Brainspotting

Brainspotting Therapy™ (BSP) was developed in 2003 by Dr. David Grand, an EMDR therapist and relational analyst. It is a therapeutic process that allows you to access unprocessed trauma in the subcortical brain by utilizing specific points in your field of vision. By using relevant eye positions, somatic awareness and focused mindfulness with the help of a skilled therapist, you can process and release the traumas that have been stored deep within.

BSP uses the brain’s and body’s natural ability to self-scan and to self-heal. When working together to find a Brainspot, an area in the visual field when the client looks at a certain point while focusing on their problem, they become aware of either a higher negative emotional charge or, alternatively, with a calming and resourced feeling. If this happens, it is theorized that the optic nerve of the eyes travels directly back into the Limbic (mammalian, emotional) area of the brain. 

When this occurs, there is a movement toward brain integration – the different parts of the brain start sharing information and working together. In therapy, we bring these implicit memories into our conscious awareness, and the emotions can be felt in the presence of a compassionate relationship between client and therapist. This may be the first time a person feels and thinks about a difficult experience in a safe context with a supportive person which can bring a new and healing experience for them.

The way we process visual information is an effective survival strategy and provides a fast way of sending important information about our environment to the brain. Therapies like Brainspotting harness the power of the visual system to process thoughts, emotions, and memories in a deeper way than most talk therapies. Clients and therapists alike report changes in triggers, behaviours, relationships, and performance that occur more spontaneously and naturally, and this may be due to the brain operating in a more holistic and integrated way.

I have personally seen surprising and highly positive changes in myself as I continue to partake in personal Brainspotting therapy. It is beneficial for trauma reprocessing, working on current problems or places in your life where you may feel stuck or stagnant, mental health symptoms, improving creativity or performance, focusing on having more resources for emotional equilibrium, and even exploring positive states. I have experienced changes in how I interact with others, an increased capacity to set healthy boundaries, a decrease in brain fog and increase in mental clarity and my ability to be organized and plan ahead, and more self-awareness. I am thrilled to be able to offer this powerful, relational, brain-based therapy to my clients.