What is Brainspotting and How Can it Help You Heal?
What is Brainspotting?
Brainspotting is a relatively new form of therapy developed by Dr. David Grand in 2003. Recently, Brainspotting has been gaining more popularity as we have come to understand the theory more deeply. Brainspotting is designed to help those who are struggling with unresolved trauma or emotional pain, based on the idea that those events are stored in specific areas of the brain and body.
How Does Brainspotting Work?
During a brainspotting session, the therapist helps the client identify these areas by using eye movements to locate a "brainspot" - a point in the client's visual field that corresponds to the area of the brain where the trauma is stored. The therapist then works with the client to process and release the trauma, allowing for healing and emotional growth.
How Does Brainspotting Differ From Talk Therapy?
Talk therapy occurs in the areas of the brain that use language, critical thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving, all of which is in the outer cortex of the brain. Brainspotting allows us to tap into deeper parts of our brain, the midbrain, where emotions are processed and stored to allow for more effective and long-lasting healing. Through brainspotting, we gain direct access to the deeper brain and body where emotions and body experiences are held.
What Happens in a Brainspotting Session?
Have you ever caught yourself focusing on a random spot while telling a story or talking about something that evokes a lot of emotion? This focal point seems to help us connect with details of the story. This is called a “brainspot.” Brainspotting therapists help clients find this “spot” in their external environment that feels connected to deeply rooted information to be processed.
You will spend time on your “brainspot” processing any feelings or physical sensations such as heaviness, discomfort, or uneasiness that may arise. After some time processing, you will feel a decrease in the discomfort or negative thoughts which is an indication that you have processed something that came up.
Brainspotting harnesses our natural tendencies and capabilities to process our experiences, thoughts, and feelings. Our bodies and minds know what we need and even how to heal ourselves. Some of these answers may lie in our subconscious, or they may be hiding underneath our negative self-talk, insecurities, fears, etc. Brainspotting helps work through these blockages to get to the root of what’s going on within us.
Brainspotting can be used to process:
Trauma
Fears
Life stressors
Anxieties
Insecurities
Difficult experiences and memories
Persistent negative thoughts
Recurring nightmares
Restricting beliefs about ourselves and others
General feelings of “stuckness”
And more!
Many of my brainspotting clients have shared that they have experienced these benefits:
Feeling lighter and like a weight was lifted off them after brainspotting sessions.
Their thoughts and feelings are on the same page instead of being split.
A deeper understanding of themselves or their situation (the “why”).
Experiencing peace within themselves or with a situation.
Letting go of whatever was plaguing their mind and not thinking about it as much as they did before.
Improved sleep.
Wishing you the best in your healing journey. Stay Golden!
