Brainspotting at Birthstone Trauma Healing

In addition to EMDR, you can receive a powerful form of therapy called Brainspotting. This intuitive,  therapy allows us to collaborate to locate a specific spots within your window of vision that hold physical and emotional activation. These Brainspots act as doors into the subcortical regions of the brain. Like EMDR, this is another unique and beautiful way your body is set up to heal. We pair your awareness of physical and emotional distress around specific issues, traumas, memories and concerns with mindful focus on these spots, and it is incredible what can happen. Brainspotting is a way to access and work with nonverbal trauma, and ways your nervous system holds traumatic content that may not be connected to words, images and memories. It is an incredible way to work with what you may intuitively feel, but not explicitly know. 

Brainspotting vs. EMDR... to me, these two modalities are siblings, living in the same home, sharing mannerisms, abilities and origins, but uniquely different. Both are incredible tools that allow for access to our innate healing mechanism. Both reach into subcortical functioning and assist trauma survivors with building safety in their nervous systems and resolving trauma. But every nervous system is different. Both modalities can be integrated with other forms of somatic and attachment approaches to trauma and dissociation. As we engage in assessment and connection together, we'll collaborate to identify whether EMDR or Brainspotting would be a better fit for the unique way you process the world in you and the world around you. I am also trained to integrate Biolateral music with Brainspotting, which can give you the best of both worlds. 

Generally speaking, Brainspotting can be adapted to many different presentations of trauma and distress, from mild emotional discomfort to severe complex trauma. I am equipped and trained to work with dissociation, and there are ways to adapt both EMDR and Brainspotting to assist those whose nervous systems protect them in this beautiful way. At all times, we are evaluating what needs to happen for you to feel safer and safer in yourself and in your life. This will impact how we adapt these deeper interventions. 

Brainspotting looks different for everyone, and is less scripted than EMDR. We generally start with identifying an issue, concern or trauma on which to focus. We assess the nature and level of physical and emotional distress paired with the situation, and then locate the Brainspot. I use a pointer, and we locate the vision point that feels most connected to the situation. Then we mindfully and quietly hold space together as you focus on this spot. Some people share what comes up for them, while some sit in the quiet, trusting that they are in the right place. I watch and wait with you, assisting as needed as the work happens. As your experience of distress and symptoms change, we continue to explore and hold space, allowing for more layers of access to subcortical content and healing. 

 I recommend taking a look at the video below for more context!