An Overview of Brainspotting

Brainspotting locates points in the client’s visual field that help to access unprocessed trauma in the subcortical brain. Brainspotting (BSP) was discovered in 2003 by David Grand, Ph.D. Over 13,001 therapists have been trained in BSP. Dr. Grand coined the term "Where you look affects how you feel”, in his attempt to explain how Brainspotting works. During the formation of BSP, Dr. Grand utilized a method called "The Grand System" which included aspects of a variety of existing psychological and physiological treatments including: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, Somatic Experiencing, relational insight-oriented therapy and micro-movements.

Brainspotting works by allowing clients to engage in identifying, processing and releasing core neurophysiological sources of emotional and body pain, trauma, dissociation and various other symptoms. BSP is a simultaneous form of diagnosis and treatment.

Brainspotting functions as a neurobiological tool to support the clinical healing relationship. A mature, nurturing therapeutic presence is a necessary component of BSP. It is essential for Brainspotting clients to feel safe, heard, accepted and understood in order for them to process their neurophysiological sources of pain and trauma. According to Dr. Ross Cohen, MA, LPC, Brainspotting is unlike many other treatment modalities, as it is “both relational as well as technical with philosophical and physiological underpinnings. It is an open, inclusive model that invites therapists to make use of their prior trainings and practice wisdom.”

Uses for Brainspotting

Brainspotting can be utilized to treat a variety of psychological and physiological symptoms. Some examples include, but are not limited to: physical & emotional trauma, recovery from bodily injury & accident trauma, trauma resulting from medication interventions & treatment, stress & trauma-related medical illnesses, sports performance & creativity enhancement, fibromyalgia & other chronic pain conditions, addictions (especially cravings), ADD & ADHD, perceptual problems, stuttering, environmental illnesses & chronic fatigue syndrome, specific phobias, asthma, preparation & recovery from surgery, trauma resulting from war & natural disasters, anger & rage problems, anxiety & panic disorders, and the management of major illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, & more.

How Brainspotting Works

Brainspotting works by attuning into the brain’s autonomic and limbic systems, located within the central nervous system. This accounts for the physiological nature of BSP. Additionally, BSP can provide psychological, emotional and physical benefits.

Brainspotting works as a diagnostic tool and a treatment. According to Dr. Ross Cohen, MA, LPC, “BSP posits that the field of vision can be used to locate eye positions that correlate with relevance to inner neural and emotional experience”. It works by evaluating a person’s core neurophysiological sources of emotional pain, physical pain, trauma or dissociation. Brainspotting can also work for a variety of other symptoms, such as the many listed above. Once a client identifies the sources their ailments and pains, BSP works to simultaneously treat whatever symptoms are described.

One aspect of BSP can include the use of Biolateral sounds. The sounds enhance the beneficial effects of Brainspotting through it’s healing properties.

In addition to being a treatment and diagnostic tool, BSP also functions as a neurobiological tool as it identifies, processes, and loosens up the symptoms that are hidden away in the unconscious mind. This promotes a healthy clinical relationship between Brainspotting and healing.

Brainspots

According to David Grand, Ph.D., “A “Brainspot” is the eye position which is related to the energetic/emotional activation of a traumatic/emotionally charged issue within the brain, most likely in the amygdala, the hippocampus, or the orbitofrontal cortex of the limbic system. Located by eye position, paired with externally observed and internally experienced reflexive responses, a Brainspot is actually a physiological subsystem holding emotional experience in memory form.”

A BSP clinician will assist their clients in finding their Brainspot(s). The therapist will wave a pointer in a specific pattern within the client’s visual field. Some times, the client will work together with the therapist by indicating when they are experiencing a heightened sense of emotional or physical intensity. Other times, the therapist will be alerted of the existence of a brainspot by a reflexive signal from the client. The client will likely not be aware of the reflexive signal, as these signals occur outside of the client’s consciousness. Different clients will exhibit different types of reflexive signals, such as:

• Facial Tics

• Eye Twitching

• Pupil Dilation or Constriction

• Swallowing

• Yawning

• Brow Furrowing

• Coughing

• Movement of the Body, Especially in the Hands or Feet

When a client indicates that they are experiencing heightened sense of emotions or physical sensations, or when they exhibit a reflexive signal, it alerts the therapist that the brainspot is triggering the somatosensory experiences of the client. In order to continue accessing these physical and emotional experiences, their therapist will assist their clients in holding their eye position with the use of a pointer. Then, the Brainspotting experience can truly begin, as the client can focus on the experience of their symptoms that are uniquely being accessed by the brainspot.

Healing Trauma Through Brainspotting Therapy

Brainspotting can be an incredibly useful agent in the healing of trauma. Brainspotting assists clients in processing the trauma that has lied within them, sometimes laying dormant and outside the client’s consciousness for many years. When a brainspot is identified and the client holds their eye position on it, they are able to experience the distress, physical pain and emotional pain that is opened through the brainspot. Unlike the client’s previous experiences of trauma, brainspotting allows clients to experience trauma in the safety and comfort of the clinician’s office, with the presence of their therapist. The ability to access the traumatic experience in a safe environment will lessen the emotional and physical impact of the trauma for the client.

Brainspotting acts as a way to release painful trauma from our memories, rather than simply forcing us to relive the trauma.

In a recent study conducted by the Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation Inc, Brainspotting was found to be the most efficacious of all treatment methods used to assist victims of the Newtown / Sandy Hook tragedy. According to the report, the sample of participants from the study is comprised of various impacted groups “including victims, surviving children, surviving teachers, emergency responders, Sandy Hook parents, community members, and the faith community” (Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation, Inc., 2016).

THE FUTURE OF BRAINSPOTTING

The future certainly appears bright for Brainspotting. According to Dr. Ross Cohen, MA, LCPC, “In looking ahead, BSP is an open, rapidly evolving model. The human system is so infinitely vast and complex that attuning to its expressions lead to new discoveries and perspectives all the time. BSP is still in its infancy and is expected to mature and take its place with the many other validated treatment methods. A variety of research projects are being planned and embarked upon. These include a research study that cross-compares the efficacy of BSP against other therapeutic methods, an fMRI study and pupillography observational research. Ongoing extensive research is important not only to understand and validate BSP, but to further understand the interactive mechanisms of the eye and the brain. In conclusion, the strength of BSP is seen in the dual attunement model which integrates the relational practice wisdom of the ages with the current and future understanding of the brain and its genius for self-observation and self-healing.”