Brainspotting (BSP) is a focused treatment technique that works by identifying, processing, and releasing brain and nervous system sources of pain, trauma, dissociation, and other difficult symptoms. While brainspotting is a relatively new form of therapy, evidence and studies suggest that it can be a powerful tool for a range of emotional and mental health issues. This technique is available at Wolf Creek Recovery in Prescott, AZ, where our qualified mental health professionals can help you determine whether brain spotting is right for you.
What Is Brainspotting Therapy?
Brainspotting therapy is a holistic approach that uses spots in an individual’s visual field to help them process trauma. It uses specific eye positions to access and process regions in the subcortical brain responsible for motion, consciousness, trauma, learning, or unsettled emotional issues.
This type of therapy was developed in 2003 by Dr. David Grand to advance his work in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, specifically to help treat survivors of the Sept. 11 terror attacks. Dr. Grand had observed one of his clients getting “stuck” in one spot, which he later termed a “brain spot.” While she stayed in that spot, he observed her going deeper than ever before, which was the beginning of brainspotting. Brainspotting attempts to help people go past their stuck places, helping them process and release their trauma. Currently, the technique is used to treat trauma and other mental health issues, including substance use disorders, and is often incorporated into comprehensive drug rehab in Arizona.
How Brainspotting Helps Heal Trauma and Emotional Pain
BSP helps heal trauma and emotional pain by using precise eye positions to access and process traumatic memories and the connected emotions. This helps activate the brain’s natural healing. The person can directly engage with the autonomic nervous and limbic systems, where trauma is usually stored, promoting emotional release and healing. Brainspotting is believed to reach deep brain regions that aren’t easily accessed through traditional talk therapy. It helps uncover traumatic memories that might be stored deep in the brain.
Brainspotting vs. Other Trauma Therapies
Typically, Brainspotting therapy lasts about six sessions, while EMDR therapy may take up to eight or 10 sessions. In addition, brainspotting is a cost-effective type of therapy. Traditional talk therapy may last many months or even years, but you can complete brainspotting sessions in weeks. Many people experience improvement in their symptoms after the first session. Brainspotting is a flexible method that therapists can use to treat many different issues. It can be used as a stand-alone therapy or in a more comprehensive treatment program.
What to Expect During a Brainspotting Session
When you begin Brainspotting therapy, the therapist will spend some time getting to know you and your reasons for getting treatment. You might not get to the actual brainspotting technique during the first session, and it might seem like a traditional talk therapy session. You will need a good relationship with the therapist to develop a treatment plan.
Starting the Session
When you begin a brainspotting session, the therapist might play bilateral sound music, which moves from one ear to the other when listened to with headphones. You might also be led through a guided relaxation technique. Exercises like these help you feel more at ease and prepare you to handle the troublesome feelings and memories that might come up during the session.
After you’ve relaxed and are in a state of mindfulness, you will be asked to discuss a topic that causes you distress briefly. For example, you might talk about the traumatic event or a distressing experience related to the trauma. To work, it’s necessary to concentrate on a specific issue you want to resolve.
Identifying the Issue
Because brainspotting is a mind-body therapy, it helps people become more aware of how their bodies react to specific thoughts. While you’re focused on the traumatic memory, you will identify a place in your body that feels stressed, uncomfortable, or in pain. You may be asked to locate emotions hiding in your physical body and describe how they feel, ranked on a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being the most upsetting and one being neutral. This ranking will become a baseline to measure the improvement in your symptoms.
Focusing on the Brain Spot
Next, your therapist will help guide you to a “brain spot,” where your eyes naturally focus as the physical sensations strengthen. The therapist may use their finger, a pencil, or a pointer and have you track the object as it moves back and forth in your field of vision. As you move your eyes, you might feel a painful memory or strong emotion emerge. This is a brain spot. While you focus on the spot, involuntary actions may occur, including:
- Coughing
- Yawning
- Muscle twitches
- Dilation or constriction of the pupils
- Facial tics
- Twitching eyelids
Although you might not be aware of these responses, the BSP therapist is trained to recognize the signs. At this point, your therapist will help you access and process the feelings that arise as you focus on the uncomfortable part of your body. By paying attention to the physical signs, your therapist may ask you to fix your eyes on other brain spots.
