What is Brainspotting?

What is Brainspotting?

Written by: Jordan Kadish 

Reviewed by: Melissa Cammack, LPC

In the mental healthcare field, treatment styles are constantly changing and evolving. Traditional therapy has been a cornerstone of treatment for ages, and for good reason. However, emerging therapies have been growing increasingly popular, and offer new approaches to healing. Brainspotting, a technique that targets the connection between the brain and the body to alleviate symptoms of trauma, anxiety, depression, etc, is one of these emerging therapies. Keep reading to learn about Brainspotting and how it may improve your mental health!

How Does Brainspotting Work?[1]

If you don’t have prior knowledge about Brainspotting, the name may seem a bit intimidating. However, the practice of Brainspotting is not scary at all. It was created by Dr. David Grand, PhD, as a subset of his work in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy [2]. Brainspotting works by identifying specific points in a patient’s visual field that correlate with the activation of traumatic or upsetting memories or feelings. When a Brainspot, or point of vision that brings up activating feelings, is identified, the patient will likely not be consciously aware of it. However, the trained therapist can tell that this Brainspot was located by the patient’s reflexive responses, which may include eye twitches, hard blinks, pupil dilation, brow furrowing, and more. 

Once the Brainspot is identified, the patient will be invited to focus on that spot, with the help of the therapist using a pointer rod or finger as a placeholder [3]. The clinician will ask the client to be mindful or extra aware of the feelings that come up when focusing on the Brainspot. Before processing, the clinician will ground the client by facilitating breathing exercises and invite the client to place their legs up the wall or in other restorative yoga poses. Then, the therapist and client will process these feelings together and what they may mean for the client. 

Brainspotting Vs EMDR [4]

After reading about Brainspotting, you may wonder how it differs from EMDR. Although they are similar and both relate to eye movements and tapping into parts of the brain where trauma and other activating memories are stored, Brainspotting has created faster and deeper results over EMDR. Psychologists reckon that this is because Brainspotting is more flexible, which means it adheres better to personalized treatment for unique patient experiences. EMDR has been around for much longer, but Brainspotting continues to gain popularity as the years go by. However, a patient's particular situation and needs are important to analyze when recommending Brainspotting over EMDR, and vice versa. 

Does Brainspotting Really Work? 

The effectiveness of Brainspotting is still being studied, but various trials so far have shown that Brainspotting has led to beneficial results among patients [5]. It also may be an effective option for patients who find it too difficult to talk in-depth about traumatic or other activating events. With Brainspotting, the patient can relive and desensitize themself from trauma slowly, without actually talking about it. This may work for some individuals, but it is important to note that some individuals may find it more beneficial to talk through trauma. In their cases, talk therapy alone, or a combination of talk therapy and Brainspotting, may be most beneficial. 

Those who respond well to Brainspotting experience benefits other than reduced reflexive response to trauma, such as an increase in emotional regulation and self-awareness, improved sleep, stress and anxiety relief, a reduction in chronic pain, and more [6]. 

In conclusion, Brainspotting offers an effective approach to mental health treatment by using the brain’s capacity for healing and processing trauma. As we continue to learn more about Brainspotting and await future study results, it remains a hopeful treatment for those struggling with trauma. 

Melissa Cammack is trained in Brainspotting and is available to provide Brainspotting services! Click here to schedule a consultation call.