What is Brainspotting?

Brainspotting is a tool that uses a client’s visual field to address most any issues, enhance performance, and improve overall functioning. It uses points that a client’s eyes naturally gravitate towards, often in combination with prompts, questions, bilateral sounds, and a pointer that encourage focused mindfulness. Brainspotting helps participants unlock and access experiences that are trapped in the area of the brain responsible for consciousness, emotions, memory, and learning.

Brainspotting focuses on the brain-body connection and uses the brain’s instinctive natural healing abilities to unlock subconscious and unconscious “stuckness,” to process experiences that aren’t always in the conscious mind.

Brainspotting can help heal and resolve the original wound. It can be used for specific memories, general periods of life, themes, emotions, physical pain, ancestral wounds, and negative systemic or cultural experiences. It can also help to increase motivation, enhance performance, get past creative blocks and gain clarity. Brainspotting is a versatile approach that can be effective for most any challenge.

How Does it Work?

Brainspotting works by accessing the brain’s autonomic and limbic systems located within the central nervous system. During the process of Brainspotting the brain is re-stabilizing, resourcing, and rebooting itself. You and your practitioner will identify the issues that you would like to work on.

While focusing on the issue, you will notice how you feel in your body and mind. Your practitioner will identify a “brainspot” by moving a pointer in front of your eyes. You may or may not be aware when a brainspot is located. Your practitioner uses attunement to notice signals such as subtle changes in your body language, breathing, eye movements and blinking to identify a brainspot. Once the brainspot is identified, your practitioner and you will trust the participant’s brain and body to do what it needs to do to heal itself.

What Does Brainspotting Feel Like?

If you’re considering trying Brainspotting, you might be wondering what the experience feels like. Everyone’s experience is unique. Here are some things you might notice during Brainspotting:

Physical Sensations – Some people feel warmth, tingling, tenseness and/or a sense of heaviness in their body as emotions surface.
Body Relaxation – Many people report feeling a release of tension, and sense of lightness or relaxation, as though their body is letting go of something.
Quiet Mind – Instead of actively thinking and analyzing, Brainspotting helps quiet the overactive parts of the brain, allowing deeper healing.