#brainspotting

[brain---spotting]

nsfw version here

[keepingthehopealive]

Long post about therapy and brainspotting and my session today.

My therapist and I tried brainspotting today in our session for the first time.

Brainspotting is a somatic based therapy approach. It's kind of similar to EMDR, I think it was maybe even by the same person who came up with EMDR, but it's not specifically for trauma necessarily. My therapist described it as a "top down approach" where it allows your brain to heal itself. It's a little hard to describe but you look at a pointer at different spots in space while focusing on a feeling, thought, emotion, sensation, memory etc. You can do it to find a spot in space where it's more or less intense depending on what approach you're taking in the session. Then you just look at that spot and notice what's happening. You don't have to talk but can obviously process what's happening in the moment and the therapist can ask questions or guide it or just let it be. Im not sure if background sounds or quiet music is always a part of it, but I wore headphones today and listened to some calming stuff while we did it.

My therapist and I are integrating it into our therapy to see if it helps with some of my shame based blocks, barriers and struggles with verbalizing and talking about things and probably more too if it continues to evolves (like processing memories or emotions and stuff).

Today we focused on physical tension and anxiety in my body in the moment. I only did it for about 5 minutes because it was a lot. Mainly having to look in her general direction (my "spot" was to the side of her but still closer than I'm comfortable with as I usually keep my head down and color) was exhausting and very anxiety provoking. She was so compassionate about it and actually said I did it longer than she thought I would be able to. She understands me well and she knew it would be a lot so she checked in with me after a few minutes of it and I was able to communicate I wanted to stop. Plus, even though we planned to do it, we ended up talking for a bit before I finally asked if we could try it. She probably thought i didn't want to do it but I was just too anxious to start it. I'm happy I didn't chicken out when she went to hand me the headphones because I wasn't expecting that.

It led to a really interesting conversation about my anxiety, in particular my more physical based anxiety and tension in my body. She reflected that I have a strong mind-body connection and when I responded just saying "unfortunately", she said the goal can be to try to make that a positive thing instead of something that harms me so much.

Our plan going forward is to start sessions (maybe not all of them) with it and just do short sessions of it to increase my window of tolerance with the anxiety I feel. I think if I can work on tolerating the anxiety in the moment and using brainspotting for that, I can eventually use it in other ways to help in my therapy and with some of the things I want help with and have struggled with and been stuck with in therapy in specific for so long. I'm also a little afraid to have any hope or expectation for it. I appreciate the most that she isn't presenting it as a quick fix or cure all and has already said if it doesn't work for me that's OK too.

[faerasphere]

Brainspotting works for me!

So after a few years of talk therapy, I was referred to a brainspotting counselor. Now I'm about to enter the 7th month of online brainspotting therapy (1-2 times per month). I know, that sounds long, also, online? But trust me, that works really well. I feel significant improvement about my CPTSD. Each of the session feels cathartic... Cried so much, offloading my repressed emption, and doing part works. Phew. Indeed, sometimes my trauma flashbacks exploded. But I survived nevertheless.

The significant improvent that I feel currently is my fear and shame kinda melt away... Since back then I was really reluctant to open up about myself. But after several session, I become interested to join a support group (that I was loathed so much). Then I tried to reconnect with highschool friend (that was really triggering just because they remind me of my bad childhood), then joining several office after work activities (that I was adamantly avoid because I resented their "better" life). Yeah, I was pretty immature back then. But turns out, connecting with (the right) people in the support group and some mature friends and colleauges helps me to believe in myself. Because I get the attunement that I need, to feel understood, and validated. This helps me to express myself better without much fear of judgement. Recreating tumblr is also one of the result 🤪 haha. Telling my story feels relieving, you know?

But back then, the idea of telling my story really frightens me. I was very afraid that people will be turned off with my stories of difficult childhood and abusive parents. Because that's quite a sensitive topic... But then when some people, in the support group and people around me, said that they are understand, I feel so relieved. Whoa. Validated. I am glad to be able to tell my stories! I realized that turns out being authentic is not only about showing our skills and ability, but also include telling our story.

