Is Brainspotting Right For You?
What is Brainspotting?
Brainspotting is a type of trauma-informed therapy that uses your brain and nervous system to help you process what words alone cannot. Unlike other trauma therapies, it doesn’t require you to relive the trauma or even talk about it. Brainspotting can be combined with other therapies or used on its own, depending on what’s right for you.
During Brainspotting therapy, you will follow a pointer held by your therapist to find what’s called a brainspot. This brainspot is a spot in your field of vision where, when you focus on it, you notice the most emotional and physical, or somatic, sensation. Once you’ve identified the brainspot with your therapist, you’ll hold your gaze on that spot while noticing your thoughts, feelings, and body sensations.
The relationship with your therapist is a crucial part of Brainspotting. Your therapist helps guide you the whole time, checking in with you to make sure you’re not too activated. They can help adjust the pace of the therapy as needed depending on your comfort level.
How does Brainspotting therapy work?
The theory behind Brainspotting is that when you focus on each brainspot and become aware of the somatic sensations that each brainspot brings, you can release the physical, mental, and emotional pain that has built up over time and allow your brain to reprocess the feelings and memories more positively.
Our bodies try to maintain balance and process our thoughts, feelings, and memories effectively, but sometimes trauma gets stuck and causes distress, physically and emotionally. When trauma gets stuck, we aren’t able to finish the process that helps us encode our feelings and memories, which is what helps them feel “finished.” This unfinished process can create feelings of distress.
Traditional talk therapies focus on the conscious mind, whereas Brainspotting and other brain-body therapies like EMDR focus on the parts of the brain we aren’t consciously aware of.
What are the benefits of Brainspotting?
Everyone is different, but people who have gone through Brainspotting therapy have reported that they have experienced:
- Less emotional intensity and reactivity
- A greater sense of calm and safety in their body
- Improved focus, sleep, and emotional regulation
- Relief without needing to revisit painful details
- Feeling more present, grounded, and clear
In addition to these benefits, many people report that Brainspotting starts to work more quickly than traditional talk therapy – sometimes even within a single session. While some people do require longer term work, many people experience relief in fewer sessions of Brainspotting than traditional talk therapy would require.
Is Brainspotting right for you?
Brainspotting can be helpful for a number of different things.
If you feel stuck despite past therapy; struggle with anxiety, overwhelm, or emotional reactivity; feel burned out or disconnected; want relief without wanting to feel emotionally exhausted by therapy; or are carrying stress or trauma in your body, Brainspotting may be a good choice for you.
If you’ve experienced any of the following, Brainspotting may be helpful to you:
- Anxiety or chronic stress
- Trauma or unresolved past experiences
- Grief or loss
- Emotional overwhelm or burnout
- ADHD with emotional dysregulation
- Feeling stuck despite insight or past therapy
- Strong reactions or triggers that feel out of proportion
If you’re looking for a body-based approach that feels supportive but still safe, calm, focused, and contained, Brainspotting might be a good fit.