APPROACHES

Brainspotting

Brainspotting is a trauma therapy that uses where you look to help your brain process what feels stuck.

What it is

Brainspotting was developed by Dr. David Grand in 2003. While working with a client using EMDR, he noticed that where her eyes were fixed seemed connected to where the distress lived in her body. That observation became its own approach. A “brainspot” is the eye position that connects to something painful or unprocessed, and staying with it gives your brain space to work through what words alone can’t reach.

What a session looks like

We start with something that’s been bothering you. It can be a memory, a reaction, or just a feeling you can’t shake. We notice where you feel it in your body, then find the spot where your eyes naturally settle when you think about it. From there, we mostly stay quiet and let your brain do the processing. You don’t have to explain everything or retell what happened. Some sessions have a lot of talking, and some have long, quiet stretches.

How it’s similar to EMDR

Brainspotting and EMDR come from the same idea: trauma is stored in the body and brain, not just in memory, and eye position and focused attention can help it release. Both are used for trauma, both let you process without telling the whole story, and both work with the body. The main difference is structure. EMDR follows a set eight-phase protocol with back-and-forth stimulation, like eye movements or tapping. Brainspotting is slower and more open-ended, and it follows your body’s lead instead of a script.

Who it can help

People come to Brainspotting for childhood and relational trauma, anxiety and panic, grief, and the kind of stuck where you understand why you feel this way and still can’t shift it. It’s newer than EMDR and has less research behind it so far, though the research is growing.

Ready to try it?

Book a free 15-minute consultation to see whether this approach fits what you’re looking for.

Using out-of-network benefits? Check your benefits

  • No. Brainspotting doesn’t require you to retell your story or go through every detail. You share as much as feels useful, and we work from what your body is holding.

  • They’re closely related but not the same. Both use eye position and focused attention to process trauma. EMDR follows a structured protocol with bilateral stimulation, and Brainspotting is more open-ended and follows your body’s lead.

  • Yes. It works well over video. You’ll need a quiet, private space, and we’ll talk through how to set it up before we start.

  • It can bring up strong feelings, and you stay in control throughout. We go at a pace your body can handle, and we can pause or stop at any point.