I also become less perfectionistic and start to embrace myself more, including accepting my chronic illness, narcolepsy. Also most importantly, I start to disattach myself from the shame-based productivity. I start to release the guilt of being "not good enough". Now, I feel more at ease... Even though if there is a work deadline. Haha. Sometimes I wonder... Is this feeling of ease is what people feel when they have a good enough childhood? This is so... Nice. (still, a bit sad that I just feel it now, but also grateful that I have the chance to experience ease 😇)

So, my mental health improves. But that either resulted from brainspotting or because I also take my narcolepsy medication. Because having a good night sleep really helps to improve our mental health! But wait, I indeed had taken medication before taking brainspotting therapy. That time, I'm still very closed off. So, I guess my improvement comes from both. Well, what matter is it works. Hopefully this condition can sustain in a long term 🍃

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[workscounselingcenter]

Brainspotting

In 2024, one thing we know for sure is that people are in need of effective trauma psychotherapy. One effective modality is known as Brainspotting. In this blog, I will briefly spend some time talking about what it is and how it is done.

What is Brainspotting? Brainspotting’s “catchphrase” is, “Where you look affects how you feel” (Grand, 2013). David Grand, PhD discovered Brainspotting in 2003 while conducting EMDR on a client of his. While moving his fingers back and forth in front of the client’s eyes (known in EMDR as bilateral stimulation), he noticed that this particular client’s eyes wobbled at one particular position on the x-axis of her visual field. Dr. Grand held his hand at that spot. Recalling this instance in his book on Brainspotting, Grand (2013) wrote, “For the next ten minutes, Karen’s eyes remained locked on my unmoving fingers. She watched and reported on a flood of images that seemed to come out of nowhere” (p. 13). He went on to describe how memories came through and were quickly processed. What was most striking to him is how deep the processing went. He wrote, “But what grabbed my attention most were the memories of Karen’s traumas, which I thought had fully resolved. Now they reopened and somehow processed through to a deeper resolution” (Grand 2003, p. 13). Grand went on to develop what he discovered into more of a formal modality, known as Brainspotting.

Common Questions:

What is it helpful for? Brainspotting has been successfully used to process trauma, process current stressors, alleviate performance anxiety, alleviate depressive symptoms, and more.

After 20 years of existence, what does a Brainspotting session look like? That’s a great question! There are multiple approaches to Brainspotting (Gazespotting, Rolling Brainspotting, Inside Window, Outside Window, etc.), but the one I have used most often is known as Inside Window Brainspotting. Inside Window Brainspotting is very client-led typically consists of the following:The therapist and client identify the current issue, whether it is a past trauma or an ongoing current stressor.The therapist and client review this stressor. While discussing it verbally, special attention is drawn to somatic sensations and how disturbing this memory or issue feels in the present.The therapist then utilizes a pointer to help the client identify a spot on the x axis of their visual field most strongly connected to the somatic symptoms and psychological disturbance.While holding the x-axis spot, the therapist and client determine if there are any changes if the y-axis is engaged (if the spot is shifted upwards or downwards). ○ Once the spot is determined, the therapist invites the client to focus on the spot, the issue at hand, the psychological disturbance, and what they feel in their body. ○ One of the main differences between Brainspotting and other forms of psychotherapy is that the therapist typically talks very little during this part of the process. This is because Brainspotting is a deep-brain process. If the therapist engages the client too much verbally, it risks pulling them out of processing. ○ This process is conducted, with the client focused on the Brainspot and processing, until the issue is fully processed (its disturbance reaching a 0 or as close to a 0 as possible).Sometimes, this takes multiple sessions. Other times, it happens in a single session.This is a very, very brief rundown of what Inside Window Brainspotting looks like!

