Brainspotting an emerging mind body psychotherapeutic technique

Brainspotting is a relatively new body-mind approach within psychotherapy by that, it means it works on material which is not necessarily available to the conscious mind of the client information that can sometimes be processed non verbally and information in some cases that can be brought into. Introspective memory. To look at this it's important to understand how some of our memory is stored at a level where it is shown in an emotional reaction and bodily reflex but is not available as a memory. In this state the body may have symptoms and reactions and intense feelings but for no apparent reason.

Whilst some of this body memory material could possibly be repressed memory as is was unpalatable at the time of being laid down some of it may simply have been laid down when we were unable to cope because we were in a stressful situation in which things either happened too quickly for our minds to cope with the information (such as in an accident) yet one other example of a memory laid down at a deep bodily level are experiences that happened to us before 18 months before the conscious memory storing and language-based part of the brain developed - amazingly this also includes the experiences we had in birth possibly right back to a few weeks after conception.

There are two aspects to brainspotting together creating a dual attainment

The first aspect is for a therapeutic relationship and attunement of the therapist to the client. The degree of trust for a client in the therapist-and the ability of both the therapist and client to work within the window of tolerance i.e. to work just outside your comfort zone but just within your tolerance level.

The second hallmark aspect of brain spotting is the concept that way you look can affect the way you feel. By looking in a certain direction gives the therapist access to your unique access point to a memory or feeling even if it's not a consciously remembered memory this might even be an implicit body memory - by allowing either a verbal recount of the recently recalled memory or now connected memories may allow no non-verbal body reactions reflexes to be enacted or connected.- this can defuse memories feelings or even behaviours connected with the above.

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The views expressed in this article are those of the author. All articles published on Counselling Directory are reviewed by our editorial team.

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Cromer NR27 & Norwich, Norfolk NR3
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Written by Danny Hickling
BSc (Hons).Couns. MBACP.(Reg) (MNCS Snr Accred)
location_on Cromer NR27 & Norwich, Norfolk NR3
I am registered Psychotherapeutic Counsellor with the UKCP and am also registered with the BACP I hold a degree in Integrative Counselling and am qualified in BrainSpotting having attended courses in London and Amsterdam. I work in using many of the...
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