Brainspotting
Where you look affects how you feel
Are you a candidate? Read on to find out about this new brain-based approach to psychotherapy
BSP
What is Brainspotting (BSP)?
Have you ever noticed that when you're feeling down, you tend to gaze out of the window or fixate on a particular spot in your peripheral vision? Brainspotting therapists propose that this specific focal point might be significant, potentially holding underlying emotional discomfort, pain, or sadness. Brainspotting, as a brain-based therapy, integrates mindfulness, emotional regulation, and, most crucially, taps into the body's innate healing system. The belief is that the limbic system within our bodies possesses the capability to self-heal if provided with the opportunity to be acknowledged, heard, and attuned to.
Brainspotting (BSP) is a new technique that thousands of therapists are using in order to help clients
heal themselves. Brainspotting therapists believe that humans have the ability to heal themselves
through tuning into themselves and allowing the mind to take them where it knows how to process.
BSP has been found to be helpful in many cases ranging from anxiety to depression as well as
trauma. BSP can accelerate your body’s ability to regulate itself, which means you not only prepare
yourself cognitively for future sessions, but you also prepare your body for emotional upheaval.
In a typical BSP session, the client and the therapist work together to find a “brainspot”. It is a place in
the visual field where there is a shift in how someone feels. The underlying assumption here is that where you
look, affects how you feel. Have you ever noticed that when you talk about something uncomfortable, you tend to look away? Maybe your gaze lands on the floor, maybe, on the ceiling or maybe, somewhere far off. This will give you and your therapist clues as to where your brainspot is on that day in your visual field.
If you want to know more about the ins and outs of it, please have a look at this website by Dr. Marjorie and Dr. Evans from Ottawa.
Brainspotting sessions are usually 50-90 minutes long and they may make you feel tired. It is a good idea to rest for many hours after a session. Bilateral music is also often used during the session.
Am I a candidate?
Originally designed for individuals grappling with post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from childhood trauma or external events like natural disasters or horrific incidents, Brainspotting has demonstrated effectiveness beyond its initial scope. This therapeutic approach has proven beneficial for individuals dealing with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, anxiety, and various other disorders.
Have a look at who I work with:
Concern | My experience | Are you a candidate? |
|---|---|---|
Grief and Loss | Extensive | |
OCD | Limited | |
Eating Disorders | High | |
ADHD/ADD | Extensive | |
Trauma (PTSD/SPTSD) | Extensive | |
Depression | Extensive |
Explaining Brainspotting can be tricky, but you can get a feel for it by checking out one of the animations below.
Brainspotting
Play video and follow the hot air balloon. Pause it when you feel some tingling or bodily response. This is your brainspot. You clinician will ask you to identify how you are feeling at this moment. You could be accesing a trauma memory at this time.
Play video and follow the white ball. You will notice that you cannot stop it. This is how EMDR works, it mimics the swing of a pendulum. During this time, you could be accessing several differernt memories at once, moving quickly through them.