The Healing Power of Brainspotting in Therapy
- Matthew Herrera
- Jul 28
- 2 min read
I recently had the opportunity to attend a workshop led by Dr. David Grand, founder and pioneer of the Brainspotting method. Dr. Grand’s insights into how trauma is stored in the body—and how it can be released through focused eye positioning and somatic mindfulness—were not only inspiring, but also applicable to the work I do with clients regarding unprocessed trauma.
What Is Brainspotting?
Brainspotting is a trauma-informed, evidence-based modality that works with the brain-body connection. During therapy, therapists help clients identify a specific eye position, or “brainspot,” that correlates with stored traumatic memories or emotional activations. Once the brainspot is located, clients are invited to mindfully stay with the internal experiences that arise, whether they are emotions, images, physical sensations, or thoughts. This allows the brain and body to process and release unresolved traumas naturally.
Brainspotting also works in conjunction with other various modalities. One of them is Internal Family Systems (IFS), a therapeutic model that focuses on understanding and healing the inner parts of ourselves. Together, Brainspotting and IFS create a gentle but powerful framework to explore inner conflicts, soothe emotional pain, and reconnect with wounded parts of the self that may be stuck in the past. Brainspotting can also be applied to attachment, psychodynamic, mindfulness, and somatic-based approaches as well.
Why Brainspotting Works
The core belief behind Brainspotting is that “where you look affects how you feel.” By maintaining focus on a specific visual field associated with distress, the brain enters a deeper state of processing—often in the subcortical regions responsible for emotion, memory, and survival. Unlike cognitive talk therapy, which primarily engages the neocortex (the thinking brain), Brainspotting targets the body-based, unconscious experiences that are often at the root of anxiety, trauma, and emotional pain.
Clients frequently describe feeling lighter, more grounded, and more connected to themselves after Brainspotting sessions. This work is not about analyzing or fixing—it’s about allowing the brain’s natural healing mechanisms to do what they were designed to do.
Who Can Benefit from Brainspotting?
While Brainspotting is widely known for its ability to address trauma and PTSD, it also offers relief for people struggling with:
Anxiety and panic
Grief and loss
Depression and emotional numbness
Creative blocks
Performance anxiety in actors, musicians, and athletes
Chronic pain or somatic symptoms
Feeling “stuck” in therapy or life
One of the most exciting applications of Brainspotting lies in the creative and performing arts. Dr. Grand originally developed Brainspotting while working with high-level performers who experienced blocks and anxiety before auditions, competitions, or live performances. By helping clients release internalized fear and shame, Brainspotting enhances flow, authenticity, and confidence—key components of peak creative performance.
Whether you're a writer unable to complete your next script, a musician battling stage fright, or an actor paralyzed by self-doubt, Brainspotting offers a path to creative freedom and emotional resilience.
A Gentle but Deep Path to Healing
What makes Brainspotting so unique—and so effective—is that it honors the body’s natural wisdom. Sessions are guided by the client’s internal experience, rather than a prescribed protocol.
