Brainspotting Therapy
Healing Deep Patterns Beyond Words
Brainspotting is a trauma-informed, brain-based approach that helps people process and release emotional pain, overwhelming stress, and stuck patterns that live beneath conscious thinking. It’s especially helpful when talk therapy alone hasn’t led to the relief you’re looking for.
Like many experiences of trauma and overwhelm, our nervous system stores memories and sensations in ways words can’t fully reach. Brainspotting uses your body’s natural wisdom, guided by eye-positioning, to access where emotional experience is held so that processing, regulation, and healing can happen more effectively.
This work isn’t fast or superficial. It’s relational, nervous-system oriented, and grounded in safety and pacing that meets your system where it is.
What Brainspotting Really Is (In Real-Life Language)
Brainspotting is based on how the brain naturally processes experience. Just like some memories surface more clearly when you hear a familiar song or smell a certain scent, emotional and physiological material can be linked to specific focal points in your visual field.
During Brainspotting, we identify these “brainspots” together (areas your eyes rest that connect to where an experience or feeling is held in your nervous system). When we gently stay with that focus, your brain can begin to process what hasn’t yet been fully integrated.
You don’t have to figure everything out verbally. Healing starts from your body’s internal experience.
This approach works well for people who:
feel stuck even after significant talk therapy
have strong bodily reactions to triggers
want relief from trauma, anxiety, or overwhelm
feel blocked from accessing emotions or memory
want support without reliving trauma in detail
Understanding How Brainspotting Supports Healing
Brainspotting acknowledges that emotions, sensations, memories, and protective responses are tied into complex nervous system patterns. When something feels unresolved in your nervous system, your body may continue to react as if the original event is still happening — even if logically you “know” you’re safe.
Brainspotting helps by:
creating a safe, attuned space to track sensations and responses
using your body’s natural attention to guide healing
supporting the nervous system to find new patterns of regulation
helping you feel more grounded, less triggered, and more connected to your experience
Healing isn’t always linear, but many clients notice a shift in how their body, mind, and emotions respond over time.
How a Brainspotting Session Works
A typical Brainspotting session, whether in person or online, may involve the following:
Noticing bodily sensations and emotional responses
Tracking where tension, emotion, or avoidance shows up
Finding a “brainspot” together using your gaze and visual focus
Staying with that spot while noticing what arises
Supporting your nervous system with grounding and pacing. Throughout, your sense of safety and consent sets the pace.
You don’t have to “get it right.” You don’t have to fix anything on the spot. And you never have to go deeper than feels manageable.
What People Often Notice From Brainspotting
Clients often describe experiences such as:
feeling less stuck in emotional patterns
a decrease in the intensity of triggers
increased connection between mind and body
a sense of being seen and understood at a deeper level
relief from or reduction in avoidance, anxiety, or overwhelm
Healing is unique to each person’s story, but many find brainspotting brings a new kind of clarity and ease that talk alone couldn’t provide.
Who This Support is For
You might benefit from Brainspotting if you are:
experiencing unresolved trauma or overwhelm
feeling stuck in old patterns despite therapy
struggling with anxiety, intense reactions, or emotional shutdown
wanting a body-based, nervous system approach
exploring deeper healing beyond words alone
You don’t need to have “all the answers”, you just need the curiosity to explore your experience with care and support.
Brainspotting Therapy FAQ
What is Brainspotting therapy?
Brainspotting is a brain-based, trauma-informed approach that helps access and process experiences stored in the nervous system through focused attention and eye position.
How is it different from talk therapy?
Talk therapy helps make sense of experiences, but Brainspotting helps resolve where the experience lives in the body and nervous system, even before words arise.
Can Brainspotting help anxiety, trauma, or overwhelm?
Yes, it’s often used for trauma, anxiety, nervous system dysregulation, and emotional blocks that don’t fully respond to talk alone.
Do I have to relive painful memories?
No, you are always in control, and Brainspotting doesn’t require detailed recounting of painful events. It works with your brain’s natural processing.
Can Brainspotting be done virtually?
Yes. Many clients find that virtual Brainspotting works very well over secure telehealth. You’ll be in a private, comfortable space, and we’ll use visual focus and your bodily experience just as we would in person.
Is virtual Brainspotting as effective as in-person?
For many people, yes. Effectiveness depends on feeling safe, having a stable internet connection, and an attuned therapeutic connection—not on the physical room.
How does a virtual session work?
We meet on a secure video link. You’ll position your device so you can see and be seen comfortably. I’ll guide you to notice where sensations and responses show up, help you find your brainspot visually, and support your nervous system with attuned presence.
Do I need special tech or tools?
No, just a private, quiet space, a device with a camera and microphone, and stable internet. We’ll talk through setup so you feel prepared.
What if I feel overwhelmed during virtual work?
We’ll pause, ground, and slow the pace together. Brainspotting follows your system’s cues, not a predetermined agenda.
How many Brainspotting sessions will I need?
There’s no set number. Some people notice shifts quickly; others integrate Brainspotting into ongoing therapeutic work. We’ll review progress together and adjust the plan based on your goals.
Is Brainspotting safe?
Yes, when guided by a trained, trauma-informed therapist. We prioritize your safety, pace, and nervous system regulation throughout.
Can Brainspotting be combined with other therapy?
Absolutely. It fits well with therapy focused on relationships, nervous system regulation, attachment, and daily life challenges.