Brainspotting
Sometimes we understand exactly what is happening in our lives, and yet we still feel stuck.
We might know where our anxiety comes from, understand why certain relationships are difficult, or recognize that something from our past is still affecting us. We might have talked about it many times. And still, something in us continues to react.
This is one of the reasons I love working with Brainspotting.
So, what exactly is Brainspotting?
Brainspotting is a type of brain-body therapy that helps us work with experiences that continue to affect us emotionally, physically, or relationally.
It grew out of EMDR and is based on the idea that our experiences aren't just stored as stories or memories. They can also show up in our bodies, in our nervous systems, and in the ways we respond to the world around us.
Sometimes, these experiences are difficult to put into words. Sometimes we don't even know exactly what we're reacting to. We just know that something feels uncomfortable, overwhelming, or familiar in a way we can't quite explain.
Brainspotting offers another way to work with these experiences, without needing to talk through every detail.
How does it actually work?
In a Brainspotting session, we start by noticing something you would like to work on. This might be a particular memory, a feeling, a relationship, anxiety, or even something you can't quite put your finger on.
I use a pointer to help you find a particular place in your visual field that seems connected to what you're feeling. This is called a brainspot.
From there, you simply hold your gaze in that direction and notice what's happening inside you.
You might notice emotions, physical sensations, memories, thoughts, or absolutely nothing in particular at first. There isn't a right way to do it. You don't have to perform, figure anything out, or tell me everything that's happening.
My role is to stay present with you, help you feel supported, and allow space for your own processing to unfold.
Why might this be helpful?
One of the things I appreciate about Brainspotting is that we don't always have to think our way through something in order to work with it.
Sometimes our reactions make sense to us intellectually, but our bodies haven't caught up. We can know we're safe and still feel anxious. We can know a relationship is over and still feel deeply affected by it. We can understand our childhood and still find ourselves responding to situations in familiar ways.
Brainspotting gives us an opportunity to slow down and work with some of those deeper responses.
People often explore Brainspotting for things like:
Anxiety and feeling overwhelmed
Trauma and difficult past experiences
Relationship patterns and emotional triggers
Grief and life transitions
Shame, fear, or feelings that are difficult to explain
Experiences that seem to stay with us, even when we wish they wouldn't
It can be particularly helpful when talking about something over and over hasn't quite gotten us where we want to go.
Do I have to talk about what happened?
Not necessarily.
You don't have to tell your entire story or explain every detail of an experience. Sometimes we work with what you're noticing in your body, rather than the narrative itself.
For some people, this can feel like a relief. Especially if they've spent years trying to make sense of something, or if talking about it feels overwhelming.
We still work together, and we still pay attention to what feels safe and manageable. You are always in charge of the pace.
Brainspotting in Comox Valley
In my counselling practice in the Comox Valley, I use Brainspotting alongside other approaches, including Internal Family Systems (IFS).
I think of it as one more way of helping us understand ourselves, process what we've been carrying, and create a little more room for change.
You don't need to have experienced a major trauma to benefit from this kind of work. Sometimes it's the accumulation of everyday experiences, relationships, expectations, or difficult seasons of life that leave us feeling stuck.
And sometimes, we simply want to feel a little more like ourselves again.
If you're curious about Brainspotting, or wondering whether it might be helpful for something you're working through, it's something we can explore together.