Have you sensed the tension of physical or emotional pain lately? Perhaps it is still difficult for you to recover from an injury or an accident that makes you feel helpless, or you are dealing with the effects of any kind of trauma.
These experiences can be lonely and difficult. Some people experience trouble understanding what they have experienced, which is normal to need help in the form of Emotionally focused therapy.
What is brainspotting therapy?
‘What is brainspotting therapy?’ It’s a question many people ask when exploring innovative approaches to mental health treatment.
The therapy offers a focused and compassionate approach to healing. It invites us to connect with the deeper layers of our brain and body, allowing us to process and release trauma stored within.
Our brains have specific areas that encode the memories of harm, distress, or other psychological problems. These stored memories can cause mere discomfort or disharmony in an individual’s life, but brain spotting seeks to assist an individual in retrieving them.
What sets brain spotting apart from other techniques is that it is based on the notion of somatization, according to which physical and psychological symptoms are interconnected.
What You Need to Know About Brainspotting Therapy?
This brainspotting technique has been realized by David A. Grand, clinical psychologist and certified Brainspotting instructor, and has let itself be appreciated for its astounding effectiveness in numerous emotional and psychological disorders treatments.
In a brain spotting therapy process, the patient and the therapist focus on a so-called ‘brainspot,’ which is the point in the patient’s field of vision that corresponds with the part of the brain that stores the particular trauma or a painful effect.
This is because by directing attention to this brainspot, the patient is able to unlock the stored emotions and start on the path to a healthy recovery.
It is important to be able to identify the brainspots. There are two methods used to help identify these areas of connection: “inside windows” and “outside windows.
Inside Windows
Inside Windows rely on the patient to explain how they feel during their test. The therapist observes the patient’s eyes while they focus on one or both eyes. If the patient is showing any new change of feeling or behavior, the therapist will ask the patient to tell how they feel or experience.
Outside Windows
Movements that are easily observed and are known as the outside window include eye blinking or twitching, all of which are manifestations of dreaming. Even if such changes are as minor as they can be, they give a clearer picture of the overall mood and psychological profile.
What Disorders May Brainspotting Be Utilized to Treat?
While the foundation of brainspotting and studies surrounding it are focused on trauma, it may be useful in treating other specific disorders as well. Some of the most common include:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Anxiety disorders
- Depression
- Phobias
How Does Brainspotting Therapy Work?
Brainspotting therapy operates on a natural phenomenon by helping the patients focus and release a wide range of emotional and bodily-based conditions. This brain-based tool not only consolidates the therapy relationship but also activates self-scanning and healing mechanisms.
If you feel pressure at your brainspot, then it gets a kind of snapshot impulse to the deep brain, which indicates that the origin of the problem has been located.
Also, the method can be used to learn and develop, employing the innate strengths of persons and communities. It deals with finding and strengthening natural resources.
It is proposed to be utilized as multifunctional therapeutic equipment that can be a part of many therapy concepts. Along with BioLateral Sound CDs.
What is brainspotting therapy used for?
Brain spot therapy is an efficient, concentrated therapy approach developed to aid individuals in getting rid of numerous sorts of concealed feelings and physical and psychological traumas.
This technique is applicable to a broad range of conditions and objectives, such as:
Trauma and PTSD
- Support individuals for the locked-in pains that reside in their minds.
- It is effective in addressing traumatic situations.
Anxiety and Stress
- The therapy helps reduce generalized anxiety and panic attacks.
- It also facilitates a deeper understanding of sadness and hopelessness.
Chronic Pain and Somatic Disorders
- The chronic pains that are linked to emotional distress are alleviated.
- It also targets body-based symptoms related to unresolved traumas.
Addiction Recovery
- BSP helps individuals address their emotional and psychological traumas.
- It supports relapse prevention by relieving triggers and stressors.
Relationship Challenges
- It also helps in resolving issues and emotional wounds.
- It also improves the regulation of communication skills.
What are the downsides of Brainspotting?
There are two main risks when it comes to brainspotting: relapse and rapid onset of mental disorders. Since brainspotting taps into the portion of the brain where unprocessed trauma may be, it can result in strong emotions.
Relapse
- Recovering from some past traumas can trigger BSP and lead to relapse.
Rapid Onset of Mental Disorders
- The therapy can trigger recall of those memories, like when one opens a newly formed wound. This may lead to an increase in anxiety, depression, or other mental health conditions.
Emotional Overwhelm
- The emotions resulting from the access to unmet needs can reach an intensity that may not be healthy for the affected persons and decrease their chances of recovery.
What Brainstopping Therapy Session May Look Like?
There will always be a therapist to guide you but most of the time it is self-directed. You will start with some relaxing breathing and listening to bilateral sound music.
With the help of a professional therapist, you can find your brainspot or where your eyes naturally focus when the physical distress is strongest.
The therapist may take either an outside window or the inside window approach to observe the patient’s gaze and their eye movements.
From this point, your therapist will focus on the feelings coming up as you stick with this brainspot area.
It’s totally okay to take some time to come up with your thoughts, how you feel, and what your feelings may mean. At the end of the session, you will again rate your level of distress.
Get Emotionally Healed with Therapy Thrives
When the therapist accesses a brainspot, the client experiences the distress that is associated with it. To cope with that stress. Consult Shirley today!
We’d be happy to talk to you.
