Brainspotting is a therapy that helps clients process and release trauma deep within the mind and body. It uses a somatic approach rooted in attunement and neurobiology, providing a unique path to healing.

While brainspotting shares some aspects with EMDR and other trauma therapies, it stands out with its use of the visual field to reach subcortical experiences. It engages the brain's natural self-scanning ability to trigger significant transformation.

This article provides a basic understanding of brainspotting and offers practical tips for using this method in your practice in a client-focused, ethical way. Whether you're new to brainspotting or want to learn more, read on to see how this approach can improve your clinical work.

What Is Brainspotting? Origins and Theoretical Framework

Brainspotting is a brain-body-based psychotherapy that uses eye position to access and process unintegrated trauma and emotional distress. Developed by Dr. David Grand in 2003, Brainspotting emerged out of his work with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and performance enhancement with athletes and performers. During a session, Grand noticed that a client’s eye position seemed to correlate with deeper emotional processing—this observation became the foundation for Brainspotting.

At its core, Brainspotting is grounded in the idea that “where you look affects how you feel.” By identifying specific eye positions, or “brainspots,” associated with unprocessed trauma or activation in the subcortical brain, the therapist helps the client access and process emotional material that may lie beyond conscious awareness. These brainspots are thought to allow for regulation and healing at a deeper, more embodied level than traditional talk therapy often reaches.

Brainspotting draws on principles from neurobiology, attachment theory, and somatic psychotherapy. It emphasizes the importance of the therapeutic relationship and the body’s innate capacity to heal when given the right conditions—particularly through mindful attunement and presence. Rather than directing the client’s experience, the therapist takes a supportive, witnessing stance, allowing the client’s nervous system to guide the process.

The Brainspotting Process: What It Looks Like in Session

What Happens in a Brainspotting Session?

While each practitioner may structure sessions differently, Brainspotting generally involves identifying and exploring a specific issue, memory, or area of emotional distress. This could include a traumatic experience, a troubling symptom, or a broader pattern of emotional discomfort.

The process typically involves three general components:

• Finding a Focal Point: Many Brainspotting practitioners use eye position as part of the approach, supporting clients in identifying a gaze direction or "spot" that appears to evoke deeper connection to the chosen issue. This spot may be identified through observation of the client's subtle body cues or emotional shifts.
  
• Allowing Inner Processing: Once a focal point is identified, the client is invited to observe and stay with their internal experience. This may include noticing body sensations, emotions, or imagery that arise. The process is often quiet and inwardly focused, with minimal verbal interaction.
  
• Therapeutic Presence: Throughout the session, the therapist maintains a supportive and attuned presence, following the client’s lead and offering space for whatever emerges. The emphasis is on creating a safe, nonjudgmental environment where deep processing can unfold.

Clients may experience shifts in emotion, physical sensations, or insight during or after a session. While the mechanisms are still being explored, many clients and clinicians report that this approach can access and resolve distress in ways that feel different from traditional talk therapy.

Brainspotting vs. Other Somatic and Trauma Therapies

Brainspotting has similarities with other somatic and trauma-focused therapies, yet it also has unique aspects that make it different. Let's look into how brainspotting compares to EMDR, traditional talk therapy, and other body-based approaches.

When examining EMDR, an evidence-basedtrauma treatment, some key differences become apparent:

• Protocol vs. Attunement: EMDR sessions follow a structured, protocol-driven approach, while brainspotting offers a more intuitive, attuned process guided by the client's experience.
• Eye Movement vs. Eye Position: EMDR relies on bilateral stimulation—often through eye movements, taps, or tones—to facilitate processing of traumatic material. In contrast, Brainspotting emphasizes maintaining a specific eye position (the "brainspot") believed to access deeper subcortical processing. Rather than moving the eyes back and forth, the client typically holds their gaze steady, allowing the emotional material connected to that point to surface and unfold organically.

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Compared to traditional talk therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral approaches, brainspotting provides a unique pathway to healing:

• Subcortical Access: By bypassing the prefrontal cortex and accessing the midbrain, brainspotting can help resolve trauma that may be difficult to reach through verbal analysis alone.
• Somatic Focus: Brainspotting effectively addresses client experiences such as preverbal trauma, somatic symptoms, and emotional blocks that may not respond to top-down cognitive interventions.

Brainspotting shares some similarities with other somatic therapies, such as somatic experiencing and Internal Family Systems (IFS) parts work. All of these approaches recognize the body's role in storing and releasing traumatic experiences. However, brainspotting's unique use of eye positions and bilateral sound distinguishes it as a distinct method within somatic therapy.

Clinical Applications: Who Can Benefit from Brainspotting?

Brainspotting offers a powerful, non-invasive approach to healing for a wide range of mental health concerns. While it is most well-known for treating trauma and PTSD, its applications extend far beyond these areas.

Consider exploring brainspotting for clients dealing with:

• Complex trauma and PTSD: Brainspotting can help process and release traumatic experiences without requiring extensive narrative disclosure, making it an effective, gentle approach for complex trauma.
• Grief and loss: The somatic, non-verbal nature of brainspotting allows clients to access and process the deep, often wordless pain of grief.
• Anxiety and stress: By targeting the physiological storage of anxiety in the body, brainspotting can provide relief from chronic stress and anxiety disorders.
• Chronic pain and somatic disorders: Brainspotting's focus on the mind-body connection makes it a valuable tool for addressing the emotional roots of chronic pain and psychosomatic symptoms.
• Creative and performance blocks: Brainspotting can help artists, athletes, and performers overcome mental barriers and reach their full capabilities.

