When you talk about certain memories, do you ever notice things coming up in your body? A tightening in your chest? Butterflies in your stomach? Tears? These are signs that there is still tension or stress still to be processed. This is where Brainspotting comes in.

The Beginning of the Session

After discussing what you want to process, we would then do the following:

• Intensity: You would say pick from a scale from 0 (no intensity) to 10 (most intense).
• Location: How activated does it feel in your body? This is how we get the brain and body to connect with each other.
• Find the brainspot: you lock your gaze at a specific spot and start to process.
• What you will notice: you can notice body sensations, a wide range of emotions, old memories can arise, and other sensations.
• The counselor will check in every couple of minutes to make sure you are not too activated and will keep you grounded if needed.

The Ending of the Session

When there are about 10 minutes of the session left, the counselor will check in one last time and tell you that time is almost up. At that point, if needed, the therapist will lead do some grounding techniques to lower the levels of activation. It is our job as clinicians to make sure clients can head back out to the world as calm as possible. 

Activation vs Resourcing

Now you might be thinking, “what if this is too much for me to process?” Or you tried Brainspotting and it was too much for your body to handle. If you are wondering if Brainspotting can still work, yes it can. Instead of activating, we could also do something called resourcing. When going over the brain spots, instead of asking how activating it feels, you would tell me where you feel calm or neutral in your body. The goal here is to make you feel more relaxed during the session. There is more than one way to climb a mountain. Going straight up the mountain would be similar to activation. Resourcing would be more like looping around the mountain until you reach the top.

In Review

• Brainspotting has a structure that will have you be connected with your mind and body, then have you focus on your brainspots, and your brain will process and release the tension, stress, or trauma stored.
• The therapist will always make sure you are grounded before leaving the session. You will be able to return to your regular life after a session.
• If activation is too much, you can also do resourcing. There is more than one way to find emotional freedom.

Chris Burgenson is a licensed counselor in Maryland who is based in Frederick. Chris specializes in Brainspotting and helping athletes overcoming performance anxiety, improving confidence, and dealing with the pressures of being an athlete. Besides working with athletes, he also works with teens and adult clients who struggle with ADHD and anxiety. Need help with your mental health? Book a consultation by calling 240.330.4361.