Brainspotting

Developed in 2003 by Dr. David Grand, Brainspotting is a relatively new form of treatment that has been shown to be effective for a variety of conditions, particularly with helping to identify and heal underlying trauma that contributes to anxiety, depression and other behavioral issues. The goal of brainspotting is to bypass conscious thinking to access the deeper, subconscious emotional and body-based parts of the brain to facilitate healing. According to Dr. Grand, “where you look affects how you feel.” With this in mind, therapists using brainspotting techniques help their clients to position their eyes in ways that enable them to target negative emotion. Think this approach may work for you? Contact one of our brainspotting specialists today to try it out.

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Brainspotting is a treatment method that utilizes your visual field to connect with the parts of your brain that hold onto unprocessed trauma. Brainspotting invites clients to process distressing experiences by following the lead of their body.

— Shavonne James, Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Long Beach, CA

Processing through trauma can be hard, so to make it easier I use a method called Brainspotting. Brainspotting uses your line of vision that corresponds with specific emotional responses or past experiences. Sometimes your body knows what you can’t say and we use all of you to get through stuck spots and heal the core of your pain. After releasing your trauma we can really zoom in on healing by filtering other therapies that work well for you and reach your wellness goals.

— Alisha Olson, Licensed Clinical Social Worker - Candidate
 

Brainspotting is a brain/body based processing technique that I have found helpful for clients wanting to process trauma and/or move through "stuckness."

— Birch Snogles, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in ann arbor, MI

Brainspotting is one of two neurobased modalities that I augment into talk therapy to reduce anxiety and eliminate trauma responses. Brainspotting helps to reduce physical pain, memories become less painful, negative thought patterns are reduced, improves sleep and increases energy. Safe and Sound Protocol is a sound therapy that reduces anxiety and increases social engagement. Especially helpful to adults with anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, ADD, social anxiety/phobias.

— Cole Huggins, Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Atlanta, GA
 

David Grand, Ph.D., developed Brainspotting, a therapeutic technique that uses fixed eye positions to help connect the mind and body, tapping into the unconscious mind and how eye position relates to the client’s struggles. This procedure allows the client to identify and process trauma and negative emotions. Brainspotting helps you process a troubling occurrence quickly and effectively. Brainspotting provides access to self-healing by helping you process what you are feeling.

— Traci Bovino, Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Boston, MA

Brainspotting is a brain-based therapy. I have observed it lead to change for many individuals, including myself. BSP is grounded in the idea that “Where you look affects how you feel,” as identified by its founder and developer, David Grand, PhD.

— Amanda Stretcher, Licensed Professional Counselor in Dallas, TX
 

I was first trained in 2013, and my respect for this method of working only grows the more I use it. As a contemplative therapist, I experience Brainspotting as a very specific and targeted mindfulness practice. As such, it's a natural tool for resolving trauma and accessing creativity in contemplative therapy. I enjoy working with it because it's very precise and relatively gentle when compared with other modalities, though the results are most powerful.

— Christine Bates, Licensed Professional Counselor in Oxford, MS

I have completed Phase 1 and 2 of Brainspotting training and use this within session as clients desire. This approach focuses on the connection between the body and brain and strives to quickly reduce activation and increase emotional regulation. This approach is helpful for reducing symptoms related to trauma, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and chronic pain and chronic fatigue.

— Brandi Solanki, Counselor in Waco, TX
 

Brainspotting is mind/body approach that can help you connect deeply with the root of where issues are stored in your brain, body and nervous system. It helps you clear issues, ranging from difficult trauma to everyday challenges. It is also very helpful in building positives, such as confidence, relaxation optimal performance, etc. Here are links to videos "Who does Brainspotting work with?” https://vimeo.com/187492731 "Brainspotting" https://youtu.be/lm3Plvaf3

— Elinor (Elly) Nygren Szapiro, Licensed Professional Counselor

I am a level 1 trained Brainspotting therapist. Brainspotting can be used to help clients get "unstuck" and to help us unlock a deeper level of healing. Brainspotting is a type of therapy similar to EMDR, but considered more "gentle," that uses your visual field to help you identify mental blocks and use deep mindfulness to process them. This can be used on everything from everyday frustrations, to long held traumatic memories.

