Brainspotting: A mind-body approach to healing trauma

Brainspotting is an emerging psychotherapeutic technique that connects the mind and body to help process trauma, emotional distress, and deeply stored memories. This innovative method allows clients to access and resolve material that may not be readily available to the conscious mind.

How memory is stored in the body

Not all memories are consciously accessible. Some are stored at a deeper level, manifesting as emotional reactions or physical symptoms rather than explicit recollections. In these cases, individuals may experience intense feelings or bodily responses without understanding their source.

There are several reasons why memories may become deeply embedded in the body:

• Repressed memories: Some experiences may have been too overwhelming at the time they occurred, leading the brain to suppress them for self-protection.
• Overwhelming events: During highly stressful or traumatic incidents - such as accidents - the brain may struggle to process information in real-time, causing fragmented memory storage.
• Pre-verbal experiences: Events that occur before the age of 18 months, including those from birth and even prenatal experiences, are stored in the body rather than the language-based memory system. These early imprints can influence emotional and physiological responses later in life.

How brainspotting works

Brainspotting operates through two key principles that work together to promote healing:

1. The power of the therapeutic relationship

A core component of brainspotting is the relationship between the therapist and client. The process involves attunement, where the therapist carefully guides the client within their window of tolerance - just outside their comfort zone, but still within a manageable level of emotional processing. This trust-based dynamic allows for deep emotional exploration while ensuring a sense of safety and control.

2. Eye position and memory access

The second foundational aspect of brainspotting is the idea that where you look affects how you feel. By guiding the client's gaze to specific positions, a therapist can help access stored trauma, even if the memory is not consciously recalled. This method enables individuals to tap into implicit body memories, unlocking emotions, sensations, and reactions that may have been suppressed or disconnected.

As these memories surface, clients may experience verbal recollections or non-verbal body responses, helping to process and release unresolved trauma. Over time, this can lead to a reduction in distress, emotional relief, and even behavioural changes.