Brainspotting therapy is a focused type of therapy that helps people work through trauma, anxiety, emotional pain, and distress that may feel difficult to explain with words alone. It is often used when someone feels stuck, overwhelmed, shut down, or caught in the same emotional patterns even after trying to talk through what happened.
The main idea behind Brainspotting is simple: where you look can connect with how you feel. During a session, a trained therapist helps a person find a specific point in their visual field, called a “brainspot.” This point may bring up certain emotions, body sensations, memories, or inner reactions. The therapist then helps the person stay with that experience in a safe and supported way so the brain and body can begin to process it.
Brainspotting was developed by David Grand, Ph.D., in 2003. It grew out of his work with trauma therapy and EMDR, but it is its own approach. Brainspotting is often described as a brain based and body aware therapy because it does not rely only on talking. It pays attention to the nervous system, body sensations, emotional responses, and the way the brain stores distress.
What Is Brainspotting Therapy?
Brainspotting therapy is a mental health treatment approach that uses eye position and focused attention to help people access and process difficult emotional material. Instead of asking someone to explain every part of a painful memory in detail, Brainspotting allows the person to notice what comes up naturally while the therapist provides calm, steady support.
This can be helpful because trauma and emotional pain are not always stored as clear thoughts. Sometimes distress is stored as tension in the body, panic, numbness, shame, anger, fear, or a sense of being unsafe. A person may know logically that they are no longer in danger, but their body may still react as if the threat is happening now.
Brainspotting gives the brain and body space to process those reactions. The goal is not to force a memory to disappear or make someone relive trauma. The goal is to help the nervous system move through what has been stuck.
How Brainspotting Works
A Brainspotting session usually begins with a conversation about what the person wants to work on. This might be a traumatic memory, a painful relationship, anxiety, grief, panic, depression, or a feeling they cannot fully name.
The therapist may ask the person to notice where they feel the issue in their body. For example, someone may feel tightness in their chest, pressure in their throat, heaviness in their stomach, or tension in their shoulders. Then, the therapist slowly guides the person’s eyes across their field of vision, often using a pointer or their hand.
At some point, the person may notice a stronger reaction. Their eyes may naturally pause, their body may shift, or the emotion may become more noticeable. That eye position may be used as the brainspot.
From there, the person focuses on that spot while noticing what comes up. They may experience memories, emotions, body sensations, thoughts, images, or quiet internal shifts. The therapist does not rush the process. Instead, they help the person stay grounded and supported.
Some therapists also use bilateral sound during Brainspotting. This means soft audio moves between the left and right ears through headphones. The purpose is to support focused processing and nervous system regulation.
Why Eye Position Matters
Brainspotting is based on the idea that eye position may connect with deeper parts of the brain involved in emotion, memory, survival responses, and body awareness. Many people have had the experience of looking away when trying to remember something or staring at one point when feeling emotional. Brainspotting uses that natural connection in a more intentional therapeutic setting.
This does not mean the eyes are “magic” or that looking at one spot automatically heals trauma. It means eye position may help activate specific emotional and body based material, giving the brain a doorway into processing something that has been difficult to reach through ordinary conversation.
Research on Brainspotting is still developing. Some studies and clinical reports suggest it may help reduce trauma related distress, anxiety, depression, and symptoms connected to painful memories. However, it is still considered an emerging therapy, and the research base is not as large as it is for approaches like CBT or EMDR.
What Brainspotting May Help With
Brainspotting therapy may be used for many emotional and mental health concerns, especially when distress feels stored in the body or difficult to talk through. People may seek Brainspotting for trauma, PTSD symptoms, anxiety, panic, depression, grief, emotional numbness, attachment wounds, performance anxiety, chronic stress, and difficult childhood experiences.
It may also be helpful for people who feel like they have already talked about their pain many times but still react strongly in certain situations. For example, someone may understand why they feel anxious, but their body still floods with fear. Someone may know a relationship is over, but still feel stuck in grief. Someone may recognize that they are safe now, but still feel tense, guarded, or easily triggered.
