What is Brainspotting?

Where you look affects how you feel.

Brainspotting uses that connection to tap into the brain-body connection. It 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. You stay aware and in control the whole time, and you don't need to explain everything or talk it through for an hour. A lot of people describe it as their system finally "letting go" of something they couldn't think their way out of.

Brainspotting is a versatile approach that uses a client’s visual field that can be effective for most any challenge. It was developed by psychotherapist David Grand, and some of its earliest uses were with athletes and performers looking to get out of their own way. Brainspotting helps participants unlock and access experiences that are trapped in the area of the brain responsible for consciousness, emotions, memory, and learning.

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 your 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.