Developed in 2003 by Dr. David Grand, Brainspotting is a relatively new form of treatment that has been shown to be effective for a variety of conditions, particularly with helping to identify and heal underlying trauma that contributes to anxiety, depression and other behavioral issues. The goal of brainspotting is to bypass conscious thinking to access the deeper, subconscious emotional and body-based parts of the brain to facilitate healing. According to Dr. Grand, “where you look affects how you feel.” With this in mind, therapists using brainspotting techniques help their clients to position their eyes in ways that enable them to target negative emotion. Think this approach may work for you? Contact one of our brainspotting specialists today to try it out.
This mind-body approach to healing trauma is a wonderful tool for enhancing your goals in therapy. I have added this way of working since 2021, completing 72 hours of training in that time. I have been humbled by how it can open up the healing potential that lies in each of us.
— Ellen Tarby, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in Ithaca, NYBrainspotting is one of two neurobased modalities that I augment into talk therapy to reduce anxiety and eliminate trauma responses. Brainspotting helps to reduce physical pain, memories become less painful, negative thought patterns are reduced, improves sleep and increases energy. Safe and Sound Protocol is a sound therapy that reduces anxiety and increases social engagement. Especially helpful to adults with anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, ADD, social anxiety/phobias.
— Cole Huggins, Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Atlanta, GAThe brain and body's natural healing abilities can be accessed through Brainspotting, a focused treatment that facilitates profound healing and growth. Within the safety of the present moment, emotional pain can be reprocessed and released, guided by a certified Brainspotting therapist committed to creating a secure space for transformation.
— Angel Hirsch, Licensed Professional Counselor in Cedar Park, TXBrainspotting (BSP) is a powerful, focused method for treating trauma and other unresolved psychological issues. This unique approach helps you release the psychological blocks that keep you from being your most connected, creative, actualized self. Brainspotting offers deep neurological healing that talk therapy alone often cannot access. This technique gives us a way to access the subcortical brain, the place where emotional and somatic experiences are kept.
— Noelle Benach, Counselor in Baltimore, MDAt this point, I’m mostly only working with new clients who are open to it as a part of our work together because doing therapy without Brainspotting feels a little like doing therapy with my arms tied behind my back. I just can’t help people make the movement we both want them to make with traditional talk therapy. For more information on Brainspotting visit Brainspotting.com or my website.
— PK Foss, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in Portland, ORI have Levels 1 & 2 training to help with somatic movement of stored trauma in the body.
— Jessica Reynolds, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in Santa Cruz, CAI have been trained in Brainspotting and Accelerated Resolution Therapy. Both techniques help those struggling with traumatic events that may be getting in the way of recovery efforts.
— Susan Stader, Addictions Counselor in Asheville, NCBrainspotting feels like one of the most trauma-informed and client led therapy modalities that I have learned thus far. I am excited to offer this type of therapy that makes space for the body's innate ability to heal in order to help process trauma and work through various blocks, whether they be creative or physical.
— Melisa Medalle, Associate Marriage & Family TherapistTrained in Brainspotting Levels 1 and 2 (2022, 2025), I specialize in using this powerful modality to support attachment trauma, autistic women, entrepreneurs, and couples. Brainspotting helps lessen the impact of trauma and improve emotional and somatic regulation, making it especially beneficial for neurodivergent individuals. I integrate it with somatic practices, Parts Work, intuitive approaches, and Gottman Method to help clients find clarity, heal, and thrive.
— Dawn Leprich-Graves, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in Aurora, ILBrainspotting was added to my practice in 2023. I'm trained in level 1 and 2, and nearly certified. While I am admittedly biased, countless times I've witnessed profound and lasting results with this bottom up trauma informed model to deeply and rapidly heal trauma, grief, and complex relational issues. Our eyes are connected to our subcortical brain where trauma is held, as well as our reptilian brain where we go under distress. Go to Brainspotting.com for more information.
— Pujita Latchman, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in Berkeley, CAI began training and certification in Brainspotting in 2020. This modality is in the same family as EMDR, using bilateral stimulation and eye positioning to help reduce activation in our brains and bodies related to specific events or sensations. Brainspotting can also be used to enhance performance for artists and athletes.
— Brandi Solanki, Counselor in Waco, TXBrainspotting is life-changing. Whether focusing on a feeling or an overall traumatic event, brainspotting helps process what our brain is storing and promotes coherence between sympathetic and parasympathetic activation. Trauma can take up a lot of emotional space and it has a way of affecting so many future choices, activities, and relationships. Let's work together to create more space in your life and process the trauma.
— Annie Buxbaum, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in Santa Rosa, CAIn a brainspotting session, a trained therapist guides the client's attention to identify brainspots linked to distress or trauma. These brainspots are typically found through eye positions that correspond to emotional and somatic activation. The therapist helps the client maintain focus on the brainspot, exploring associated thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations.
— Safe Space Counseling Services -Alice Zhao, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in , MDBrainspotting is mind/body approach that can help you connect deeply with the root of where issues are stored in your brain, body and nervous system. It helps you clear issues, ranging from difficult trauma to everyday challenges. It is also very helpful in building positives, such as confidence, relaxation optimal performance, etc.
— Elinor (Elly) Nygren Szapiro, Licensed Professional Counselor in Northwest, ARI am trained in Brainspotting! Brainspotting is a therapeutic approach that targets trauma and emotional issues by identifying and processing brainspots, eye positions correlating with neural activation linked to emotional experiences. It involves focused mindfulness and therapist's guidance to access and release deep-seated emotions, facilitating healing and resolution.
— Julia Hollenbeck, Counselor in Tomball, TXBrainspotting is a powerful and impactful way to process remnants of trauma lodged deeper in our psyches. It utilizes the brain’s innate healing intelligence to “digest” traumatic material that might be harder to access in our everyday states of consciousness -- especially material that might reinforce stuckness in default / reflexive tendencies and habits.
— Jonathan Lee, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in Oakland, CABrainspotting is a treatment approach which helps by identifying, processing, and releasing stored negative or traumatic experiences from the brain to help affected individuals heal from within. BSP is based on the idea that where you look affects how you feel. . I have found Brainspotting to be one of the most effective tools in healing anxiety, depression and trauma. (really any issue you face!) I have seen amazing progress in clients in a shorter amount of time vs. regular talk therapy.
— Chris McDonald, Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Supervisor in Raleigh, NCBirthed out of the practice of EMDR, Brainspotting is a trauma therapy intervention that uses the body’s eye gaze reflex to connect with deep brain processing. I use brainspotting to support clients navigating the effects of ptsd and cptsd, so they may experience release and relief from trauma stored in the body.
— Rye Webber, Creative Art Therapist in Nashville, TN