Brainspotting does not replace a full mental health treatment plan. For many people, it works best when it is part of a broader approach that may include individual therapy, group therapy, psychiatric support, family support, skill building, and structured care.
At Montare Behavioral Health, this kind of therapy can fit into a larger treatment experience where clients receive support for the whole person, not just one symptom.
Brainspotting and Trauma
Trauma can affect the way a person feels, thinks, sleeps, connects with others, and responds to stress. It can also change how the body reacts to reminders of the past. A sound, smell, tone of voice, facial expression, or place can trigger a strong reaction before the person has time to think clearly.
This is one reason trauma therapy often needs to go deeper than conversation alone. Talking can be powerful, but trauma is not always stored in language. It may be stored in images, sensations, reflexes, emotions, and survival responses.
Brainspotting gives the nervous system a way to work with these deeper reactions. A person does not have to explain every detail perfectly. They can simply notice what is happening inside while the therapist helps them stay present.
For some people, this can feel less overwhelming than retelling the full story. For others, it may bring up strong emotions that need careful support. That is why Brainspotting should be done with a trained mental health professional who understands trauma, pacing, grounding, and emotional safety.
Brainspotting vs. EMDR
Brainspotting and EMDR are often compared because both approaches use eye position or eye movement and are commonly used in trauma treatment. They also both grew from the understanding that trauma can stay stuck in the brain and body.
However, they are not the same.
EMDR usually follows a more structured protocol. It often uses repeated sets of bilateral stimulation while the client focuses on a memory, belief, emotion, and body sensation. Brainspotting is usually more open and focused on a specific eye position. It often allows the client’s internal process to unfold with less verbal direction.
Neither approach is “better” for everyone. Some people prefer the structure of EMDR. Others prefer the quieter, more flexible feel of Brainspotting. A therapist can help determine which approach may fit a person’s needs, symptoms, history, and current stability.
Montare already has helpful education around Brainspotting and EMDR, so this blog can also internally link to the existing Brainspotting vs. EMDR page for readers who want a deeper comparison.
What a Brainspotting Session Feels Like
A Brainspotting session may feel different from traditional talk therapy. There may be some conversation at the beginning, but much of the work happens through focused attention and noticing.
A person may feel waves of emotion. They may feel body sensations shift. They may remember something they had not thought about in a long time. They may cry, feel tired, feel calm, or feel nothing obvious at first. Some people have a clear emotional release. Others notice smaller changes over time.
A good therapist will not force a person to go too fast. Brainspotting should feel supported, contained, and paced. If the experience becomes too intense, the therapist can help the person ground, slow down, and return to the present moment.
After a session, some people feel lighter or calmer. Others may feel emotionally tired. This does not mean something went wrong. Deep processing can take energy. It can help to rest, drink water, avoid overloading the rest of the day, and talk with the therapist about what to expect.
Is Brainspotting Evidence Based?
Brainspotting has promising research, but it is still a newer therapy compared to some longer studied treatments. Early studies have explored Brainspotting for trauma, distressing memories, PTSD symptoms, anxiety, and depression. Some findings suggest it may reduce distress and support emotional processing, but researchers continue to call for more high quality studies.
This matters because mental health treatment should be honest. Brainspotting should not be presented as a guaranteed cure. It should be understood as a promising therapeutic approach that may help some people, especially when delivered by a trained clinician as part of a thoughtful treatment plan.
At Montare Behavioral Health, the goal is not to chase trends. The goal is to use therapies that help clients safely understand themselves, stabilize their symptoms, and build a healthier life.
Who May Be a Good Fit for Brainspotting?
Brainspotting may be a good fit for someone who feels stuck in trauma, anxiety, grief, depression, or emotional pain. It may also be helpful for people who struggle to put their feelings into words or feel disconnected from their body.
