
What is Brainspotting and how does it work?
Benefits Of Brainspotting Therapy Overcoming emotional difficulties -Brainspotting therapy is very effective in overcoming emotional difficulties such as... Reducing or eliminating physical pain and illness -Another one of the many benefits of brainspotting therapy is that it... Improving ...
Is Brainspotting an evidence based practice?
Jan 07, 2022 · What Brainspotting Therapy Can Help With Anxiety Attachment issues Substance use Posttraumatic stress disorder Chronic pain Major depressive disorder
What is Brainspotting trauma and PTSD therapy?
Jan 28, 2022 · What is Brainspotting used for? Brainspotting therapy (BSP) is primarily used in helping patients recover from and process trauma and PTSD. However, as more research is being done on brainspotting therapy (BSP), it is also now used in people who have: Anxiety; Attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) Anger issues; Phobias; Alcohol or substance abuse
How trauma can affect us Brainspotting?
Brainspotting is effective for a wide variety of emotional and somatic conditions. Brainspotting is particularly effective with trauma-based situations, helping to identify and heal underlying trauma that contributes to anxiety, depression and other behavioral conditions. It can also be used with performance and creativity enhancement.

What happens during Brainspotting?
Brainspotting (BSP) allows clients to guide themselves through their own subconscious. They choose what issue they'd like to start with. Then, they explore in and around it with only light guidance by their therapist. This method uses fixated, steady eye positions.May 25, 2020
Does Brainspotting actually work?
Those who have experienced either physical or emotional trauma may benefit from brainspotting. This form of therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment option for those experiencing: All forms of trauma. Anxiety.Mar 8, 2018
What's the difference between EMDR and Brainspotting?
EMDR and Brainspotting both make use of the eyes and eye movements. With EMDR, the client is guided to move their eyes from side to side. With Brainspotting, the therapist pays special attention to specific locations where the client's eyes automatically go.Jan 11, 2021
What are the benefits of Brainspotting?
Brainspotting (BSP) effectively treats all forms of trauma, anxiety, complex PTSD, phobias, ADHD, anger issues, addiction, chronic fatigue, chronic pain and sports performance issues. It has also been used to enhance both athletic and artistic performance.Sep 1, 2016
Does Brainspotting help with anxiety?
Brainspotting therapy is an especially effective tool for treating anxiety because anxiety is a physiological response to feelings that your brain is trying to manage, and Brainspotting is a physiological therapy that heals the trauma in your brain.Apr 13, 2020
Does Brainspotting make you tired?
Some people feel tired after Brainspotting, so be sure to allow for rest. Engage in healthy forms of self-care after your appointment. Remember: Your brain will still be processing even after your Brainspotting session has ended.
Do you talk during Brainspotting?
You can talk as much or as little as you would like during this process either keeping the processing internal or sharing verbally as things comes up. Your therapist might check in with you from time to time to see what is happening in your body.Mar 1, 2020
Is Brainspotting somatic therapy?
Brainspotting accomplishes a primary goal in counseling This results in regulating the nervous system and an expanded state of openness, energy, vitality and healing. Somatic therapy is a foundational tool we use during Brainspotting or as a stand-alone approach.Jul 30, 2021
Is Brainspotting therapy legitimate?
There is no hard scientific evidence that definitively concludes that brainspotting is effective; however, most patients who have received brainspotting therapy report that they have experienced a significant reduction in their symptoms and resolution for their trauma.Jan 28, 2022
How do you feel after Brainspotting?
After a Brainspotting session, some clients feel completely calm and relaxed, others feel tired and say they are going home to take a nap. Others report not feeling any different, but find themselves thinking about things over the next day or two. Others say they were more irritable or moody or on edge for a few days.Feb 11, 2020
Is Brainspotting more effective than EMDR?
Overall, Brainspotting tends to yield faster and deeper results over standard EMDR methods. This seems to happen because Brainspotting is much more adaptable. Therapists can be flexible with the approach, thus finding the right iteration for you and your needs.Aug 31, 2019
What Is Brainspotting Therapy?
The technique was developed in the 1990s by Dr. John E. Sarno and his colleagues at New York University Medical Center and is now used worldwide in medical settings and in private practice by psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, psychoanalysts, counselors, massage therapists, pain management specialists, and other healthcare professionals.
Who Should Consider This Therapy?
Anyone who has experienced trauma can benefit from Brainspotting. The mind and the body are so closely linked that unresolved emotions can bring about physical symptoms of chronic pain. This may lead people to visit their doctor for numerous tests before finally being told it’s all in their heads.
How Does Brainspotting Work?
Brainspotting is a form of mental health treatment that uses guided imagery to work through unresolved trauma. People are guided through exercises and visualization techniques to process their memories in order to achieve relief from pain or illness.
Benefits Of Brainspotting Therapy
There are many benefits to brainspotting therapy, including reducing or eliminating physical pain and illness in the body, overcoming emotional difficulties such as depression, anxiety, addiction, and PTSD; improving relationships; increasing self-confidence; deepening spiritual awareness, and achieving a sense of inner peace that transcends time and space..