I am currently trained in Brainspotting Phases 1, 2, and 4, and am attending Phase 3 (taught by David Grand) in March. My Brainspotting Phase 4 training was also taught by David Grand in December of 2023. Phase 3 focuses on utilizing Brainspotting for performance anxiety with athletes, singers, etc., and I greatly look forward to bringing what I’ve learned to my clients. Dr. Grand is a very kind, humble, and brilliant man. It’s an honor to learn from him.

For research articles about Brainspotting, please visit here.

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[zeroar]

So brainspotting is pretty flipping rough – Session 01

First session today. Afterwards, I felt like how they describe the marathon that is a karuta tournament in Chihayafuru. Need to plan to bring sugar or chocolate from now on for aftercare recovery. It was very similar to how the aftermath of a meltdown feels sometimes for me (I'm also autistic).

If you don't know what it is, brainspotting is a PTSD treatment that apparently developed from EMDR—Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing—that was described to me as a less-intense process than that. The tentative plan is to start with this and eventually move to full EMDR if needed.

It doesn't have the literature behind it yet that EMDR has, but I can verify that, anecdotally, it definitely does something. Can't say what that something is just yet and the overanalyzing, hypervigilant, raised on "mind over matter"–Me feels somewhat miffed that it is addressing the physiology of my trauma instead of just "figuring out the answer" ... though I suppose if an answer could have been figured out by now...

It was also slow and had a painful (for me) lack of stimulation ... presumably by design.

Anyway, I don't want to get hopeful, and I'm also scared that addressing my trauma this way (if it works) will set me up for more trauma ... though it's not like my current state of constant danger / runaway autonomic response is doing me much good, if any.

Oh, since this is my first post on the topic, I'll describe what my treatment was like from my POV and understanding. The basic idea seems to be that when recalling memories there is a connection between specific "spots" our eyes move to and spots in our brain. So the process starts with recalling trauma/uncomfortable memories, focus in on the tension and feeling in the body as a gauge, and then follow a pointer with my eyes, using the feeling in the body to find a location where the tension is strongest. Some purportedly calming meditative music track starts playing while staring at the spot/point where the tension is.

I was advised to let my mind wander while staring, but I don't know if the idea is to disassociate that "brain spot" from the trauma by having wandering thoughts or if it was some allistic (non-autistic) idea of "wandering" and it didn't matter what I thought of while staring or what. I had a very difficult time maintaining my sight on the spot, partially due to having a lazy eye and also because my thoughts were "wandering" to the memory of trauma. I kept having to close my eyes and refocus on the point and every time was like pushing into the tension. I stared at the spot for ten minutes in silence (well, music was playing), then my therapist moved the pointer to a different spot and I stared there for some additional amount of time.

The amount of relief I felt, both mentally and physically, from staring at a different spot was unexpected. It was so distinct from being in the tension spot. That was when I was like, oh, this is definitely something.

Then I went back to staring at the tension spot. I think for another ten minutes. Then coming out of that spot, finally, following the pointer down and closing my eyes and having my eyes closed while focusing on breathing for a few minutes. I thought I was going to fall straight asleep at that point and I honestly might have dozed off briefly.

Afterwards, I was unsteady, mentally exhausted, and physically drained. I probably shouldn't have driven as quickly as I did and in hindsight I feel like I should have done some sort of physical activity to reconnect my brain with my body (such as a walk around the block or something).

It seems like the idea is the brain silos those memories with those spots, but again, I dont know if the idea is to reinforce the silo or to break down the wall of it. I anticipate the ideal solution is probably different for different people and maybe even for different memories of trauma for the same person. There's so much people just don't know about the brain.

My layperson intuition is it seems like the idea is to trigger the trauma physiologically, then mentally go elsewhere while maintaining the physical connection to the trauma. From this, it seems like EMDR would be the reverse? I.e., mentally trigger the trauma while physically going elsewhere (at least via vision).

I need to clarify what having my thoughts wander means next time. Although, it's possible that the right answer isn't known because it's too nebulous/vague at this point in the research.

