brainspotting.com or reach out to schedule an appointment with me.