Brainspotting May Help Reprocess Trauma and Painful Emotions

The author of Decide Now: The Good Life or the Best Life, L. Jay Mitchell writes about the power of self-discovery to help individuals overcome obstacles and live with greater purpose. L. Jay Mitchell also works with individuals and small groups to develop creative problem-solving strategies. He is certified in the Brainspotting technique, a therapeutic modality that aims to integrate conscious and unconscious brain functions.

According to creator David Grand, Brainspotting (BSP) can help people access and process trauma and negative emotions. Increasingly, researchers believe that trauma is stored in the body. To reprocess traumatic memories, BSP therapists use a pointer to guide the patient’s gaze until they find a “brainspot,” an eye position that activates a painful emotion or memory.

Once they have found the appropriate eye position, the therapist focuses on “dual attunement,” which involves attention to the trauma's physical and emotional impact. In Dr. Grand’s research, achieving a locked eye position enabled patients, including 9/11 survivors, to experience a powerful release of memory and emotion. The technique likely works in the limbic system, the brain structures that govern memory, emotion, cognition, and other factors related to well-being.