Someone may benefit from Brainspotting if they often feel triggered, shut down, tense, emotionally overwhelmed, or unable to move past certain memories. It may also help people who have tried talk therapy but still feel like something deeper has not shifted.
However, Brainspotting is not right for every moment. If someone is in active crisis, feeling unsafe, experiencing severe dissociation, or struggling with symptoms that make it hard to stay grounded, they may need stabilization first. A therapist can help decide when Brainspotting is appropriate.
Brainspotting at Montare Behavioral Health
Montare Behavioral Health provides mental health treatment for people who need more support than a weekly therapy appointment can offer. Many clients come to treatment because they are dealing with trauma, depression, anxiety, mood instability, emotional overwhelm, or patterns that are affecting daily life.
Brainspotting can be one part of that healing process. It can help clients access emotional material in a safe clinical setting while also receiving support through other evidence informed therapies, psychiatric care, group therapy, holistic practices, and structured treatment planning.
Healing is not always about finding the perfect words. Sometimes it is about helping the brain and body finally process what they have been carrying. Brainspotting gives some clients a way to do that with care, patience, and professional support.
If trauma, anxiety, or emotional pain still feels stuck no matter how much you try to move forward, Montare Behavioral Health can help you explore treatment options that fit your needs. You do not have to keep managing it alone.
FAQs About Brainspotting Therapy
What is Brainspotting therapy used for?
Brainspotting therapy is often used for trauma, anxiety, PTSD symptoms, depression, grief, emotional overwhelm, and painful memories. It may also help people who feel stuck in patterns that do not change through talking alone.
Is Brainspotting the same as EMDR?
No. Brainspotting and EMDR are related in some ways, but they are different therapies. EMDR usually follows a more structured protocol with bilateral stimulation. Brainspotting focuses on a specific eye position and allows the client’s internal process to unfold with support.
Does Brainspotting work?
Brainspotting may help some people process trauma and emotional distress, and early research is promising. However, it is still an emerging therapy, so it should not be described as a guaranteed cure. It works best when provided by a trained clinician as part of a full treatment plan.
Do you have to talk about trauma during Brainspotting?
Not always in detail. Some people talk about what happened, while others focus more on emotions, body sensations, or what comes up during the session. A therapist should never force someone to share more than they are ready to share.
Can Brainspotting make you emotional?
Yes, it can. Brainspotting may bring up emotions, memories, or body sensations. A trained therapist helps the person stay grounded and supported so the process does not become overwhelming.
Is Brainspotting safe?
Brainspotting is generally considered safe when practiced by a trained mental health professional. However, people with severe trauma symptoms, dissociation, or active crisis needs may require stabilization before doing deeper trauma processing.
How many Brainspotting sessions do you need?
The number of sessions depends on the person, their symptoms, their history, and their treatment goals. Some people notice changes in a few sessions, while others need longer term support.
Can Brainspotting help with anxiety?
Brainspotting may help with anxiety when the anxiety is connected to trauma, stress, body tension, or unresolved emotional experiences. It can be especially useful when anxiety feels automatic or hard to control through logic alone.
Sources
- D’Antoni, F., Matiz, A., Fabbro, F., & Crescentini, C. (2022). Psychotherapeutic techniques for distressing memories: A comparative study between EMDR, Brainspotting, and Body Scan Meditation. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(3), 1142. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031142
- Horton, L. M., Schwartzberg, C., Goldberg, C. D., Grieve, F. G., & Brdecka, L. E. (2024). Brainspotting: A treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder. International Body Psychotherapy Journal, 22(2), 66–72. https://ibpj.org/issues/articles/Horton%2C%20Schwartzberg%2C%20Goldberg%2C%20Grieve%2C%20Brdecka%20-%20Brainspotting.pdf
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for PTSD. (2024). First RCT of Brainspotting. Clinician’s Trauma Update Online, 18(4). https://www.ptsd.va.gov/publications/ctu_docs/ctu_v18n4.pdf