What Is Brainspotting? A Somatic Approach to Healing Trauma
When talk therapy feels like it’s not quite getting to the root of things—when symptoms linger, or you feel stuck in emotional patterns you can’t talk your way out of—it may be time to explore a deeper, more body-centered modality. That’s where Brainspotting comes in.
Brainspotting (BSP) is an effective brain-based therapeutic technique designed to help people locate, process, and release deeply held trauma, emotional and somatic pain, and limiting core beliefs. It works to target the central nervous system, which means it can access parts of your experience that might be beyond the reach of the conscious mind and therefore, traditional talk therapy.
How Brainspotting Works
At the heart of Brainspotting is the idea that "where you look affects how you feel." Specific eye positions—called brainspots—are linked to the storage of unprocessed trauma or emotional pain in the brain and body.
A brainspot is essentially a gateway: it’s an eye position that activates a specific emotional or energetic charge in the brain. These spots are believed to represent a physiological "holding pattern"—a kind of stuck memory or experience that’s waiting to be processed and released.
By locating and gently focusing on these brainspots, Brainspotting helps the nervous system discharge unresolved trauma, make space for new insights, and support healing from the inside out.
What to Expect in a Brainspotting Session
A Brainspotting session is less about doing and more about noticing. A trained therapist will guide you in scanning your visual field to observe for subtle reflexive responses—like blinking, eye twitches, shifts in breathing, or changes in body posture—as you explore a particular issue or emotion.
As you settle into a brainspot, you may experience a flow of sensations, images, thoughts, emotions, memories, or realizations. There’s no need to interpret or make sense of what comes up. In fact, the encouragement is to maintain an attitude of curiosity, allowing your system to do what it needs to do, without forcing, analyzing, or judging the experience.
Many clients find this process to be deeply validating and even transformative—especially those who’ve felt trapped in cycles of trauma, self-doubt, or emotional numbness. Brainspotting is an invitation to trust your body’s wisdom and allow healing to happen at the pace and depth that your nervous system is ready for.
Why Choose Brainspotting?
Brainspotting is especially helpful if you:
Feel “stuck” in traditional therapy
Struggle with anxiety, PTSD, depression, or chronic emotional patterns
Experience physical symptoms related to trauma or stress
Want to go beyond talking and engage the body in the healing process
Are working through creative or performance blocks
It’s a gentle, non-invasive approach that honors your inner experience and supports integration on a deep, somatic level.
Final Thoughts
Brainspotting is more than a technique—it’s a relationship between therapist, client, and the body’s natural capacity to heal. It reminds us that we don’t always need to “figure it out” with words. Sometimes, we just need to pause, focus, and let our nervous system do the work it already knows how to do.
If you're curious about Brainspotting and whether it might be right for you, reach out to us. We’re here to support your journey toward embodied healing.