Brainspotting has roots in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) and similarly supports the reprocessing of negative experiences and retrains emotional reactions. Both are therapeutic interventions that access deeply stored emotional, somatic, traumatic and often subconscious information. Both interventions may involve bilateral stimulation and are considered advanced brain-bodybased strategies. The primary difference between the two involves the procedure used.
Brainspotting is based on the premise that ‘where you look affects how you feel’. As an individual maintains an eye position while focusing on a stressful experience, they connect to a spot in the brain (brainspot) that gives them access to releasing and processing the challenging experience. Dual Attunement is a primary tenant of Brainspotting in that the attunement of the therapist activates brain pathways associated with safety, support and connection. Brainspotting focuses on the attunement of the therapist to the client as well as to the client’s neurobiology. Thus, it is a combined relational and neurobiological connection happening at the same time. During Brainspotting once the focused eye position is established, the client is allowed to organically and intuitively process through their experience without following a specific series of steps. Many clients find this to be empowering, instinctual and flexible while some clients prefer more structure. For those that want more structure EMDR may be a better suited technique.
EMDR follows a very specific protocol in which the therapist guides the client through a series of repetitive steps. EMDR has been around longer than Brainspotting and has more established research behind it. As part of this process, the client focuses on a stressful or traumatic issue while experiencing bilateral stimulation. The client is guided to repeatedly reexperience the issue while being guided through the steps in the process. While Brainspotting involves a focused eye position, EMDR involves rapid bilateral movement of the eyes, auditory or sensory system. Some clients report they find EMDR too directed, structured, overstimulating and not as adaptable and fluid as Brainspotting. While others appreciate the structure and specific steps.
As practitioners of both EMDR and Brainspotting we have found many clients have deeper and more profound releases with Brainspotting and prefer its fluidity.