What is Brainspotting?

Brainspotting is a type of therapy that’s becoming more popular for helping people heal from trauma, anxiety, depression, and other emotional struggles. It was created by Dr. David Grand in 2003. The basic idea is that where you look affects how you feel.

During brainspotting, a therapist helps you find a spot in your field of vision (called a "brainspot") that connects to strong emotions or memories. Then, while you focus on that spot, your brain begins to process and release those feelings.

How Brainspotting Can Help

1. Helps You Heal from Trauma

Brainspotting helps people get in touch with deep emotions that may be hard to reach through regular talk therapy. People with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) often feel better after brainspotting. It can reduce flashbacks, anxiety, and feelings of being on edge.

2. Eases Anxiety and Depression

Brainspotting helps you find and face the emotional roots of your anxiety. It can also help with depression by uncovering painful emotions or past events and letting them go.

3. Releases Stuck Emotions

Sometimes we hold onto emotions like sadness, anger, or grief without realizing it. Brainspotting helps release these feelings. People often feel lighter and less tense in their bodies after a session.

4. Works on Both What You Know and Don’t Know

Brainspotting doesn’t just help with feelings you’re aware of—it also reaches deeper, unconscious parts of your brain. It often helps people access and work through strong emotions more quickly than some other therapies.

5. Connects the Mind and Body

Brainspotting encourages you to notice how emotions show up in your body. This can help you feel more in tune with yourself. It may also help release physical tension caused by emotional pain.

6. Helps You Grow and Perform Better

Brainspotting can help people let go of negative thoughts and beliefs that hold them back. Some use it to improve in sports, performing, or public speaking by reducing stress and self-doubt.

7. Gentle and Less Talk-Heavy

Brainspotting is quieter and less focused on talking than many other therapies. This is great for people who struggle to put their feelings into words. The process feels natural and allows the brain to heal in its own way.

8. Reduces Stress in High-Pressure Situations

People dealing with performance anxiety—like speaking in front of others or taking a test—often find brainspotting helps them feel calmer and more focused.

9. Works Well with Other Therapies

Brainspotting can be used alongside other therapies, like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), or mindfulness practices. This gives people a more complete treatment plan.

10. Can Lead to Long-Term Healing

Many people find that brainspotting gives them long-lasting relief. Instead of just managing symptoms, it helps heal the root cause of emotional pain.

11. Supports Self-Discovery

As people focus on their brainspots, they often gain new insight into their thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. This can lead to powerful personal growth.

12. Can Help with Many Kinds of Problems

Brainspotting isn’t just for trauma. It can also help with grief, anger, addiction, phobias, chronic pain, obsessions and compulsions, and more. It’s flexible and works for many emotional and mental health challenges. Its flexibility also allows for brainspotting to be a helpful therapy for any age, from infants through every stage of life!

Brainspotting is a gentle, powerful therapy that helps people heal from emotional pain by using where they look to access deep feelings. It can help with trauma, anxiety, stress, and more. For many, it brings long-lasting relief and personal growth.

To find out more, or set up an appointment for brainspotting, call our main clinic at 701-751-0384 today!