Brainspotting

What is Brainspotting?

Brainspotting (BSP) is a powerful, focused treatment method that works by identifying, processing, and releasing core neurophysiological sources of emotional/body pain, trauma, dissociation, and a variety of other challenging symptoms. The technique was developed by Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Master trainer David Grand, and has emerged from that discipline. 

Every experience we have, positive and negative, is stored in our memory systems. These correlate to a specific, physical location in the brain, and are accessible through specific eye positions. When the eye position is maintained while simultaneously holding awareness of activation in the body, traumatic energy has the ability to be processed and released, facilitating healing.

It is a simultaneous form of diagnosis and treatment, can be enhanced by bilateral sound, and is deep, direct, and powerful yet focused and containing (Brainspotting, Inc. 2017). It has been shown to reduce physical and emotional symptoms that cause chronic pain and tension. 

How Does Brainspotting Work?

BSP works by tapping in directly to the brain’s autonomic nervous system and limbic systems. Through holding the eyes in a specific position, BSP can bring about understanding and resolution of how the body has incorporated and expressed trauma; physical and emotional pain, dissociation/numbness, brain fog, fatigue. 

By accessing the ‘spot’ in the brain where traumatic memory has been entrenched and stored, resolution can occur and allow the individual to return to a place of calm and groundedness. Conversely, the same holds true for Resource spots; positions in the brain that correlate to positive, resourceful experiences that can be accessed in order to reduce activation and return the system to regulation.

“A “Brainspot” is the eye position which is related to the energetic/emotional activation of a traumatic/emotionally charged issue within the brain... Located by eye position, paired with equally observed and internally experienced reflexive responses, a Brainspot is actually a physiological subsystem holding emotional experience in memory form”.  David Grand, PhD.