Brainspotting
Brainspotting is a gentle yet powerful brain-body therapy that helps us access the deeper, often unspoken layers of our emotional and somatic experience. It works by identifying “brainspots” — eye positions that correlate with the activation of traumatic or unresolved experiences held in the subcortical brain. By mindfully holding attention on these spots with the support of a trained practitioner, the body and brain are given the space to process, release, and integrate what’s been stuck — often far beneath our conscious awareness.
Developed by Dr. David Grand, Brainspotting is rooted in neuroscience and draws on the brain’s natural ability to heal itself. What makes it unique is how it bypasses the analytical mind and taps into the body’s innate wisdom, supporting us in healing from trauma, grief, anxiety, and performance blocks — not by talking about them, but by feeling our way through.
In my practice, Brainspotting often weaves seamlessly with Internal Family Systems (IFS), somatic awareness, and energy-based work like Reiki. It allows for an intuitive, non-linear path toward transformation, particularly for those who have already done a lot of talking in therapy and are looking for a different kind of access point. Many clients find Brainspotting to be a deeply regulating and resourcing experience — one that can evoke emotional release, spaciousness, and an increased sense of presence.
Whether you are working through pain point, navigating a creative block, or seeking to deepen your self-understanding, Brainspotting can be a potent ally on the path. It honors that healing happens not just through words, but through felt experience — and that sometimes, the body remembers what the mind cannot yet articulate.
What to Expect in a Brainspotting Session
A Brainspotting session begins by creating a sense of safety and grounding. We start with a conversation about what’s present for you — this could be an emotional pattern, a physical sensation, a memory, or something more diffuse like anxiety, tension, or a sense of feeling stuck. From there, we explore where you feel this in your body and how your system might want to approach it.
Using a pointer or your natural gaze, we gently locate a “brainspot” or “gazespot” — an eye position that connects with the felt sense or activation in your body. This is not about performing or pushing through anything. You are invited to stay with your internal experience while I hold the space with attunement, presence, and support. Some clients may notice shifts in sensation, emotion, or imagery. Others feel quiet, still, or spacious. Every session unfolds uniquely.
Brainspotting can be integrated into your ongoing psychotherapy or offered as a stand-alone modality. Sessions typically last 75 minutes to allow time for settling, integration, and closure.