What Is Brainspotting and How Can It Help You?

Some experiences are too deep, early or wordless to resolve through talking alone. Brainspotting offers another way in. It is a therapy designed to work directly with where pain actually lives in the brain and body rather than asking you to explain it first.

What is it?

Trauma therapist David Grand discovered brainspotting in 2003 when he stumbled upon it during an EMDR session. He found that holding a gaze at a specific point in the visual field, known as a “brainspot,” helped clients process difficult material more deeply than talk therapy alone. (Limestone Clinic)

Why it works

Trauma is not just stored as memory. It lives as physical responses in the subcortical brain and the limbic system, which governs emotion and survival. Brainspotting bypasses the thinking brain to access these deeper regions directly, reaching emotional and physical experiences that cognitive approaches often miss. (Chateau Recovery / Augustin Kendall Therapy)

What the research shows:

• In a pilot study, PTSD symptoms dropped within just three brainspotting sessions, with most clients seeing major benefits. (Brainspotting.com)

• Clients reported a 50% reduction in trauma symptoms after completing treatment. (Harper Clinic Utah)

• A 2023 study comparing brainspotting to CBT in PTSD clients found that only the brainspotting group continued improving after treatment ended. (Authenticity Associates)

• Sustained PTSD improvements have been shown over a six-month follow-up period. (Limestone Clinic)

Who it helps

Anxiety, depression, chronic pain, performance anxiety, addiction, grief and loss are all areas where brainspotting shows meaningful results. A 2022 study even found athletes who used it showed improved performance, reduced anxiety and greater confidence. (Jennifer McPherson Counseling / Limestone Clinic / Authenticity Associates)

Taking the next step

Healing does not always look the way we expect it to. Sometimes it is quieter, slower and more body-based than we have been taught to believe is possible. Brainspotting meets you where you are, with no perfect words required and no need to have it all figured out first.

If any of this resonates with you, reaching out is a simple and worthwhile first step. You deserve support that goes as deep as what you have been carrying.

This is educational content, not medical advice. Consult a licensed mental health professional to determine what is right for you.

Sources: Limestone Clinic, Chateau Recovery, Augustin Kendall Therapy, Brainspotting.com, Harper Clinic Utah, Authenticity Associates and Jennifer McPherson Counseling.