What is Brainspotting and How Can it Help Me with Trauma, Depression, and Anxiety?
Brainspotting is a therapeutic tool that helps clients access unprocessed trauma in the sub-cortical portion of the brain through visual field points in the brain. It is an exciting new modality that was developed in 2003 by David Grand, PhD. Brainspotting has been bringing relief to many clients, who despite years of talk therapy, could not release their traumatic events and overcome blocks that were holding them back. The method gives the therapist access to both brain and body processes, bypassing the conscious mind, the neocortex, and accessing the deeper, emotional and body-based part of the brain (www.brainspotting.com)
What is exciting about Brainspotting is that it works with a myriad of mental health disorders, and is effective with depression, anxiety, panic attacks. It is also particularly effective with trauma-based conditions, which can alleviate the associated depression, anxiety, and behavioral issues that go along with the trauma. Brainspotting helps with somatic conditions, such as chronic pain, headaches, as well as stomachaches related to anxiety. Another application of Brainspotting that people often don’t often consider is for increased performance ( sports, the arts) and enhanced creativity. There is a helpful video explaining what brainspotting is:
What is a Brainspot? from VidPros on Vimeo.
Who is Brainspotting effective with?
Brainspotting can be used with adults, but also children and teens. As a trained Play Therapist Supervisor, I effectively work with children and teens to help them overcome challenges through trauma or other disorders.
What will Brainspotting be like as a client?
The therapist will get to know you and understand what has brought you into therapy and the relief you are seeking. Your brainspotting therapist may or may not use a “pointer” which helps to access the brainspot and the client will focus on the brainspot while processing their trauma. The therapist is trained in helping the client feel comfortable and secure during the process and will allow the client to lead their healing. No one will be pushed past their comfort level. The experience uses mindfulness-based techniques to process the feelings and experiences brought out by the client.
Who can use Brainspotting?
Brainspotting has been used effectively with adults, teenagers, children, and couples. It can be modified to work with children and has helped children and teenagers with behavioral issues, anxiety, depression, and traumatic experiences. What is exciting about Brainspotting is it can work more quickly than traditional talk psychotherapy and can be used in conjunction with other techniques.
Addressing traumatic events that have affected you in your life can be hard, and I am here to help you gently work through these events. These memories may prevent you from living a more fulfilling life, despite your attempts to ignore them and push them aside. Taking the first step in addressing these uncomfortable feelings is hard, but can be your first step to feeling better and moving forward without intrusive thoughts and memories from the past. I am a trained Brainspotting practitioner and would love to help you move past the challenges you are facing. Please reach out today.
