What is Brainspotting?
Brainspotting is a neuroplasticity and bodymind based therapeutic modality that is designed to assist in the processing of emotions, experiences, and beliefs. Brainspotting supports the formation of new neural pathways, transforming habitual patterns of thought and behavior, subsequently creating conditions for enduring healing, transformation and personal evolution. Evolving from EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and Somatic Experiencing, brainspotting integrates principles of neuroplasticity, nervous system regulation, body awareness, and directional eye positioning to access the midbrain, the region where emotional and physiological responses are encoded. In essence, brainspotting is a somatic and neuroplasticity informed modality utilized to access self-healing mechanisms while reshaping patterns that were once adaptive but are no longer of service.
One key element that distinguishes Brainspotting from other therapeutic approaches is its reliance on embodied awareness to locate and engage the somatic expressions of emotion within the body. Rather than depending on verbal disclosure, clients are invited to process internally (though verbal processing is also supported,) guided by the practitioner’s attuned presence. This allows for deep therapeutic processing without the necessity of recounting traumatic, complex or difficult to verbalize experiences.
Unlike traditional talk therapy, which primarily engages the prefrontal cortex (the center of cognition and reasoning), Brainspotting accesses the subcortical regions of the brain, where emotional memory is stored. By working directly with these deeper neural structures, Brainspotting activates and transforms the physiological roots of emotional and behavioral patterns. In doing so, brainspotting facilitates the release of stored affect and supports the emergence of transformed, integrated modes of being.
WHAT HAPPENS DURING A BRAINSPOTTING SESSION?
During a brainspotting session, the client will be guided to bring attention to a targeted subject matter as the starting focal point for the session. The starting point can be broad or specific - a memory, an emotion, a sensation or even a desired state of being. An eye position (known as the “brainspot”) and body sensations that are associated with the targeted theme will be explored. The “brainspot” provides a doorway into the neural-circuitry that holds the targeted theme or activation, as the eyes provide a direct doorway to the mid-brain. By staying with the felt somatic body sensations while the eyes are held on the designated location, the brain and body begins to reorganize, transforming and processing habituated modes of operating that are no longer of service to the expansion and healing of the client and often provide a discharge of stagnant or locked up energy within the bodymind and spirit.