Brainspotting (BPS) is a therapeutic technique developed by psychologist Dr. David Grand in 2003. It’s grounded in the principles of neurobiology and works on the premise that our eyes can reveal inner thoughts, emotions, and trauma.
BSP uses the brain’s natural ability for self-scanning and self-healing. BSP finds points in the client’s visual field to reach subcortical parts of the brain that store trauma, to release the emotional charge around past experiences, negative patterns, and beliefs. It uses eye position, body awareness, focused mindfulness, and the therapist’s relational and neurobiological attunement to the client’s process.

BSP often involves the use of bilateral sounds, such as music or nature sounds that alternate between the right and left ears. This helps balance activation of the brain’s hemispheres and activates the parasympathetic, or calming, part of the nervous system.

BSP helps individuals process and resolve trauma by connecting with both distressed and calm areas in the body. The therapy often involves minimal talking and can lead to both rapid relief of distress and significant insights. It focuses on the subcortical brain, which can allow for more efficient processing of the trauma in a contained and supportive environment.