Brainspotting
What Is Brainspotting?
Trauma is any experience that is too overwhelming to process. Think of it like food that you can’t digest: the memory of your traumatic experience gets “stuck” or “frozen” in your nervous system. When this happens, a part of your brain called the amygdala tries to bury the trauma so that you don’t have to deal with it. As helpful as the amygdala—or Amy, as I like to call her—thinks she’s being, burying your trauma leaves you unable to process and resolve it. Just like a physical wound, an emotional wound can’t heal if you leave it untreated.
Brainspotting is a revolutionary approach to therapy that seeks to release trauma from the body by alerting the amygdala. Carefully observing what’s happening in your body when your symptoms arise sends a message to Amy that she has work to do. It kicks her into action and allows the body to process buried trauma. In this way, Brainspotting takes us right to the source of your trauma and can heal it at its root.
Why Is Brainspotting Effective?
Our brains do not always know all the elements of our trauma, but out bodies do. Our bodies are the storehouses of all our griefs, joys, and traumas. The reason Brainspotting is so effective is that it works with the body much more closely than talk therapy does. Although talk therapy can be helpful, it primarily engages the conscious mind rather than the body, so it doesn’t allow you to access trauma on a deeper level.
Numerous studies attest to the power of Brainspotting. Most forms of cognitive therapy and exposure therapy typically require about a dozen sessions before clients begin to feel better. With Brainspotting, clients usually feel better in about one to three sessions. Based on this research and my own experience with Brainspotting, I believe that it is the best treatment approach out there for people struggling with trauma and PTSD.
How Does Brainspotting Work?
Unlike many trauma therapy approaches that require a lot of preparation, Brainspotting doesn’t involve any. In fact, the Brainspotting process happens naturally as trauma is being discussed. In the middle of telling the story of your trauma, emotions inevitably get heightened. Your body then reacts to these emotions in different ways—maybe your stomach aches, your palms get sweaty, or your head starts to hurt, etc. If you feel this way, we will pay attention to where your eyes go. This is the “brainspot,” the place your eyes go to process the story.
What’s the purpose of these guided eye movements? Focusing on a brainspot in your visual field sends a signal to Amy, the amygdala, who stores the trauma. Think of it like a phone call to Amy: we’re telling her “Hey, let’s release the trauma now so that we can process it.” Paying attention to your body allows you to release your emotional pain and work through it instead of burying it.
Keep in mind that none of this requires lots of intense concentration on your part. Brainspotting is easy—you don’t have to worry about doing it wrong. We are simply trying to notice the sensations in your body, not interpret them. It’s like a treasure hunt. The moment you begin to process your trauma, your body naturally starts feeling different sensations. In Brainspotting, all we’re doing is observing these sensations and letting them take us to the place where the trauma is kept.
How Can Brainspotting Benefit Your Life?
Essentially, Brainspotting takes the emotional impact out of trauma. Brainspotting doesn’t erase your memories, but it reduces the emotional pain attached to them. The approach allows you to recall your trauma and release your stress response to it (or as I like to say, release your body alarms). This is why so many of my clients tell me that, after doing Brainspotting, they feel like they can now remember their experience without being as tearful or upset.
I have also experienced Brainspotting therapy myself. It greatly helped me heal some trauma in my life. Unlike some forms of trauma therapy, this brief, non-invasive approach to treatment allows for faster, more sustainable healing. Between my experience with Brainspotting as a therapist and as a client, I am confident that I can help you detach from painful emotions and embrace a brighter future.
Experience The Healing Power Of Brainspotting For Yourself
If you want to try something deeper and more powerful than talk therapy, I encourage you to pursue Brainspotting with me. To get started, you can go to the contact page or call 951-757-9781 to schedule a free, 15-minute phone consultation.