— Michelle Davis, Clinical Social Worker in Charlotte, NC
 

I am a Certified Brainspotting Therapist. Brainspotting is a brain-based, highly effective tool for processing and relieving trauma and other persistent negative emotional states.

— Margaret  Certain, Marriage & Family Therapist in Seattle, WA

Trauma is held in the body, and it often takes more than traditional talk therapy to heal. Brainspotting is a holistic approach to accessing your body and heal at your own pace. We will delve into the subcortical brain to more fully process your memories, emotions, and experiences to learn how to get unstuck from trauma. Your body already has all the tools it needs to heal, and through Brainspotting, I hope to provide that space for your body to not get in your way.

— Samuel Kim, Associate Marriage & Family Therapist in Los Angeles, CA
 

Brainspotting is a powerful, focused treatment method that works by identifying, processing and releasing core neurophysiological sources of emotional/body pain, trauma, disassociation and a variety of other challenging symptoms. Brainspotting works with the deep brain and the body through it direct access to the autonomic and limbic systems within the body’s central nervous system.

— Erin Ingram, Clinical Social Worker in Ingram, TX

Where you looks affects how you feel. BSP makes use of this natural phenomenon through its use of relevant eye positions. This helps the BSP therapist locate, focus, process and release a wide range of emotionally and bodily-based conditions. BSP is also a brain-based tool to support the therapy relationship. We believe that BSP taps into and harnesses the body’s natural self-scanning, self-healing ability.

— Eric Strom, Clinical Social Worker in Minnetonka, MN
 

The two modes of Brainspotting are activation and resource. Our emotions and feelings give language to our experiences and what’s going on. The Allocortex is the part of the brain that gives us access to our emotions and helps with regulation, it has access to parts of the brain that help with emotions and it is a covering of the limbic system. That's the part we tap into to heal trauma, anxiety, depression, stress, etc.

— Michele Ramey, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in Las Vegas, NV

Brainspotting is a somatic approach to healing from trauma. It is based on the same principles as EMDR and incorporates ideas from somatic experiencing. The goal of this process is to access the subcortical parts of your brain, which are connected to functions of memory, emotion, and pleasure. By tapping into these parts within an attuned relationship, we create space for your mind and body to process traumatic experiences and other blocks. We move at your pace and comfort level.

— Augustin Kendall, Counselor in Minneapolis, MN
 

I am a certified brainspotting practitioner, which means I have completed Phase 1 and 2 trainings, completed 6 consultations and have completed over 50 brainspotting sessions. I used brainspotting as my primary treatment approach for not only trauma, but many other presenting concerns clients bring. It is also my preferred treatment approach for my own therapy.

— Katie Dolinsky, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in Westbrook, ME

Brainspotting is life-changing. Whether focusing on a feeling or an overall traumatic event, brainspotting helps process what our brain is storing and promotes coherence between sympathetic and parasympathetic activation.

— Annie Buxbaum, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in Santa Rosa, CA
 

Brainspotting is mind/body approach that can help you connect deeply with the root of where issues are stored in your brain, body and nervous system. It helps you clear issues, ranging from difficult trauma to everyday challenges. It is also very helpful in building positives, such as confidence, relaxation optimal performance, etc.

— Elinor (Elly) Nygren Szapiro, Licensed Professional Counselor

I trained in all levels of BSP and engaged in a 5-day intensive with the founder, Dr. David Grand. I have spoken at both international BSP conferences. I am a believer in its ability to heal trauma and create lasting change. In my many years of practice, I have seen clients overcome what seemed like insurmountable pain and go on to lead thriving lives. Brainspotting is innovative and one of the most up-to-date and effective therapies.

— Jennifer Delaney, Licensed Professional Counselor