Brainspotting Psychotherapy
What Is Brainspotting Therapy?
Brainspotting therapy was founded in 2003 by David Grand, Ph. D., and continues to evolve to this day. Brainspotting is similar to EMDR therapy in that Brainspotting also taps into the brain's natural ability to process and heal experiences. However, Brainspotting therapy is conducted differently than EMDR therapy.
Brainspotting is based on the premise, “where you look affects how you feel.” This means that the connections between your eyes and brain allow you to access and process deep emotional experiences and trauma through specific eye positions, also known as brainspots.
What Exactly Is a Brainspot?
A brainspot is a specific place you look at that is associated with emotional and physical activation. We all have certain directions our eyes will look toward that are believed to be linked to our neural networks associated with unresolved emotional experiences and trauma.
In Brainspotting therapy, you are guided to notice these brainspots, so you can access and process the underlying emotions, memories, or present day situations that may be causing you unease.
What Happens in a Brainspotting Therapy Session?
When our Brainspotting session begins, we first identify the specific issue you would like to work on. Once the issue is decided upon, I will ask you what your activation level is with respect to the issue using a 0-10 scale. Based on this information, we’ll figure out whether to use an activation, resource or expansion brainspot for your processing. Any of these brainspots can be effective in your processing, it’s whichever works best for you.
Activation brainspots are chosen by noticing your feelings and body sensations of activation connected to the issue. Resource spots are identified as you notice calm or neutral sensations, instead of your feelings of activation. A resource brainspot acts as a buffer for feelings that are higher in intensity and we can apply multiple layers of resources, if needed. Expansion spots are centered around your sense of possibility of resolution of the issue or the outcome you would like to see happen.
How Does Brainspotting Help?
Once your brainspot is identified, you will gaze at it which prompts access to, and processing of, the emotions and memories associated with your chosen issue.
As you process, we work together with your brain's natural self-healing capability to help you release emotional blockages, gain insights, and promote healing. As a result, your healing system will regulate and orient healthily to the present.
When this adaptation happens, the activation around the brainspotted issue eases and you both feel and function better.
With Brainspotting, we can work on whatever you bring up in session whether an issue from the past or something that is happening in the here and now.
How to Work with a Brainspotting Therapist
If you're considering working with a Brainspotting therapist, you're already taking a transformative step toward healing and resilience using a holistic approach. Working with a trained Brainspotting therapist can help you identify and process traumatic memories stored in the body, so you can move past emotional blocks and thrive. As a certified Brainspotting therapist in Brooklyn, NY, and helping client throughout NY, NJ and FL, I can help you navigate past trauma, childhood experiences, and emotions that may be holding you back.
How Brainspotting Fits Into My Psychotherapy Practice
Brainspotting is one of several depth-oriented approaches I use in psychotherapy. It can be especially helpful when emotional responses feel difficult to access through words alone, or when past experiences continue to influence present-day reactions.
Whether Brainspotting becomes a central focus or is used alongside other methods depends on your needs and what emerges in the work.