What is Brainspotting Therapy (BST)?
Brainspotting (BSP) is a new technique that thousands of therapists are using in order to help clients
heal themselves. Brainspotting therapists believe that humans have the ability to heal themselves
through tuning into themselves and allowing the mind to take them where it knows how to process.
BSP has been found to be helpful in many cases ranging from anxiety to depression as well as
trauma. BSP can accelerate your body’s ability to regulate itself, which means you not only prepare
yourself cognitively for future sessions, but you also prepare your body for emotional upheaval.
In a typical BSP session, the client and the therapist work together to find a “brainspot”. It is a place in
the visual field where there is a shift in how someone feels. The underlying assumption here is that where you
look, affects how you feel. Have you ever noticed that when you talk about something uncomfortable, you tend to look away? Maybe your gaze lands on the floor, maybe, on the ceiling or maybe, somewhere far off. This will give you and your therapist clues as to where your brainspot is on that day in your visual field.
If you want to know more about the ins and outs of it, please have a look at this website by Dr. Marjorie and Dr. Evans from Ottawa.
Brainspotting sessions are usually 60-90 minutes long and they may make you feel tired. It is a good idea to rest for many hours after a session. Bilateral music is also often used during the session.