Brainspotting may be particularly helpful for clients who feel "stuck" or have plateaued in traditional talk therapy. Its somatic approach can bypass intellectual defenses and access deeper levels of emotional processing.

Additionally, brainspotting's non-verbal nature makes it a culturally sensitive option for clients who may have difficulty verbalizing their distress due to language barriers, cultural factors, or the nature of their trauma.

However, it's important to consider each client's individual needs and resources when determining the appropriateness of brainspotting. Those with severe dissociation, active psychosis, or limited internal coping skills may require additional stabilization and support before engaging in this deep, experiential work.

How to Integrate Brainspotting into Your Therapy Practice

Bringing brainspotting into your therapy practice involves training and certification, and ethical considerations. Here's a guide to help you begin:

Get Trained and Certified:

• BSP Phase 1 and 2: Start with the foundational Brainspotting Phase 1 and Phase 2 trainings, which cover the core principles, techniques, and applications of the method.
• Advanced Trainings: Enhance your skills with advanced trainings like Master Class, Phase 3, Phase 4, or Phase 5, depending on your interests and specialization.

Follow Ethics and Scope of Practice:

• Introducing Brainspotting to Clients: Evaluate when to introduce brainspotting to current clients, ensuring it fits their treatment goals and they give informed consent.
• Code of Ethics: Learn and follow the Brainspotting Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Practice to uphold high standards of care.

Prepare Your Space:

• Physical Environment: Set up a visually comfortable and calming space for brainspotting sessions, focusing on lighting, seating, and overall ambiance.
• Necessary Tools: Equip your office with brainspotting tools like pointers, bilateral music, and grounding resources to aid the process.

Adapt to Telehealth:

• Camera Setup: Position your camera to maintain clear visibility of the client's face and eyes during virtual brainspotting sessions.
• Virtual Pointer Alternatives: Find creative ways to use virtual pointers or guide the client's gaze in a telehealth setting, such as screen sharing or verbal cues.

Combine with Existing Modalities:

1. Integrative Approach: Think about how brainspotting can complement and enhance your current therapeutic approaches, such as narrative therapy, parts work, or mindfulness practices.
2. Client-Centered Application: Customize your integration of brainspotting to meet each client's unique needs, preferences, and treatment goals for a personalized and effective approach.

As you start incorporating brainspotting into your practice, remember that ongoing learning, reflection, and consultation with experienced practitioners are important. Seek advice from approved brainspotting consultants, engage in peer supervision, and stay informed about the latest research and developments in the field to continually improve your skills and better serve your clients.

Therapist's Role and Self-Regulation in Brainspotting

In brainspotting, therapists do more than just guide clients through the process. They maintain a dual focus, staying aware of their own internal state while being present with the client. This balance helps create a safe and responsive environment for meaningful healing to occur.

During brainspotting sessions, therapists need to pay attention to their own emotional reactions, physical sensations, or intuitive insights that arise in response to the client's process. These cues offer valuable information about the client's experience and help guide therapeutic interventions.

When clients feel overwhelmed, therapists assist with grounding and pacing. They help clients remain within their comfort zone, slow down the process if needed, and use resources to maintain safety and stability. Some appropriate techniques include:

• Pacing and Resourcing: Encouraging breaks, relaxation skills, or visualizing a safe place to prevent overwhelm.
• Somatic Awareness: Guiding clients to notice and describe body sensations, which can help release trapped energy and promote a sense of presence.

After a session, therapists and clients need time to process and integrate the work. For therapists, this includes:

• Grounding and Self-Regulation: Using deep breathing, mindfulness, or physical movement to reset the nervous system and regain balance.
• Reflection and Documentation: Writing session notes, reflecting on client progress, and planning future sessions while the experience is still fresh.
• Consultation and Self-Care: Seeking peer support, engaging in consultation, and prioritizing personal well-being to prevent burnout and maintain effectiveness.

The therapist's role in brainspotting involves being a compassionate witness, a skilled guide, and a co-regulator for the client's healing journey. Effective self-regulation helps therapists hold space for intense experiences, respond to client needs, and maintain their own well-being.

Key Takeaways

Brainspotting is a profound yet gentle therapeutic tool that respects the body's natural wisdom and ability to heal. It provides a unique approach to emotional well-being by connecting the brain, body, and visual field in a meaningful way.

As therapists engage with this powerful method, it's important to foster curiosity, patience, and humility. Brainspotting involves a readiness to step back and trust in the client's self-directed healing process, even when it unfolds in surprising ways.

Instead of seeking rapid insights or dramatic breakthroughs, brainspotting encourages a shift in how we view therapeutic success:

• Integration over Insight: Brainspotting emphasizes the deep, embodied integration of emotional experiences, rather than focusing solely on intellectual understanding.
• Relief over Resolution: The aim is to provide meaningful relief from distressing symptoms, even if complete resolution takes time.
• Honoring the Nervous System: Brainspotting helps clients process emotions at a pace that respects their individual nervous system capacity and needs.

The power of brainspotting lies in its ability to create a safe, attuned space for clients to access their own inner healing resources. As therapists, our role is to support and witness this process with compassion, skill, and deep respect for the transformative journey of embodied healing.