What Is Brainspotting Therapy? How It Works

Last reviewed: 07/18/2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly

Brainspotting is one of the most exciting body-based therapies in modern trauma care — a focused approach that uses eye position to reach and release distress that lives below words. If talking through a memory has never quite shifted the way your body reacts, Brainspotting is designed to reach exactly that layer. This article explains what Brainspotting is, how it works, what a session looks like, and why so many people are turning to it.

Brainspotting helps you access and settle trauma that is held in the body. It grew out of trauma work and shares a family resemblance with EMDR, and it has spread rapidly around the world because clinicians and clients keep seeing it help.

In this article, you'll learn:

• What Brainspotting is, in plain terms

• Where it came from and how it relates to EMDR

• How it works in the brain and body

• What a Brainspotting session actually looks like

• Who it may fit and how to start

What Brainspotting is, in plain terms

Brainspotting is a body-based therapy in which your therapist helps you find an eye position that connects to a felt sense of distress, then supports you in holding your attention there while your nervous system processes what surfaces. You can read how we use Brainspotting for trauma in practice, and the founding insight is captured in the approach's motto: "where you look affects how you feel."

Instead of talking through a memory in detail, you focus on the physical experience of it. Your therapist watches for cues that a particular point in your visual field is linked to the activation in your body. That point is the "brainspot." Once you find it, the work is quiet and internal: you notice sensations, images, or emotions as they come and go, and your therapist stays attuned beside you.

Where it came from

Brainspotting was developed in 2003 by David Grand, an experienced psychotherapist trained in EMDR who was looking for ways to help clients who felt stuck [1]. During a session, he noticed that when a client's eyes paused at a certain position, deeper processing opened up. He began holding attention at these fixed eye positions rather than moving the eyes back and forth, and Brainspotting grew from there — spreading quickly as other clinicians saw the same results.

Because Grand came from the EMDR world, the two approaches are cousins. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation, usually side-to-side eye movements in a structured protocol. Brainspotting holds a single, meaningful eye position and follows the body's lead more flexibly. Our overview of EMDR and bilateral stimulation is a useful companion.

How it works

The leading model, proposed by Corrigan and Grand, suggests that holding a brainspot engages deep brain structures involved in orienting and in processing body-based, non-verbal experience — allowing trauma held below conscious thought to be accessed and released [2]. This draws on what we understand about how trauma affects the brain and body.

In everyday terms: some trauma is stored more as a body state than as a clear narrative. You may know the facts of what happened, yet your body still reacts as if the threat is present. Brainspotting works at that body level, using a focused eye position as a doorway to material that talking has not reached. It helps explain why many people describe shifts they had not reached through talking alone.

What a Brainspotting session looks like

A session usually begins with grounding and a check-in. Your therapist asks what you would like to work on and helps you notice where you feel it in your body. Rather than narrating the memory in detail, they guide your attention to the sensation itself.

Next comes finding the brainspot. Your therapist may slowly move a pointer across your field of vision and watch for reflexive cues — a blink, a shift in breathing, a change in expression — that signal a particular eye position is connected to the activation. You may also locate the spot by noticing where the feeling is strongest as you look.

Then you hold your gaze there and let material surface. This part is quiet. You might notice memories, images, body sensations, or waves of emotion. Your therapist stays present and attuned, letting your own processing lead. Sessions close with grounding so you leave settled. Because pacing and attunement matter so much, this is skilled clinical work guided by a trained therapist.

What it's used for

People most often choose Brainspotting for post-traumatic stress and for trauma that feels "stuck in the body." It is also used for complex or early trauma, and for situations where talk therapy has helped intellectually but has not shifted the physical or emotional charge. PTSD is common, affecting about 6 percent of people in the United States at some point in life, and women are affected at roughly twice the rate of men [3].

