What is brainspotting?
Brainspotting (BSP) is a type of therapy that helps people access, process and overcome challenges such as trauma, difficult emotions, grief, anxiety and feeling stuck.
BSP incorporates the mind, body, mindfulness tools and eye position to assist in creating change. Through BSP we can reprocess negative events and retrain emotional reactions.
What types of problems can brainspotting help with?
- All types of Trauma
- Grief
- Anxiety
- Anger
- Impulsive behaviors
- Substance use
- Alcoholism
- Phobias or fears
- Performance (including creative and physical)
How does brainspotting work?
Brainspotting works through accessing your limbic system. A trained therapist will help you find a brainspot eye position, which is directly related to activating the issue deep within the brain (in the limbic system, you can read more about this on my blog). This works by scanning your visual field to determine the areas you feel most activated physically in your body. Another way to describe a brainspot is the system in your brain holding onto the emotional memory. The brainspot is accessed by holding the eye position while you continue to focus on the specific situation and body/sensory experiences coming up during the process. This stimulates a deep healing process in the brain and central nervous system by stimulating and activating the body’s natural ability to heal itself from trauma. Sitting through the discomfort allows the brain and body to do this work often lowering perceived levels of action significantly by the end of a session.
Enhancing the brainspotting process
Bi-lateral sound can stimulate and enhance the brain’s processing abilities. This works by stimulating each side of the brain through the auditory nerves. A brainspotting therapist may offer you the option of using this sound during your sessions. For some, this may be distracting or overwhelming and is purely an option that can be removed at any time.
You can learn more about brainspotting online, call for a free phone consultation, or schedule a session to see if this powerful therapy might a good fit for you.
Modern Change provides trauma therapy in our Durham, NC office.
