Many people experience distressing memories, anxiety, or physical tension that does not go away with traditional talk therapy. Newer therapies are designed to address the connection between the brain and body, offering alternative paths for healing. Brainspotting therapy is one such method, and it is available in San Diego.
Brainspotting therapy is gaining attention for its unique way of helping people process emotional and physical pain. It is rooted in neuroscience and focuses on how the mind and body store trauma. At California Healing Centers, we integrate brainspotting therapy into our comprehensive trauma-focused treatment programs, recognizing its potential to help individuals access healing that may not be reachable through traditional approaches alone.
The core concept centers on “brainspots” – specific eye positions that connect to areas in the brain where emotional pain or trauma is held. When someone focuses their gaze on a particular spot in their visual field, it can activate neural pathways linked to unprocessed experiences. This brain spotting technique allows the mind to naturally process and release stuck emotions or memories.
During a session, a trained therapist uses a pointer to guide the client’s eyes to different positions. When the therapist and client identify a brainspot, the person maintains their gaze on that position while allowing thoughts, feelings, and body sensations to surface naturally. This process targets the subcortical brain – the deeper regions responsible for emotion, memory, and survival responses.
Key aspects of brainspotting include:
– Eye positioning: Specific gaze directions connect to different brain areas
– Natural processing: The brain processes trauma without forcing verbal discussion
– Body awareness: Physical sensations guide the therapeutic process
– Dual attunement: The therapist stays connected to both the client and the unfolding process
What is brainspotting therapy’s main difference from other approaches? It bypasses the thinking mind and works directly with the brain’s natural healing mechanisms. This makes it particularly effective for people who struggle to talk about their experiences or feel stuck in traditional therapy.
How Brainspotting Works for Trauma and Anxiety
The brainspotting technique works by identifying eye positions that activate these stored trauma responses. Once a brainspot is located, maintaining focus on that position allows the brain to process the trapped material naturally. This happens because eye position directly connects to different neural networks in the brain.
The process typically unfolds in three stages:
– Locating: The therapist helps identify which eye positions trigger emotional or physical responses
– Processing: The client maintains focus while allowing experiences to surface
– Integration: The brain naturally processes and releases the stuck material
During brainspotting sessions, people often experience shifts in their body sensations, emotions, or memories. Some report feeling tension release, while others notice changes in their breathing or heart rate. These responses indicate that the brain is actively processing previously stuck material.
The therapy often incorporates bilateral music – sounds that move rhythmically between the left and right ears through headphones. This brainspotting music helps support the brain’s natural processing abilities and can make the experience feel more grounding and safe
Research on Brainspotting Effectiveness
More recent research from 2022 examined single sessions of different trauma therapies, including brainspotting, EMDR, and body scan meditation. The study found that all three approaches showed beneficial effects in processing distressing memories, with participants reporting reduced emotional intensity related to traumatic experiences.
However, researchers note that brainspotting studies often involve smaller sample sizes compared to more established therapies. While early results suggest the approach can be effective for trauma, anxiety, and depression treatment in San Diego, larger clinical trials are ongoing to further establish its evidence base.
Current research indicates brainspotting may help with:
– Post-traumatic stress: Reducing flashbacks and trauma-related symptoms
– Anxiety disorders: Decreasing physical tension and worry patterns
– Depression: Addressing underlying emotional pain that contributes to mood symptoms
– Chronic pain: Working with the mind-body connection in pain processing
Who Benefits From Brainspotting Treatment
Trauma survivors often find brainspotting helpful because it does not require detailed verbal recounting of traumatic events. Instead, the therapy works with whatever the brain brings up naturally during the process. This makes it accessible for people who struggle to put their experiences into words or feel overwhelmed when discussing trauma directly.
People with chronic anxiety may benefit from brainspotting’s focus on body sensations and nervous system regulation. As a holistic option for anxiety treatment in San Diego, the therapy can help identify and release physical tension patterns that contribute to ongoing worry and stress. Many clients report feeling more grounded and less reactive after brainspotting sessions.
Brainspotting may be particularly helpful for:
– Complex trauma: Multiple traumatic experiences over time
– Childhood trauma: Early experiences that affect adult functioning
– Performance anxiety: Sports, creative, or professional performance blocks
– Grief and loss: Processing difficult emotions around death or major life changes
– Addiction recovery: Addressing underlying trauma that contributes to substance use
At California Healing Centers, we often integrate brainspotting with other therapeutic approaches for individuals dealing with co-occurring mental health and substance use concerns. This combination addresses both the symptoms and the underlying emotional pain that may contribute to addictive behaviors.
