“Where you look affects how you feel”

-David Grand

Brainspotting was developed by David Grand, PhD, as a brain based psychotherapy approach using the visual field to process stored memories, thoughts, and feelings.

Brainspots are areas in the visual field that correlate to where the distressing thought, feeling, or memory is being held in the brain. By focusing on an eye position and noticing physical sensation in the body when one is focusing on a topic of your choice, the brain is able to find the location in the brain and heal, or resolve the issue on its own.

Brainspotting helps individuals move out of feeling dysregulated by reducing or eliminating distressing symptoms.

A trained brainspotting therapist can perform brainspotting sessions. You can do this in addition to your regular therapy sessions.

In your first Brainspotting session, you will learn what to expect, the role of the therapist, and provide basic information.

Follow up sessions will dive directly into the brainspotting process.

Brainspotting:

  • No diagnosis necessary

  • No assessment needed

  • Non judgmental process

  • Talking is optional

  • Client guided-go at your own pace

  • Client centered/therapist supported process

  • Bilateral sound may or may not be used

Frequently Asked Questions:

  • Brainspotting is a client led, flexible and intuitive method of locating a fixed eye position for the client to process an emotion or event that does not require talking and relies on the brain’s innate wisdom to process without verbally recalling the distressing memory.

    EMDR is a structured method requiring a combination of bilateral stimulation, eye movements and recalling a history via talking through a specific event or memory.

  • Once a brainspot has been located, processing does not require talking. Some individuals process internally and do not talk, while others prefer to talk and share their experience.

  • Signs that brainspotting is effective will vary per individual. Many report improvements in how they feel regarding stress, physically they notice a difference in their body, and overall noting they are experiencing less emotional overwhelm.

  • Clients use brainspotting to address a variety of symptoms such as emotional pain and distress, physical or somatic symptoms, traumatic experiences, distressing memories or events they have experienced, anxiety, stress and stressors, and more.

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