I know everytime I closed my eyes to refocus on that spot it brought me back though. If you want my mind to wander I need to look around. We weren't even doing any of what I consider my more major traumatic events, today.

My thoughts just kept going back to things like my childhood pair(?) of footie pajamas that child-Me could wear to be covered from neck to toe. I wondered why child-Me kept so still and quiet, being afraid to breathe while lying there. Remembered being scolded for having my eyes open and not going to sleep.

... it was a lot.

I've mostly been in bed since getting home. I'm still pretty drained. If it was colder I'd be under my weighted blanket. My therapist advised that I'd be drained and said to not feel like I have to push through it. But it was just staring and thinking.

I will add that it didn't feel like ruminating because I couldn't escape inside my head. It had a bit of that circularity or being penned in like ruminating sometimes feels like, but having to stare at the same point was like poking at a wound more than racing in a panic or working myself up.

So yeah, thanks for reading. I'll keep writing as I go but I think that's good for today. It's just the first week for me here.

[livingwellnessblog]

Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures

Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) present a perplexing challenge, both for patients and healthcare professionals. Often resembling epileptic seizures, PNES are distinct in origin, being triggered by psychological factors rather than abnormal brain

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[brain---spotting]

[naturalhealtheducation]

EMDR and Brainspotting are innovative methods used in mental health therapy. #EMDR was originally developed for use with #PTSD but has since been expanded for use with a wider range of traumatic issues. #Brainspotting is a more recent extension of EMDR techniques. In this article, we'll explore what these two approaches are, how they work, and their possible benefits.

[emergentcounseling]

Brainspotting Therapy Oakland Park, FL

Traumatic experiences lead to dysregulated nervous systems and brain dysfunction; any attempt to restore balance will be ineffective if the treatment does not address the issues that are stored within the nervous system and the mid-brain. Traditional talk therapies activate the part of the brain associated with higher order thinking. During cognitive-based approaches, information is processed in the session and is typically focused on questioning, processing, and analyzing; however this these types of therapies are limited to the executive processing systems of the neo-cortex. Brainspotting targets information in the mid-brain and nervous system, which is where trauma, emotional stress, and sensory experiences are stored.

What is Brainspotting?

Brainspotting is a liberating, non-invasive, holistic mind-body therapy that was developed by David Grand, Ph.D. The technique originated from EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) which is also a therapeutic treatment used to alleviate distressing memories associated with trauma. Brainspotting is based on the premise that where you look, or gaze affects how you feel. The therapist may use a pen-shaped pointer to guide your eyes along your vision field to locate brainspots. Negative emotions are targeted as the individual focuses on the brainspots which allows the body to access and process unresolved accumulated toxic stress

What is a Brainspot?

“A Brainspot holds emotional experiences in memory form. It is the eye position which is related to the emotional activation of a traumatic or emotionally charged issue within the brain. This is most likely in the amygdala, the hippocampus, or the orbitofrontal cortex of the limbic system. A Brainspot is a located eye position, paired with externally observed and internally experienced reflexive responses.” – David Grand, Ph.D.

How will Brainspotting Help me heal from Trauma?

Accumulated toxic stress is typically stored in the nervous system when the traumatized person is not able to properly deal with the trauma that he or she has experienced due to lack of appropriate coping skills. Brainspotting stimulates the body’s natural ability to heal itself from trauma and restore dysregulated nervous system. Brainspotting also helps the body to release accumulated toxic stress and restore balance to within the system.

Your therapist will simultaneously facilitate the healing process by creating a safe, non-judgmental compassionate, space for you to develop a dual attuned therapeutic relationship. Brainspotting is used to target traumatic memories and physiological issues that is stored in the body and help the client to gain relief from the emotional distress. Bio-Lateral sounds are also used during Brainspotting sessions. Sound waves alternate back and forth across the audio field at a steady state negative experiences are triggered.

What is Brainspotting used to treat?