Observing Your Feelings
Now, it becomes your job to allow and observe your emotions without judging or trying to control them. Brainspotting stimulates people to focus on the moment, even when distressing. Your therapist will support and guide you as you process your feelings.
Processing Feelings
At the end of the session, you can share any feelings or thoughts you were made aware of during Brainspotting. Then, you’ll rate your level of discomfort again. If it went well, the rating will be lower than the starting number. Your therapist might suggest a follow-up session or a different type of therapy to augment your treatment.
Conditions Treated with Brainspotting Therapy
Brainspotting can benefit individuals experiencing:
- Anxiety and panic disorders
- Anger issues
- Trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Depression
- Chronic pain
- Phobias
- Addictions
- Other psychological and emotional issues
- Physical illness
- Attention disorders
- Memory difficulties
Benefits of Brainspotting for Mental and Emotional Health
Many people find that the most significant benefit of brainspotting is that they don’t need to spend a lot of time explaining the details of their trauma to relieve trauma-related symptoms. This can be an obstacle to treatment for some people. Talking about painful memories forces them to relive distressing experiences and may re-traumatize them.
While you will be asked to recall and focus on the memories they cause, you won’t need to spend hours discussing your past and the details of the painful events. Still, it’s best to be prepared and ensure you have support and self-care practices after the session.
Other brainspotting benefits include:
- Better emotional regulation
- Heightened self-awareness
- Relief of anxiety and stress
- Fewer negative thoughts
- Reduction in feelings of distress.
- Healing from stored trauma
- Decreased physical pain
- Better sleep
- More energy
- Getting rid of fear
- Long-lasting results
Is Brainspotting Therapy Right for You?
If you have experienced intense trauma or many traumas, this form of therapy may be right for you. It’s meant to release unprocessed trauma and provide quick results when compared to other types of treatment. The main principles of Brainspotting therapy are similar to the central tenets of talk therapy. The needs and responses of the client are what lead the sessions, not the therapist’s assumptions or timeline.
Brainspotting requires instinctive skills and a willingness to use mindfulness practices and bilateral stimulation. The client must be empowered to work through sessions at their own pace.
There’s no right or wrong way to feel during or after brainspotting. It’s an individualized process affected by several factors, starting with the severity of the trauma. You must be comfortable telling your therapist how you feel.
Why Choose Brainspotting Therapy in Prescott, AZ?
Because Brainspotting requires specialized training, it’s essential to find a therapist who is certified in Brainspotting therapy. Wolf Creek Recovery in Prescott, AZ, has trained mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists, and clinical social workers who are qualified to treat you through brainspotting. BSP is a relatively new technique, so no official accreditation exists to become a brainspotting therapist. Therapists with experience in EMDR, the therapy type from which brainspotting came, and BSP can be found at Wolf Creek.
How to Begin Brainspotting Therapy in Prescott
If you’ve been struggling with unprocessed trauma, you may also be experiencing a co-occurring substance use disorder. We have mental health professionals experienced in treating trauma, grief, loss, PTSD, and drug and alcohol addictions. If you’re ready to get your life back on track, all you have to do is contact us and ask about our specialized 3-phase treatment program.
Insurance Coverage and Payment Options
Wolf Creek Recovery accepts most major insurance providers. Our admissions specialists will be happy to discuss your coverage and any other payment options. The Affordable Care Act provides coverage for mental health treatment benefits equal to the benefits for medical coverage.
Take the First Step Toward Healing Today
It’s all up to you. We are prepared to help you or your loved one regain the joy of living. Contact us today. We’re available 24/7 to answer your questions and get you started on your recovery journey.
