Science of Brainspotting

Brainspotting is a brain-body therapy that helps access the deep parts of the brain where trauma, emotion, and memory are stored—beyond what talk therapy alone can reach.

Discovered by Dr. David Grand in 2003, Brainspotting is based on the idea that where you look affects how you feel. By holding your gaze on a “brainspot”—a specific eye position linked to emotional activation—you can process unresolved experiences and emotional blocks.

This method taps into the subcortical brain, where trauma lives—not just the thinking mind (prefrontal cortex). This allows your body to release what’s been stuck, often without needing to retell or reanalyze the story.

Brainspotting integrates well with nervous system regulation, polyvagal theory, and attachment-based approaches. It’s gentle, focused, and effective for a wide range of issues—from trauma and anxiety to performance blocks and chronic stress.

What Sessions Are Like

Brainspotting sessions are a little different from traditional talk therapy. They’re quieter, slower, and more focused on what’s happening inside your body than what’s happening in your mind.

We’ll start by identifying a topic or feeling you want to explore—this could be a recent trigger, a lingering emotional pattern, or something from the past that still affects you today. Using a pointer, I’ll guide you to find a “brainspot”—a place in your visual field that activates the emotional charge in your body.

Then, we let your brain and body do the work. You might feel waves of emotion, notice physical sensations, or experience insights as things begin to shift. You don’t need to talk the whole time—this is your space to be with whatever comes up, safely and gently.

I’m there with you every step of the way, helping you stay grounded, curious, and supported. We end each session by integrating what came up and making space for your nervous system to settle.

How Can It Help You?

Brainspotting can help when you’ve tried everything else—and still feel stuck.

Because it works directly with the brain and body, it can reach emotional pain stored below conscious awareness. Many people find it especially helpful for:

• Childhood trauma and attachment wounds

• Anxiety, panic attacks, and chronic stress

• Emotional numbness, shutdown, or dissociation

• Negative core beliefs like “I’m not enough” or “I’m too much”

• PTSD and complex trauma

• Grief and loss

• Narcissistic abuse recovery

• Feeling disconnected from your body or emotions
  

Whether you’re navigating a specific issue or feeling overwhelmed without a clear “why,” Brainspotting helps bring clarity, relief, and deeper self-connection—so you can move through life with more ease and resilience.