Brainspotting (BSP)

Do you miss the activities you used to enjoy?

Maybe you recall the time when you used to enjoy hiking in the Colorado sunshine, dining out with friends, spending time with family, or simple joys like playing with your dog or lounging in a hammock. Now, you find yourself needing to muster up the energy to get out of bed and push through your day.

Tired of Restless Nights?

Do you find yourself physically drained by the end of the day, but when your head hits the pillow, your mind goes into overdrive? Tossing and turning, your thoughts race, making it impossible to unwind. The result? A cycle of exhaustion that leaves you relying on caffeine and supplements just to get through the day. Unfortunately, these quick fixes only offer temporary relief.

This lack of quality sleep affects more than just your energy—it impacts your mood, focus, and ability to enjoy the things you normally love. If you’re ready to break free from this cycle and reclaim your rest, we’re here to help.

Many people struggle to find enjoyment and get restful sleep after experiencing trauma and loss

It’s not uncommon for people who have experienced trauma or loss begin to feel symptoms of grief, while they are continuing with their typical daily routines. These events are not always when we lose someone to death, it can be a sudden change that has occurred that creates a disconnection or emotional rupture. Some symptoms are obvious such as bouts of crying or sadness, but other symptoms are held in the body and go unnoticed until they experience something that seems out of the ordinary. These things don’t seem like “a big deal” but collectively they begin to add up and you find yourself discouraged, anxious, or not sleeping well.

When we think of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, we often associate it with soldiers or major traumatic events. However, the symptoms of PTSD can affect anyone who has experienced life events that create emotional ruptures.

A national sample of US adults found that 93% of participants who met the criteria for PTSD reported experiencing at least one type of sleep disturbance. (Milanak, et al., 2019). Other studies have shown that early life trauma can have lasting effects on sleep as well (Brindle et al., 2019).

Sometimes, the impact of these events is not immediately apparent, and it may feel like the symptoms emerge out of nowhere. Many people struggle to regain joy in life and restore healthy sleep patterns. If this sounds familiar, know that you’re not alone. Healing and reclaiming your well-being is possible and Brainspotting may be exactly what you need.

The Power of Brainspotting: A Path to Healing

The good news is that Brainspotting offers a powerful way to address the root causes of pain in both the brain and body. By helping release the emotions that became trapped after a traumatic event, loss or life disruption, Brainspotting can provide a faster and more effective solution compared to traditional talk therapy.

This innovative approach taps directly into the brain’s processing centers, allowing for deeper emotional healing and faster results.

Just what is Brainspotting? Unlock trauma and get back to the life you want to enjoy

Brainspotting (BSP) is a therapeutic technique developed by Dr. David Grand in 2003. It is based on the idea that where you look affects how you feel. By identifying "brainspots"—specific eye positions that correlate with deeply held trauma or emotions in the body—Brainspotting helps clients access and process unresolved psychological distress at a deep, neurological level.

If you ever felt stuck in therapy or found EMDR helpful, but you still have lingering pieces that cannot seem to release, Brainspotting can be a powerful tool to help. It is an evidence-based, neuroscience approach to healing trauma, anxiety and emotional pain.

What to Expect in a Brainspotting Session

When you first begin Brainspotting, you'll work closely with your counselor to identify a specific event, emotion or behavioral pattern that has caused you to feel sad, anxious, depressed or disconnected from the things you once enjoyed. This could be anything that has altered your ability to experience life the way you once did.

Once you’ve chosen the issue to focus on, the counselor will assess your emotional response and how you feel the emotion in your body. This step is part of a somatic approach that highlights the connection between the brain and the body.

Next, the therapist will guide you to track your scope of vision, determining where, in your visual field, you feel the strongest emotional activation. Brainspotting uses a wand to pinpoint the specific “Brainspot” along horizontal and vertical axes in your field of view. Once located, you’ll focus your eyes on that spot, which helps facilitate deeper processing.

In a typical Brainspotting session, the therapist speaks sparingly. The focus is to help you stay in your emotional brain, rather than your thinking brain, to allow for deeper emotional healing. You can choose to share your experience during the session or remain silent. The counselor will pay close attention to your body’s cues—like tears, physical discomfort or even signs of temporary anxiety—as these are often indicators of emotional processing.

A typical session lasts around 30-40 minutes, followed by 10 minutes of mindfulness exercises to help you leave the session feeling calm and grounded.

How is Brainspotting different from talk therapy?

Unlike traditional talk therapy, which primarily engages the thinking mind, Brainspotting works with the deeper, subconscious regions of the brain where trauma is stored in the emotional and feeling mind. Rather than just talking through the issue, Brainspotting creates a safe space for your body to relax and process the trauma, gently accessing the areas that need healing.

Brainspotting is a body-based therapy that integrates the body’s natural responses to stress and trauma. By addressing the trauma stored in the nervous system, it helps release emotional blockages, allowing you to let go of anxiety, sadness, and other unresolved feelings. This process can lead to improved sleep, emotional balance, and the ability to enjoy the activities you once did.

Is Brainspotting the same as EMDR?

Brainspotting is unique. While both Brainspotting and EMDR work by accessing areas of the brain and body through the field of vision, they are distinct techniques. EMDR targets a specific memory, often focusing on a core, earlier experience. In contrast, Brainspotting doesn’t use a specific target but rather starts with an issue and allows the brain to move in the direction it needs. The belief behind Brainspotting is that the body is intuitive and knows where healing is needed.

“Will I have side effects?” Brainspotting is gentle and non-invasive. Since each person’s nervous system and experience is unique, your therapist will keep attuned to any discomfort you may experience and help you regulate.

Learn more about why so many people have found faster healing with the power of Brainspotting. Start here to book for your first Brainspotting intake appointment. Your counselor will explain the step-by-step procedures and help you understand more about how Brainspotting can aid in your healing process. You will learn how this effective therapeutic method can help you overcome obstacles and enhance your emotional health.

What is the counselor’s role in a Brainspotting session?

The counselor’s role is to remain compassionately attuned to the client’s needs, creating a safe and supportive space for healing. Through this process, clients are empowered to recognize that their emotions and experiences are valid, fostering a sense of acknowledgment and self-acceptance. Brainspotting not only helps individuals process past trauma, but also teaches them to trust their own body’s ability to heal, ultimately leading to profound transformation and growth.

Find the Healing and Peace you’ve been looking for with Brainspotting

If you are ready for healing through the revolutionary approach of Brainspotting, contact us today an begin your healing journey by phone at (970) 541- 9066 or by email.

We look forward to partnering with you on your journey toward a more peaceful, confident life. 

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References

Brindle, R., Cribbet, M., Samuelsson, L., Gao, C., Frank, E., Krafty, R., Thayer, J., Buysse, D., Hall, M. (2019). The relationship between childhood trauma and poor sleep health in adulthood. Biopsychosocial Science and Medicine, 80 (2): 200-207. https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0000000000000542

Milanak, M., Zuromski, K., Cero, I., Wilkerson, A., Resnick, H., & Kilpatrick, D. (2019). Traumatic event exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder, and sleep disturbances in a national sample of U.S. adults. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 32 (1), 14-22. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22360