What Happens During a Brainspotting Session
The client sits comfortably while the therapist uses a pointer or their finger to guide the person’s eyes to different positions. As the eyes move to various spots, the therapist observes for subtle changes in facial expression, breathing, or body posture that might indicate a brainspot has been located.
Once a brainspot is identified, the client maintains their gaze on that position while paying attention to whatever thoughts, feelings, or sensations arise. The therapist provides gentle support and may occasionally check in, but generally allows the process to unfold naturally without directing or interpreting the experience.
A typical session includes:
– Setup and grounding: Creating safety and explaining the process
– Brainspot identification: Finding the eye position that activates stored material
– Processing time: Maintaining focus while allowing natural brain processing
– Integration: Discussing the experience and any shifts that occurred
Sessions typically last 60-90 minutes, as the processing often takes time to complete naturally. Some people experience immediate shifts in how they feel, while others notice changes over the following days or weeks.
Finding a Qualified Brainspotting Therapist
When looking for a brainspotting therapist, it’s important to verify their credentials and training background. Most qualified practitioners will have completed at least Phase 1 brainspotting training, with many pursuing additional phases and certification.
Questions to consider when choosing a brainspotting therapist:
– Training background: What levels of brainspotting training have they completed?
– Professional license: Are they licensed as a psychologist, counselor, or social worker?
– Experience: How many brainspotting sessions have they facilitated?
– Integration approach: How do they combine brainspotting with other therapeutic methods?
Many therapists who practice brainspotting also have training in related approaches like EMDR, somatic therapy, or trauma-informed care. This broader background can be helpful for creating comprehensive treatment plans that address multiple aspects of healing.
Brainspotting Therapy in San Diego
The therapy is available both as part of our residential treatment programs and through individual sessions. We often combine brainspotting with other therapeutic approaches, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness practices, and medication management when appropriate.
Our San Diego location provides a calm, supportive environment for brainspotting sessions. The facility includes private therapy spaces designed to promote safety and comfort during emotional processing work. This setting allows clients to focus fully on their healing without external distractions or concerns about privacy.
Frequently Asked Questions About Brainspotting Therapy
Some people experience temporary emotional intensity, physical sensations like tingling or fatigue, or vivid dreams after sessions. These responses typically indicate that the brain is actively processing material and usually subside within a day or two.
The number of sessions varies widely based on individual circumstances, with some people experiencing significant shifts in 3-6 sessions while others benefit from longer-term work. Complex trauma often requires more sessions than single-incident trauma.
Brainspotting can be safely combined with psychiatric medications, and many clients continue their medication regimens during therapy. The approach often complements medication by addressing underlying trauma that contributes to symptoms.
Brainspotting uses fixed eye positions rather than moving eye patterns like EMDR, and it relies more on the client’s internal awareness rather than structured protocols. This allows for a more organic processing experience that follows the brain’s natural healing patterns.
Therapists observe subtle physical cues like changes in breathing, facial expressions, or eye movements while guiding the client’s gaze to different positions. The client also reports internal sensations that help identify the most activating eye positions.
Your Next Step Toward Healing
Brainspotting therapy offers a unique approach to processing trauma and emotional pain by working directly with the brain’s natural healing mechanisms. Rather than relying solely on verbal processing, this method allows the deeper parts of the brain to release stored distress through focused attention and body awareness.
The growing research base suggests that brainspotting can be effective for trauma, anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns. Many people find it particularly helpful when traditional talk therapy has not provided complete relief or when they struggle to put their experiences into words.
At California Healing Centers, we integrate brainspotting therapy into comprehensive treatment plans that address the whole person. Our trauma-informed approach recognizes that healing often requires multiple therapeutic methods working together. For those ready to explore new pathways to recovery, brainspotting may offer the breakthrough needed to move beyond stuck patterns and toward lasting healing. Contact us to learn more about how brainspotting therapy can support your journey toward wellness.
Grand, D., Hildebrand, A., & Stemmler, M. (2017). Brainspotting – The efficacy of a new therapy approach for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder in comparison to eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.6092/2282-1619/2017.5.1376
Terpou, B. A., Harricharan, S., McKinnon, M. C., Frewen, P., Jetly, R., & Lanius, R. A. (2019). The effects of trauma on brain and body: A unifying role for the midbrain periaqueductal gray. Journal of Neuroscience Research, 97(9), 1110-1140. https://doi.org/10.1002/jnr.24447
Brainspotting International. (2024). What is Brainspotting? Retrieved from https://brainspotting.com/about-brainspotting/what-is-brainspotting/
Cleveland Clinic. (2024). Brainspotting therapy and how it works. Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials. Retrieved from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/brainspotting-therapy-and-how-it-works