Limitations Of Brainspotting Therapy
Brainspotting therapy is a powerful form of treatment. That can offer hope and relief to those who have experienced trauma and pain. It is a unique form of treatment that can help people to begin the healing process and improve their quality of life. However, there are some limitations to this form of therapy.
Who Provides Brainspotting Therapy?
Therapists who specialize in brainspotting therapy are able to work with you to find out if this form of treatment is appropriate for you. It is important to determine what limitations, if any, exist in your situation before beginning this form of therapy.
Things to Know before Considering Brainspotting Therapy
If you are considering brainspotting therapy, there are a few things to keep in mind.
What is brainspotting used for?
Reported to help with a variety of psychological concerns, brainspotting is primarily used in trauma therapy and for the treatment of PTSD. It has also been shown to assist in injury recovery and help treat physical illness, inattention, stress, and low motivation.
Why is brainspotting important?
Therefore, brainspotting might be a particularly effective form of therapy for those individuals who wish to address one or more of these concerns.
What is the name of the technique that Grand developed?
Through his work applying somatic experiencing (SE) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR) , Grand eventually developed what he called Natural Flow EMDR, a technique that integrated these two types of therapy. Grand's use of Natural Flow EMDR proved beneficial to some of those he was treating, and he used it as part of the trauma therapy he conducted with more than a hundred 9/11 survivors. He took this form of therapy further after one individual dealing with both physical and emotional symptoms of trauma experienced significant, rapid improvement following a session in which a locked eye position enabled a cathartic expression of memory and emotion. Grand eventually developed a formal training, and today more than 8,000 therapists are trained in the brainspotting approach, which is a fast-growing area in the field of psychology.
What is BSP therapy?
Brainspotting (BSP) Brainspotting (BSP) is a relatively new type of therapy designed to help people access, process, and overcome trauma, negative emotions, and pain, including psychologically induced physical pain.
What was Grand's use of natural flow EMDR?
Grand's use of Natural Flow EMDR proved beneficial to some of those he was treating, and he used it as part of the trauma therapy he conducted with more than a hundred 9/11 survivors.
Does trauma affect the brain?
There is increasing evidence that trauma is “stored” in the body and that it can alter the way the brain works. Trauma can , for example, have an effect on emotions, memory, and physical health. Brainspotting seems to activate the body’s innate ability to heal itself from trauma. Find a Therapist. Advanced Search.
What Is Brainspotting Therapy?
Brainspotting therapy is a type of alternative therapy that uses spots in a person’s visual field to help them process trauma. It accesses trauma trapped in the subcortical brain, the area of the brain responsible for motion, consciousness, emotions, and learning.
How Brainspotting Therapy Works
Brainspotting works on the theory that feelings from trauma can become stuck in the body, leading to both physical and mental ailments. It is believed that the brain’s memory of a particular trauma or incident is “reset” in the body and brain through Brainspotting.
Techniques
Although Brainspotting therapy is a bit more fluid and doesn't have a set standard protocol, most sessions follow at least a general blueprint. Here’s how you might expect a session to go.
What Brainspotting Therapy Can Help With
Though Brainspotting therapy is primarily focused on discovering and alleviating trauma, it can help many different types of issues, especially since trauma’s effects are so far-reaching.
Benefits of Brainspotting Therapy
In one small study, 3 participants experienced a reduction in PTSD, anxiety, and depression symptoms within a few sessions. Other benefits:
Effectiveness
Although research remains scant on this modality, one study 3 found Brainspotting to be more effective than either EMDR or CBT—and patients even continued to get better following their treatment being over. All other modalities showed patients’ symptoms returning at the 6-month follow-up.
Things to Consider
As Brainspotting is still somewhat new and considered somewhat of an alternative treatment, there is still little research on it and any possible long-term effects.
What is brainspotting therapy?
Brainspotting therapy (BSP) is primarily used in helping patients recover from and process trauma and PTSD. However, as more research is being done on brainspotting therapy (BSP), it is also now used in people who have: Anxiety. Attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) Anger issues. Phobias.
Who created brainspotting?
Brainspotting is a relatively new mental health therapy created by David Grand, Ph.D. in 2003. Over 13,001 licensed therapists have been trained in brainspotting worldwide to date, and patients have boasted of the success of the therapy. Research is coming, so we still know very little about it.
What is BSP in psychology?
Brainspotting (BSP) identifies the traumatic and emotional experiences you face in life by pointing out how they manifest in your body. Using a pointer to hold your eye contact, the BSP therapist will find a spot in your field of vision that awakens the trauma and your emotions.
What is EMDR therapy?
A similar therapy called Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an option if you are interested in therapy but not entirely sure of Brainspotting . EMDR uses bilateral stimulation with rapid eye movement, tapping, or tones to help reprogram a patient's response to a traumatic or emotional event.
Why do we need to see a doctor?
