Brainspotting: How It Works & What to Expect

What Is Brainspotting?

Brainspotting is a form of therapy that aims to help clients process difficult emotions or traumatic experiences. In brainspotting, different eye positions help identify “brainspots” linked to certain experiences, emotions, or sources of distress.^2,3,4,5 Once identified, brainspotting therapists use mindfulness techniques to help the client access, experience, and process the thoughts and feelings stored in this brainspot.^1,2,4,7

How Does Brainspotting Work?

Researchers don’t fully understand exactly why or how brainspotting can help people heal from trauma. However, there are some theories. The developer of brainspotting, Dr. David Grand, believes that eye position and movement correlate to ‘spots’ in the brain that store traumatic memories.^1,5,7 Each person’s brainspot may differ, so the therapist must first identify the spot by using a set of eye movement exercises with each client.²

It’s possible that therapies like brainspotting help to access parts of the brain that are difficult to reach through conventional therapy methods. For example, some researchers believe that traumatic memories are stored in the midbrain, a region of the brain that lies beneath the areas related to language and conscious thoughts.^4,5,7 While eye position is used to access the traumatic memory, brainspotting also involves using mindful awareness to process these memories and emotions in the body.^2,3,8,9

How Is Brainspotting Different From EMDR?

While brainspotting originated from eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR), it is considered a separate practice. For both brainspotting and EMDR, the eye is used as the access point for trauma and difficult emotions. Dr. David Grand developed brainspotting during an EMDR session in which he noticed his client’s trauma emerged when their eye position was fixed in a specific position. Curious, Dr. Grand looked for this pattern with other EMDR clients and found that each patient had a spot where they could fix their eyes and more easily access traumatic memories and emotions.^1,2

Some of the differences between brainspotting and EMDR include:^2,3,5

• Brainspotting involves keeping the eye in a fixed position to focus on one spot of the brain, while EMDR involves side-to-side eye movement to stimulate both sides of the brain
• Brainspotting is a newer therapy and has less research than EMDR to prove it is effective, but some recent studies comparing the two showed similar rates of improvement for adults with PTSD symptoms
• EMDR and brainspotting are both effective short-term therapies (1-3 sessions) for trauma, but one study found brainspotting treated clients improved on their own in 6 month period after their final session
• There are more EMDR-trained therapists (since brainspotting is a newer type of trauma therapy), making it easier to find EMDR treatment

What Can Brainspotting Help With?

Originally, brainspotting was developed as a trauma treatment but has since been expanded to be used for depression and anxiety disorders.^2,6 More research is necessary to help therapists understand the benefits and uses of brainspotting therapy.

Brainspotting techniques may help in the treatment of:^1,2,3,5,6

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or complex trauma
• Attachment issues stemming from childhood trauma 
• Dissociative disorders
• Emotion regulation problems, including anger issues or mood swings
• Symptoms of depression or sadness
• Anxiety disorders or specific phobias
• Substance use disorders or addictions

Are There Side Effects of Brainspotting?

There are no major risks associated with brainspotting. Unlike medications, brainspotting is unlikely to cause any adverse effects on your body, brain, or mental health. The main risk of brainspotting is that, during sessions, you will likely experience intense, difficult, and unpleasant emotions related to traumatic memories or experiences.²

Is Brainspotting Effective?

Alternative mind and body trauma therapies like EMDR, EFT, somatic experiencing, and brainspotting were once viewed as “fringe.” However, some research suggests these treatments are effective, listing many as “Evidence-Based Practices” for trauma by the APA. Still, there isn’t enough research about brainspotting to include this therapy on this list.^8,9

Brainspotting was developed in 2003, so more research is still needed to fully understand its effectiveness in treating trauma and other mental health disorders.^1,2 Early studies have found that brainspotting is as effective as EMDR in treating PTSD and can help some people struggling with anxiety or depression.^1,3,4,5

Studies have also found that clients with these disorders can significantly improve symptoms between one and three brainspotting sessions, similar to EMDR.³ Other proven trauma therapies like cognitive processing therapy (CPT), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and prolonged exposure therapy involve 12 or more sessions.^3,8 Also, one study found that people with PTSD who received three brainspotting sessions continued to improve in a 6-month follow-up period, suggesting long-term benefits.³

What To Expect in a Brainspotting Session

Usually, brainspotting therapy is a short-term treatment that involves up to three 60-90 minute sessions that last approximately.^2,3 Some brainspotting therapists may combine brainspotting techniques with other types of therapy or offer to continue long-term talk therapy after brainspotting is completed.² Still, a brainspotting session with a therapist differs from a ‘traditional’ talk therapy session.