If you are trying to sort out whether what you are carrying is trauma-related, a validated self-report measure like the PCL-5 screener can be a useful starting point. A screener is not a diagnosis, but it can help you decide whether a conversation with a clinician is worthwhile.

Common misconceptions

"Brainspotting is just staring at a dot." It can look simple from the outside, but the eye position is only a doorway. The real work is the focused, therapist-attuned processing of body-held distress. The stillness is purposeful and powerful.

"You have to relive your trauma for it to work." You do not. Brainspotting is designed so that much of the processing happens through body awareness rather than detailed retelling. You stay in control of how much you say out loud, which is one reason many people find it more comfortable than approaches built around verbal exposure.

Who it may fit

Brainspotting is well worth considering if you have trauma symptoms that persist in the body, if talk therapy has stalled, or if detailed retelling feels overwhelming. A skilled clinician will pace the work with you and make sure you have the stability and support to get the most from it. If you are weighing your options, our guide to choosing among trauma therapies walks through how the main approaches differ.

Starting Brainspotting in Tennessee

We offer Brainspotting on a telehealth basis across Tennessee, delivered over secure video by a clinician trained in the approach. We start with a conversation about your history and goals, then build a plan that fits you — often with Brainspotting at the center of your trauma-focused therapy.

Carrying something that still feels close?

Trauma-focused care — including Brainspotting and EMDR — can help you process what happened at a pace that feels safe. We are glad to help you find the right starting point.

Schedule a trauma consultation →

You can also learn more about our approach to Brainspotting for trauma in Tennessee.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a brainspot actually mean?

A brainspot is a specific eye position where your gaze connects with a strong body sensation tied to a distressing memory. Your therapist helps you find that spot and hold your gaze there while you notice what comes up. The idea is that this focused position helps the brain work through material that talk therapy alone sometimes cannot reach.

Do I have to talk about my trauma in Brainspotting?

Not in detail. Brainspotting is body-based, so much of the work happens through noticing physical sensations rather than retelling the story. You stay in control of how much you share — one reason many people find it easier than approaches that ask for a full verbal account.

How many sessions does Brainspotting take?

There is no fixed number. Some people notice shifts within a few sessions; real-world courses vary with the person and the trauma. We set a pace with you and track progress together.

Can Brainspotting be done over telehealth?

Yes. Brainspotting works smoothly over secure video, with your therapist guiding eye position on screen and staying attuned to how you respond. We provide it across Tennessee, and many people find their own familiar space makes the work easier.

About the Author

Dr. Kiesa Kelly is a licensed clinical psychologist and the founder of ScienceWorks Behavioral Healthcare, with more than 20 years of experience in psychological assessment and evidence-based treatment. Her background includes advanced clinical training in trauma and neurodevelopmental conditions, and she leads the practice's commitment to matching each person to approaches that fit their needs.

References

1. Grand D. Brainspotting: The Revolutionary New Therapy for Rapid and Effective Change. Sounds True; 2013. https://www.amazon.com/Brainspotting-Revolutionary-Therapy-Effective-Change/dp/1604078901

2. Corrigan FM, Grand D. Brainspotting: Recruiting the midbrain for accessing and healing sensorimotor memories of traumatic activation. Med Hypotheses. 2013;80(6):759-766. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23570648/

3. National Center for PTSD. How Common Is PTSD in Adults? U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/common/common_adults.asp

4. Hildebrand A, Grand D, Stemmler M. Brainspotting — the efficacy of a new therapy approach for the treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in comparison to Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. Mediterr J Clin Psychol. 2017;5(1). https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Brainspotting-%E2%80%93-the-efficacy-of-a-new-therapy-for-Hildebrand-Grand/34593072b2769274a0e1117403004f72c5cc6887

Disclaimer

This article is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional diagnosis, treatment, or advice. Reading this content does not create a clinician-patient relationship. If you are in crisis or may harm yourself, call or text 988 (the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) or seek emergency care. For guidance about your own situation, please consult a qualified clinician.