Hi there! It’s good to see you and I hope you’re transitioning into your summer well! Gentle heads-up- I’ll be taking a break during the month of July, meaning I won’t be writing a blog post. I’ll pick back up in August. 

This month I’ll be talking about a therapy technique that is near and dear to my heart: Brainspotting. To help set the stage, I’d recommend taking a look at my previous blog posts about the anatomy of the brain and trauma. Brainspotting is a brain-forward intervention that helps the brain heal from the inside-out and is helpful for those who have experienced trauma or have emotionally charged material to work through. There is a lot of information that is layered together and I want to make sure that you have a good enough foundation! 

I can talk and use my words to tell you about brainspotting, however, I’ve learned that talking will only get me so far. I’ve found that it’s best to pair the words with an experience. With your permission, I have a mini experiment that I want you to try with me before reading the rest of the post. Here it is: 

Start by reading through this paragraph and then put it into action. Keep the direction of your head facing the screen you are using to read this post. Next, I want you to move your eyes only to the left and hold for a few seconds. Don’t move your head! Then move your eyes to the middle and hold. Don’t move your head! Finally move your eyes all the way to the right and hold. Don’t move your head! This might feel like when you’re at the eye doctor’s office and your provider wants you to follow their point with your eyes only. Check in and make observations about what’s going on in your rain as you. What do you notice? Is there a part of your body that is speaking to you? Do you notice your body tensing and getting more activated when you hold your eyes in one spot? Are there thoughts or images that are coming up that you weren’t expecting? 

Ok! Take a deep breath and shake your body out. You just did a few moments of brainspotting. Now go read some words to help put context to this experiment!

Brainspotting

Brainspotting is a brain-forward treatment that works by identifying, processing, and releasing core neurophysiological sources of trauma and emotional pain. Developed by Dr. David Grand, Brainspotting operates on the principle that “where you look affects how you feel.” It taps into the brain’s natural ability to heal itself by leveraging the connection between the eye position and activated traumatic or emotionally charged material in the brain.

What is Brainspotting?

At its core, Brainspotting suggests that when a person focuses their gaze on a specific “brainspot,” it stimulates an intense, focused activation of the relevant emotional or traumatic material stored deep within the subcortical brain—specifically the limbic system, which governs emotion, memory, and arousal.

A Brainspot is simply an eye position that correlates with the internal, emotional, and neurophysiological activation of a traumatic memory or painful experience. During a session, the therapist helps the client locate these spots, often by tracking the client’s eyes as they move across their field of vision, or by using a pointer to hold the gaze steady on a location that produces the most profound emotional activation or physical sensation.

By maintaining the gaze on this spot, the subcortical brain activity is stimulated and contained, allowing the client to deeply process the stored material. This processing bypasses the neocortex (the thinking, rational brain) and directly accesses the trauma held in the deeper parts of the nervous system, leading to a profound, often rapid, release and resolution of the issue.

The Core Mechanism: Focused Activation

Unlike traditional talk therapy, which primarily engages the cognitive brain, Brainspotting operates within the midbrain, which is central to the body’s self-regulating and emotional processing systems. Trauma, anxiety, and distress are not just “thoughts”—they are physiological experiences stored as disorganized energy in the body and brain.

The focused activation on the brainspot creates a kind of tunnel into the subcortical brain. The therapist provides a safe, supportive presence—known in brainspotting as Dual Attunement—which helps the client stay regulated while the deep processing occurs. This combination of focused eye position and attuned presence facilitates what Dr. Grand calls “biological completion” or “reflexive healing,” allowing the nervous system to discharge the stored trauma without the need for extensive verbal narration or analysis.

What Can Brainspotting Treat?

While Brainspotting is highly effective for trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), its applications are broad because it targets the neurophysiological root of distress, not just the surface symptoms.

Common issues treated with Brainspotting include:

• Trauma: From significant single-event trauma to complex, developmental trauma.
• Anxiety and Panic Attacks: Targeting the nervous system activation underlying panic.
• Dissociative Disorders: Helping integrate fragmented parts of the self.
• Performance Issues: Enhancing athletic, artistic, and academic performance by clearing blocks and psychological obstacles.
• Emotional Regulation Challenges: Including anger, depression, and mood swings.
• Somatic Symptoms: Addressing physical pain, fatigue, and chronic illness that have emotional or traumatic origins.
• Addictions and Impulse Control Issues: Addressing the underlying pain that drives compulsive behaviors.

What to Expect in a Brainspotting Session

A typical Brainspotting session begins with the therapist helping the client identify the issue they want to work on and assessing the level of emotional or physical activation (somatic experience) associated with it.

1. Spotting: The therapist then guides the client to find the “Brainspot.” This can be done using a variety of techniques, such as the “Outside Window” (using a pointer) or the “Inside Window” (relying on the client’s internal sensing).
2. Attuned Processing: Once the spot is located, the client maintains their gaze while noticing whatever arises—thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, images, or memories. The processing is self-directed; the client’s brain knows what it needs to release. The therapist maintains deep attunement, often using bilateral sound (sounds that alternate between the left and right ear via headphones) to deepen the processing and integration.
3. Completion: The processing continues until the client feels a noticeable shift or reduction in the intensity of the activation.

Is Brainspotting Right for You?

Brainspotting is often sought out by individuals who have found traditional talk therapy helpful but limited in resolving core, persistent issues. It is particularly beneficial for those who:

• Have experienced trauma but struggle to articulate or consciously remember the details.
• Feel “stuck” in a response.
• Experience psychosomatic symptoms or chronic physical pain without a clear medical cause.

So there you have it! Something that’s been on my brain. I hope this finds you well. Know that I see you and I’m rooting for you. Take care of yourselves and each other.