Below is a breakdown of what to expect during a brainspotting therapy appointment.^1,2,4

1. The Therapist Will Build Rapport With You 

Therapists trained in brainspotting are always encouraged to spend time ‘attuning’ to their clients to develop a sense of trust and safety. This may involve talking for the first session to get to know you better, answer your questions, and help you feel more at ease.

2. The Therapist May Use Relaxation Techniques or Guided Imagery

Many brainspotting therapists use relaxation techniques, like guided imagery or meditations, before beginning brainspotting. These exercises help you feel more at ease and prepared for the challenging thoughts, feelings, and memories that may arise during the session.

3. You Will Be Asked to Talk About Something That Upsets You

While brainspotting uses mind-body interventions, you still need to discuss traumas and topics that upset you. Doing so allows you and the therapist to focus on a particular problem, issue, or traumatic event you want to resolve. 

4. The Therapist Will Ask You to “Find” the Feelings in Your Body

Mind-body therapies like brainspotting enhance the mind-body connection by helping clients become more aware of how their bodies respond to certain memories. Expect a brainspotting therapist to ask you to ‘locate’ different emotions in your body, explain how they feel, and track these inner sensations during the session. 

5. The Therapist May Use a Pointer to Help You Find Your Brainspot

The next step in brainspotting therapy is often finding your brainspot using a pointer, pencil, or similar object. The therapist moves the pointer slowly, asking you to track the object with your eyes. As you do, they will ask you to stop when you notice a strong emotion or difficult memory.

6. You Will Be Asked to Hold Your Eyes at This Spot & Focus Inward 

Once you find a specific eye position or direction that evokes a strong emotional response or traumatic memory, you will be asked to hold your eyes in that spot. The therapist will ask you to again focus inward on your bodily sensations, emotions, thoughts, and memories that arise. You can hold the position with your eyes open or closed, and the therapist may instruct you to do both.

7. You Will Be Encouraged to Accept, Allow, & Observe What Comes Up

Brainspotting involves mindfulness, which means bringing your full awareness to what you’re experiencing in the present moment, even when it’s uncomfortable. The therapist may coach you through this by asking you to open up, make space, or allow these thoughts and feelings to come up. 

8. You Will Be Encouraged to Let Your Body Process the Trauma

Once you find and fixate on a brainspot, it’s normal to experience distress, discomfort, and sensations in your body. A brainspotting therapist will encourage and coach you to fully experience these sensations and feelings, as this is how they believe the trauma can be processed.

9. The Therapist Will Help You Process the Thoughts & Feelings That Come Up

Many brainspotting therapists reserve time near the end of the session to talk about the thoughts, feelings, and memories that came up. This time can be used to integrate and make sense of what happened in the session, including any shifts in how you feel or think about the traumatic or upsetting event you processed.

10. You & The Therapist Will Discuss Further Treatment (If Needed)

Since brainspotting therapy usually only involves a few sessions, many brainspotting therapists end sessions by discussing the next steps. They may recommend another brainspotting session or not. Either way, you should advocate for what you want. In some instances, treatment will stop after brainspotting. For others, brainspotting may continue with the same or a different therapist.

How to Find a Therapist Who Practices Brainspotting

According to the official Brainspotting Training Institute, there are currently 13,000 therapists who are trained in brainspotting techniques. Still, finding a therapist specializing in this kind of treatment may be difficult. Using an online therapist directory to search for therapists with this training can be a good way to start your search.

The Brainspotting Training Institute also has a free directory service to help link people to trained brainspotting credentialed therapists. These providers have received official training to become certified in this technique.² The cost of sessions varies depending on where you live and the particular costs of the provider, but some therapists will accept insurance to cover some of the costs of brainspotting.

Questions to Ask a Brainspotting Therapist Before Scheduling an Appointment

If you’re interested in brainspotting therapy, finding a trained or credentialed brainspotting therapist is important. It is also essential that the therapist is a good match for you. Most therapists offer free consultation calls or will answer questions via email before scheduling a first appointment, offering an excellent opportunity to ask questions and get more information to determine if they suit your needs.

Some questions you may consider asking a brainspotting therapist include:

• What kind of training or credentialing have you received in brainspotting?
• Do you think brainspotting would be effective for my particular issue or problem?
• Do you integrate other kinds of therapeutic approaches besides brainspotting?
• How many sessions are typically needed and what is the cost (including insurance coverage, if applicable)?
• Do you offer long-term therapy as well after completing brainspotting?

Final Thoughts

Compared to other trauma therapies, brainspotting is a relatively new mind-body trauma treatment that focuses on eye movement and position, similar to EMDR.^1,2,4 Early studies have shown promising results in treating symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression.^2,3,5 One major advantage to brainspotting is that treatment is much shorter than other types of therapy used to treat trauma.²