We should see a doctor for physical and mental concerns, and therapies like brainspotting can help us point to where our issues lie. Our brains mean to protect us by hiding away the things we don't want to face. But the truth is, the sooner we face difficulties, the sooner we will be happier and healthier. Be well.
How many steps are in EMDR?
EMDR is an 8 step process and is done in conjunction with other therapies for the best outcome for the patient. EMDR helped pave the way for brainspotting as David Grand studied it before finding brainspotting.
How long does it take to see a brain spotting?
On average, a typical brainspotting session will take between 1.5 to 2 hours, and most patients see significant improvement in their symptoms within 2-3 sessions. Depending on the severity of the condition and the trauma being treated, more sessions may be necessary, but the treatment rarely exceeds 6 sessions.
What is brainspotting therapy?
Brainspotting (BSP) is a fairly new type of therapy designed to help people access, process, and overcome negative emotions and pain. It has been around since 2003 and works to release stored negative experiences, allowing patients to access suppressed memories and effectively heal from them. Those that have tried it are able to effectively work through their emotions and see major improvements in mental health and overall state of being. Scottsdale Recovery Center is one of the few treatment organizations in Arizona that offers a certified Brainspotting Program for our patients, and we’re seeing amazing results especially when used in conjunction with our EMDR therapy.
How does brainspotting work?
This therapy stimulates the brain’s healing ability by pinpointing then releasing the negative emotions and experiences that have been stored previously. It does so by identifying an eye position that triggers and releases these emotions (refer to the locked eye position mentioned earlier).
What is brainspotting therapy?
To recap, you’ve learned: Brainspotting is a mind-body talk therapy used to process deep mental challenges. BSP puts clients in a similar state, but is more fluid and client-driven than EMDR and hypnosis. BSP helps addiction clients release repressed and unprocessed traumas that feed their habit.
Why do people use brainspotting?
Brainspotting a relatively new way to treat many traumas and mental challenges. In addictions, brainspotting is used to expose hidden wounds that trigger the habit.
What is BSP in psychology?
Brainspotting (BSP) is a talk therapy that reveals a client’s unprocessed traumas through fixed eye positions. Specific eye positions each link to their own “brainspot,” an area of the mind that retains thoughts and emotions. Clients fixate on troubling brainspots to uncover hidden mental challenges.
What is a therapist's role in vision?
Therapist guides the client’s vision into different areas with a pointing rod. Client notes increased or decreased negative feelings in eye positions. Therapist notes unsteady eye movements in specific eye positions. Client is allowed to fixate their vision in the most troubling, unsteady spots.
Can you do brainspotting alone?
For deep trauma, do not practice brainspotting alone. This type of therapy requires a safe, controlled space for you to unpack your emotions. Stimulating deeply painful areas may make your condition worse if you cannot process it safely.
Is brainspotting a good fit for addiction?
For this article, we’ll highlight the role of brainspotting in addiction recovery. Brainspotting might be a good fit to work in tandem with your other therapies. In some programs, you might find yourself in BSP as you engage in CBT or DBT . Brainspotting can help recovering individuals if they:
Should I choose a brainspotting therapist?
Whether in-state or otherwise, treatment may be essential for the wellbeing of you and your loved ones. Before starting, a brainspotting client should choose a therapist that’s right for them.

Overview
Development
- Brainspotting was developed through David Grand's work with survivors of trauma, and many mental health professionals utilizing the approach have found it to be an effective form of treatment for a variety of mental health concerns.
Effects
- According to therapist and creator David Grand, the direction in which people look or gaze can affect the way they feel. During brainspotting, therapists help people position their eyes in ways that enable them to target sources of negative emotion. With the aid of a pointer, trained brainspotting therapists slowly guide the eyes of people in therapy across their field of vision to …
Mechanism
- There is increasing evidence that trauma is stored in the body and that it can alter the way the brain works. Trauma can, for example, have an effect on emotions, memory, and physical health. Brainspotting seems to activate the bodys innate ability to heal itself from trauma.
Work
- Through his work applying somatic experiencing (SE) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR), Grand eventually developed what he called Natural Flow EMDR, a technique that integrated these two types of therapy. Grand's use of Natural Flow EMDR proved beneficial to some of those he was treating, and he used it as part of the trauma therapy he con…
Uses
- Reported to help with a variety of psychological concerns, brainspotting is primarily used in trauma therapy and for the treatment of PTSD. It has also been shown to assist in injury recovery and help treat physical illness, inattention, stress, and low motivation. Some therapists believe psychological issuessuch as anger, procrastination, and difficulty concentrating, among othersc…
Treatment
- Those who have experienced either physical or emotional trauma may benefit from brainspotting. This form of therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment option for those experiencing:
Research
- Though a large number of individuals report positive results from brainspotting treatments, this form of therapy is still relatively new, and further research will likely be of benefit. It is difficult to compare the efficacy of brainspotting to other approaches because few studies have been done on this particular approach. Brainspotting is still increasing in popularity among therapists and p…