Brainspotting for trauma
What is brainspotting?
Our eyes are an extension of our brains and our brains tend to store unresolved trauma and emotional pain. Brainspotting is a brain/body approach that believes there are spots within our field of vision that connects directly to the trauma/pain being stored and helps you release it.
How is it different from traditional talk therapy?
Talk therapy utilizes the part of your brain (frontal lobe) located behind your forehead and responsible for rational/conscious thoughts, attention, speech, and emotional/behavioral control. When activated, you’re able to engage in back and forth conversation that’s helpful in talking about your trauma aloud. Results for processing trauma in talk therapy has been proven to take longer when compared to brainspotting.
Brainspotting utilizes the part of your brain (midbrain) located in the back of your head just above the brainstem. The midbrain is made up of several parts with many different functions but has a hand in controlling eye movements and responses to anxiety and fear. Emotional pain related to trauma can be released in as little as one session. Results will vary client to client.
What can I expect in a brainspotting session?
To get started, you will pick a traumatic situation that you would like to process through brainspotting. I will ask you how distressing or activating the trauma feels on a scale of 0-10 and where you feel that stress physically within your body. I will then help you find your “brain spot” by paying attention to how your body reacts at certain spots when your eyes are being guided by my pointer, or by me paying attention to where your eyes naturally drift while you describe your trauma.
Brainspotting sessions are more on the quiet side, as it relies on clients focusing on their “spot” while processing unresolved emotions, physical feelings, and memories that are stored in the midbrain. Clients often describe the experience as “weird” or “different” especially in comparison to talk therapy that requires input from both client and therapist.
Is brainspotting only used for trauma?
Not at all. It can be used to treat anxiety, depression, phobias, OCD, addiction, and more. For more information, visit www.brainspotting.com