Brainspotting is effective for treating the following conditions:

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Anxiety

ADHD

Anger

Substance Abuse Issues

Poor Impulse Control

Sport Performance Issues

Chronic Fatigue

Book Your Appointment and let us help you get back on track!

[biosoulintegrationcenter]

Brainspotting Is A Powerful Tool For Spiritual Evolution...

Here's an in-depth blog post I wrote about Brainspotting: https://www.biosoulintegration.com/brainspotting/

As human beings, we are constantly striving for spiritual growth and evolution.

 This can be a challenging process that requires intense self-reflection and personal development. 

Fortunately, there is an evidence-based therapy approach that can help us to deepen our spiritual journey – Brainspotting.

Brainspotting is a powerful therapeutic process that is designed to help people access and process emotions that are stored in the brain. 

Through this process, individuals can gain insight into their own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in order to gain a better understanding of themselves.

This can be a powerful tool for spiritual growth and evolution, as it helps people to gain insight into the root causes of their issues and to make conscious changes in their lives.

Click the link to read my blog post: https://www.biosoulintegration.com/brainspotting/

I look forward to helping you express more life,

Jay "Da Brain" Uecker

#brainspotting #brainspottingtherapy

[lambsearandlavender]

I am doing a mix of emdr and brainspotting with sessions in between all that to talk, problem solve, unpack, etc. 2 weeks ago I picked a brainspotting target I thought was pretty safe and like, a middle sized problem with middle sized emotions. (My therapist and i use brainspotting that way for small to medium sized things in between working on big ones with emdr.) I didn't realize until it was too late that I was going to relive something extremely traumatic while discussing the safe medium stuff, because the traumatic big one was a thing I never had time to cope with - i survived it and jumped right into the next survival situation and essentially forgot it happened. I mean I just didn't think about it much and when it did surface I like, knew enough to know i needed to push it back down for a safe time to revisit.

This time and manner was not really the safe time or manner to revisit, which isn't anyone's fault because I had really thought through my brainspotting target and deemed it safe and my therapist can't work with things she literally doesn't know about yet. So, it happens, and that's why you do hard trauma work with a professional, folks! But anyway, you know we talked it through in the session and also agreed it was going to need to be an emdr, bigger deal target. We talked about self care for that night and how my brain would continue processing beyond that day and to be careful.

And then, as trauma sometimes does, I took care of myself that night and woke up the next day feeling just fine. I went to work, came home, and... couldn't sleep. Spent a long, long night in bed with my eyes closed and just wired wide awake. I got 2 hours in eventually, went to work, so eager to sleep when I got home. So exhausted. Feeling totally fine emotionally. And again, no sleep. Called in sick.

I got about 2 hours of sleep a night for over a week. I missed a ton of work. I was a wreck of panic attacks and just anxiety, sleepless nights followed by sleepless days, crying. I had no idea why or what was happening to me. It took my husband, about 4 days in, to remind me that the insomnia perfectly followed that rough therapy session and it all clicked.

For one, I wanted to share that for people looking for info on emdr. I had trouble when I started it finding people talking about the experience. So there's one of mine, as a follow up to my first big emdr target which was a big heavy scary trauma and also a total cakewalk for me. The brain is funny that way. My first target was to change my deepest, darkest core belief that I am worthless and don't deserve so much as the air I breathe; the belief came from childhood abuse; the therapy was easy. In a month or two, idk, I found my self worth. I separated it from the trauma. I believe I have inherent worth as a person, and that nothing can take it away, and that progress has already survived some really bad days and meltdowns. So like....I think this is all super duper worth it. But... it's hard too.

But idk, I didn't think any amount of therapy could really make me believe I have worth or remove me from that childhood trauma. I really think about some of the worst moments of my life now and think, that baby deserved better but I'm giving her that care now. And that's it. I'm ok. That's absolutely wild.

Anyway, I want to journal a lot more about my January, but... I'll leave this here for people who want to know about emdr. And if you want to ask someone about it, feel free to message me.

[blatantlyhidden]

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