BRAINSPOTTING
Honolulu, Hawaii

What is Brainspotting?

Research tells us trauma is “stored” in the body and that it can be challenging to access simply by talking about it. BSP is based on the premise that stored emotions like grief, shame, guilt, or anger can be activated or triggered at a certain eye position. This is where the term "brainspot" comes from.

For more on the connection between the eye-mind connection, check out this article.

How does Brainspotting help?

BSP helps to release stored emotions so healing can occur by stimulating the part of your brain in charge of memory, emotion, and body sensation.

Where you look affects how you feel. - Dr. David Grand

BSP is meant to reduce the activation you experience around past or current events in your life. This way, you can think about experiencing less of the emotional and physical reactions (anger, fear, racing heartbeat.) While BSP does not make memories go away, the hope is that they will become more tolerable.

Who can Brainspotting help?

Brainspotting (BSP) was discovered in 2003 by Dr. David Grand from his work with EMDR. BSP can be beneficial for all types of trauma. For additional videos, research articles, and podcasts, please see the Rocky Mountain Brainspotting Institute.

In addition to the benefits for trauma, BSP is also useful in the treatment of:

Anxiety
Depression
Anger
Phobia
Grief
Pain

In addition, BSP is also helpful in addressing blocks for athletes, performers, and other creatives.

What can I expect from a Brainspotting session?

With the aid of a pointer, you’ll slowly move your eyes across your field of vision to find brain spots that correspond to the issue. We’ll work together to find an eye position that correlates to the "felt sense" of an emotional experience, memory, or symptom. Sometimes the client locates the "brainspot", and sometimes it is identified when I notice reflexive responses (eye twitches, wobbles, freezes, blinks, facial or body tics, or other movements.) Once the "brainspot" is found, you’ll hold that eye position and focus on the somatic or sensory experience of the symptom or problem. As you maintain the eye position, the deep brain processes and releases the stored negative energy. You can tell me as little or as much about your trauma as you feel comfortable.

How do I set up a Brainspotting session via telehealth?

You’ll need to have both your computer and your phone for your session.

Log into our session via your computer and run our session through your computer’s speakers.
Connect your phone to your AirPods or other headphones to stream bilateral sounds. All types of headphones work, except for the noise-canceling kind.

What are bilateral sounds?

You’ll use your phone to stream bio-lateral sounds. Bilateral input, either gentle music or nature sounds, travel from ear and ear and vary in volume in order to activate each hemisphere of the brain.

Bio-lateral music was created by Dr. David Grand, the developer of Brainspotting, and is used as a part of BSP therapy. These sounds are intended to be played through headphones at a very low volume. Many people find it calming both during and outside of BSP sessions.