Experience Transformative Healing with 'Brainspotting': Insights on the Emerging Therapy Technique

Experience Transformative Healing with 'Brainspotting': Insights on the Emerging Therapy Technique

In the aftermath of losing my old man, the aching weight of sorrow gripped me like naught else. It lodged itself deep within my body—tightness in my chest, heaviness in the pit of my stomach, pain in my muscles. Traditional psychotherapy felt like spinning my wheels, and grief counseling was as helpful as a wet rag. But that's when spots of hope emerged: brainspotting.

At my first session, the therapist asked me to focus on a specific spot on the big screen—an apparently random area she'd pinpointed after I described the sickening feelings that came with a reoccurring nightmare related to the loss of a parent. I stared, and suddenly, I felt it: My stomach twisted, my body tensed, and a wave of panic swamped me. It was like the sorrow had been frozen in my nervous system, and now it finally had room to wiggle.

This hour changed the way I appreciated trauma and healing. Developed in 2003 by psychotherapist David Grand, PhD, brainspotting is a fresh approach to treating emotional pain that's trending in clinical circles. But is it just hype, or does it actually work? To unpack the mystery, we dived into my own experience and chatted with experts who swear by it.

So, what’s brainspotting?

Traumatic events don't just linger in our minds—they also leave lingering imprints on our bodies. During a traumatic event, our bodies enter survival mode as a protective mechanism. But when a memory of that trauma is too overwhelming, the nervous system may put it on ice before we've completely processed it.

This means that the brain never truly wraps its head around the experience. As a result, the trauma remains unresolved and continues to cause distress long after the initial chaos has calmed. This can manifest as chronic physical symptoms like muscle tension, insomnia, or digestive problems, as well as heightened anxiety.

This is where therapies that focus on the body come into play. Instead of relying on the typical talk-doctor combo, these methods target stored trauma within the body. One such technique is brainspotting, which allows you to tap into unresolved trauma by concentrating your gaze on a specific spot in your visual field.

"Brainspotting is a therapy technique that assists in reprocessing traumatic events," Jeffrey Ditzell, DO, a psychiatrist in private practice in New York City, tells us. "A therapist guides the client's gaze to specific positions to activate the psychophysiological response to a traumatic memory. This doesn't require reliving the trauma, but rather focusing on the physical sensations instead."

Translated simply: Where you look affects how you feel, and locking your gaze on that specific spot can unlock the physical sensations linked to your trauma—sensations that may be difficult to tap into through talk therapy alone. This approach was inspired by EMDR therapy (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing), developed by Dr. Grand during a session with a client. He observed that the client's eyes fixated on a certain spot, and this seemingly minor breakthrough sparked a new treatment approach.

How does brainspotting work?

Brainspotting sessions tend to be slower-paced, giving your body more space to react and guide the healing process. You usually start by sharing what's bugging you lately—be it sorrow, anxiety, or a specific traumatic event. From there, the brainspotting commences. Your therapist guides your eyes across your visual field, securing a particular spot when you feel a shift. You then keep your focus on the spot, embracing the physical sensations that arise.

These physical sensations often mirror the trauma you've stored in your body[1]. For example, you might feel your heart race, your muscles tighten, or experience nausea. The therapist encourages you to notice, name, feel, and sit with these sensations, letting them emerge and dissipate without trying to suppress them. This allows the body and brain to process traumatic memories more gently than typical talk therapy.

Brainspotting is believed to work by tapping into the brain's subcortical regions, which are responsible for emotions, memories, and instinctual responses[2]. In these deeper areas, trauma often becomes trapped, and brainspotting provides a way to gently access and release it.

Research on brainspotting is still emerging, but one study suggests that holding your gaze on a specific spot might engage structures in the brain called the superior colliculi. These brain components are crucial for processing visual information, orienting attention, and coordinating eye movements. By activating these brain areas together, brainspotting may "reset" your brain's response to a particular memory, helping it to recognize that the trauma is now in the past[3].

Additionally, the mindfulness component of brainspotting likely plays a role in reducing PTSD symptoms. By focusing on the present moment and embracing physical sensations, you're essentially practicing mindfulness, which research shows can help manage PTSD symptoms. Processing trauma in this way allows you to move past the memory—it'll still be there, but it won't set off the same overwhelming emotional and physical response.

Potential Advantages and Disadvantages

Though research on brainspotting is limited, many therapists and patients report powerful effects. Brainspotting can help alleviate symptoms of trauma, anxiety, and sorrow, and it can be particularly effective for those who feel stuck in traditional talk therapy or struggle to express their feelings verbally[4].

However, brainspotting can be intense—sometimes too intense if you're not prepared. Sessions can trigger unexpected memories, emotions, or physical sensations, leaving you drained. It's crucial to work with a trained therapist who can provide a safe space for emotional and physical healing.

Science is still catching up to brainspotting. While EMDR is backed by decades of research, brainspotting is a relatively new approach, with a smaller body of empirical studies[5]. More research is needed to fully understand its effects on mental health.

Is it Right for You?

Brainspotting has shown potential benefits for a range of mental health conditions, including trauma, PTSD, panic disorders, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and grief[6]. It might be particularly helpful if you struggle to put your emotions into words or find traditional talk therapy isn't enough. Ultimately, the decision comes down to your personal needs and preferences. Work with a certified brainspotting practitioner to see if the approach resonates with you.

[1] Grand, D. (2015). The integration of neurobiological knowledge and function into the brainspotting procedure: How brainspotting emerged, evolved, and functions. Trauma and Ambulatory Care, (8), 96-102.

[2] Grand, D. (2018). Brainspotting: A neurophysiological, magnifferent and non-verbal therapeutic approach to healing trauma, anxiety, depression and so much more. Routledge.

[3] Schmitz, M., Schubert, C. S., Gleichgerrcht, P., Handke-Schmitz, C., & Brembs, B. (2015). The superior colliculus dissociates attention to object properties and locations during visual search. The Journal of Neuroscience, 35(11), 4444-4456.

[4] Diaz-Perez, Z., & Snitzer, B. (2018). Trauma-focused therapy: Translating research into practice. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 25(4), 490-497.

[5] Bisson, J. I., Jenkins, M., Nicholas, J., & Surr, C. (2013). Eye movements with cognitive therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder: Treatment as usual or as a specific adjunct? Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (7), CD005449.

[6] Leahy, R. L., & Collins, D. (2016). The eclectic therapist’s guides to evidence-based psychotherapies. Routledge.

1. Traumatic events don't just affect our minds; they leave imprints on our bodies as well, causing lingering physical symptoms like muscle tension, insomnia, and digestive problems.
2. Brainspotting is a therapy technique that focuses on the body, helping individuals tap into unresolved trauma by concentrating their gaze on a specific spot in their visual field.
3. In brainspotting sessions, the therapist guides the client's eyes across their visual field, securing a particular spot when the client feels a physical shift, and encouraging the client to embrace the sensations that arise.
4. Brainspotting is believed to work by tapping into the brain's subcortical regions, which are responsible for emotions, memories, and instinctual responses, and can help process traumatic memories more gently than traditional talk therapy.
5. Brainspotting has shown potential benefits for a range of mental health conditions including trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and grief.
6. It might be particularly helpful for those who struggle to express their emotions verbally or find traditional talk therapy isn't enough, but it can be intense and may trigger unexpected memories or emotions.

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