Treatments are always changing and advancing. For example, brainspotting therapy is a treatment that is relatively new to the world of mental health. New therapies can cause both excitement and skepticism among patients and providers. Over time, therapies tend to fade away or be accepted as standard fare. Brainspotting, like all therapies, has strengths and limitations and may provide much-needed help for people suffering from a variety of disorders.

Brainspotting therapy is a focused treatment that is implemented by a therapist. It is meant to get to the core of emotional and physical issues. Brainspotting has not been studied for very many years but has been shown to have a positive result in treatment and recovery. Clearview aims to provide the newest safe forms of treatment available in the mental health field.

What Is Brainspotting Therapy?

According to a study published in Medical Hypotheses, ” Brainspotting is a psychotherapy based on the observation that the body activation experienced when describing a traumatic event has a resonating spot in the visual field. Holding the attention on that Brainspot allows the processing of the traumatic event to flow until the body activation has cleared.”

A “brainspot” is a physical reaction, such as eye location or movement, involuntary physical movements, or reflexive facial expression. Brainspots are observed during the emotional activation of a traumatic or emotionally charged issue within the brain. The process of finding a brainspot happens outside of the patient’s conscious awareness and is monitored by the therapist. It is done with bilateral sounds playing to stimulate the deep brain during the process. The therapy works to identify, process, and release core sources of pain, trauma, and dissociation. As it activates trauma that may not be consciously known, it is both a form of diagnosis and treatment.

The goal of brainspotting is to locate the brainspot or moment of activation of trauma or pain. A therapies then will work to alleviate the feeling that was unearthed, which will facilitate healing in the deep brain. Brainspotting taps into the brain’s innate ability to heal itself. It is believed that each time the discomfort is alleviated, a person is getting closer to the reflexive core, which treats the underlying feelings.

Who Is Brainspotting Therapy Suited For?

This therapy is good for anyone with underlying pain or trauma that they need to resolve. It is an effective new form of therapy that may be beneficial to someone who has tried other forms of therapy. Oftentimes if someone has tried multiple types of therapy without relief, they can feel discouraged and like they won’t be able to recover. This is why researching and advancing new therapies is so important.

More and more therapists are being trained in this new form of therapy, which may be the right next step for someone who has suffered for a while. While this therapy is new, there are multiple types of people it can help. Brainspotting has been found to be beneficial to those suffering from trauma, physical pain, and dissociation.

Disorders It Can Help

Brainspotting can be especially helpful in limiting the symptoms of various dissociative or trauma-based disorders. This therapy works by identifying the unseen connections between triggers and trauma. The therapeutic work is meant to ultimately alleviate subconscious triggers. What’s more, brainspotting can reduce or eliminate bodily pains as well.

Brainspotting is helpful in cases of:

  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Dissociative disorders
  • Attachment disorders
  • Anxiety
  • Chronic pain
  • Major depressive disorder (MDD)

Benefits and Limitations of Brainspotting Therapy

This treatment can be compared to eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), but it is different as it does not require the active reliving of trauma. A study published in the Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology stated that brainspotting was more effective in the treatment of PTSD than EMDR was. This treatment can be beneficial due to not having to go step-by-step through repressed memories. Instead, it works toward relieving pain through subconscious deep brain activation.

The risks of brainspotting may include in some cases relapse and rapid onset of mental disorders or symptoms. This is because brainspotting taps into the portion of the brain that houses unprocessed trauma. Uncovering these traumas can cause strong emotions for some patients. It is important to only do brainspotting with a licensed provider in therapy or at a program like the one at Clearview Horizon Girls Academy.

Oftentimes therapy can be difficult, while one is working through repressed emotions and trauma. This work can have great benefits in various areas of someone’s life but it can be hard for people to endure. That’s why it is important to have trust in the clinical relationship and process. Therapeutic intervention can be a journey, but in the end, the progress made is worth it.

Therapy and treatment can feel like a difficult journey, especially if things that worked previously are not working as well as they used to. Patients may feel disappointed or discouraged, but there is always research being done and new information being published. Brainspotting therapy is a newer form of therapy that works to relieve pain, emotional or physical, that is repressed deep into the mind. Clinical therapists form relationships built on trust with their patients, which can allow for deeper work. Learning about new forms of therapy and treatment options can better assist someone in getting the help they need. If your loved one could benefit from learning more, get in contact with Clearview at 866-584-4788.