Brainspotting Therapy

Brainspotting is a powerful, brain-based therapy that allows us to access, process, and release trauma, anxiety, and other emotional and somatic distress we may be experiencing.

David Grand, PhD. founder of Brainspotting, coined the term “where we look affects how we feel” because the retina is a direct extension of the brain. Our eyes are constantly taking in information and our brain is processing, organizing, and making sense of our experiences. However, unlike our everyday experiences, distressing experiences disrupt this normal process making it difficult for our brain to fully process and make sense of our experience.

Because our brain is unable to process these traumatic experiences, they often remain fragmented and stored in deeper areas of the brain. These fragmented experiences cause our body to become hyperactive and dysregulated. This can look like muscle tension, gut issues, anxiety, sleep problems, and more. These symptoms explain how trauma is not only stored in the brain but it is also stored in the body and can show up in many forms in our day-to-day life.

Brainspotting Therapy allows us to access these deeper areas of the brain and emphasizes the importance of the mind-body connection that is so important when processing distressing experiences. Brainspotting uses specific eye positions that can access and activate the corresponding neural networks, allowing unresolved trauma to come to the surface and be fully processed in a safe space. By allowing the mind and body to process emotions and sensations—even when words fail or our experience is difficult to articulate—Brainspotting facilitates deep healing beyond cognitive understanding.

Overview of Brainspotting:

What can Brainspotting Help With:

Brainspotting is particularly effective for processing trauma and other deep emotional experiences. It can help with a range of issues, including:

• Trauma and PTSD: Healing from past traumatic experiences and overcoming the emotional and physical effects of trauma.

• Anxiety and Stress: Reducing the physical symptoms of anxiety, as well as helping you process underlying emotional triggers.

• Depression: Releasing emotional blocks that contribute to feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and low energy.

• Chronic Pain: Addressing the emotional causes of physical pain and tension that may be rooted in unresolved trauma or stress.

• Grief and Loss: Helping you process and move through the emotional pain of losing a loved one.

• Self-Esteem and Emotional Blocks: Overcoming emotional barriers that prevent you from moving forward in your life or relationships.

• Performance and Creativity: Enhancing creativity and performance by releasing mental blocks, self-doubt, or past experiences that inhibit your ability to perform at your best. Brainspotting can help artists, performers, athletes, and others break through barriers that affect their performance.

In a typical Brainspotting session, you’ll be asked to focus on a specific emotion, memory, or physical sensation that you want to address. I’ll then guide you to identify an eye position—known as a “brainspot”—that correlates with that experience. While you hold your gaze on the spot, we’ll allow the brain to process the emotions and sensations that arise, helping you work through them at your own pace.

The experience can vary from session to session. Some clients may feel an immediate release of tension or emotion, while others may experience subtle shifts over time. Each person’s experience with Brainspotting is unique, but the process can often lead to profound healing and lasting change.