What is Brainspotting Therapy (BSP)?
Brainspotting treatment is a complementary therapy that uses “spots” in a person’s visual field to aid in processing trauma, negative emotions, and pain, including psychologically generated physical pain. It allows trauma stored in the subcortical brain, which is responsible for motion, consciousness, emotions, and learning, to be accessed.
David Grand, Ph.D., found this therapy in 2003 as a follow-up to his work in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy. Grand had noticed a client who was “stuck” in one location. Grand noticed the client going further than one had ever gone before, while staying in this one area, and thus Brainspotting technique was established.
How does Brainspotting Work?
Therapists assist people in positioning their eyes in ways that allow them to target sources of negative emotion during Brainspotting.
Certified brainspotting therapist use a pointer to slowly direct patients throughout their range of vision to discover acceptable “brainspots,” which are eye positions that trigger a traumatic memory or painful feeling. The procedure’s proponents claim it enables therapists to access emotions on a deeper level while also addressing the physical impacts of trauma. This includes not only mental health trauma but also medical trauma, such as numerous operations or terrible experiences.
There’s growing evidence that trauma is “stored” in the body and can change how the brain functions. Emotions, memory, and physical health, for example, can all be affected by trauma.
Who Can Benefit from Brainspotting Therapy?
Brainspotting therapists may help people who have been through physical or mental trauma.
This type of therapy has been demonstrated to be an effective treatment choice for persons who are suffering from the following symptoms:
- All forms of trauma
- Anxiety
- ADHD
- Anger issues
- Phobias
- Substance Abuse
- Chronic fatigue & Chronic Pain
- Impulse control issues
- Sports performance issues
What are the Side Effects of Brainspotting?
Clients may feel emotions, bodily sensations, and memories during a Brainspotting session. Following a Brainspotting session, some people describe feeling physically or emotionally exhausted, as if they have had a strong release.
This video by Life Coach Matthew Healey illustrates how to interact and learn to do self-brainspotting. “This is a powerful technique that should only be performed with the help of a certified mental health professional for traumatic memories”.
