New Year, New Service—Brainspotting
- Catherine M Harris, ATR-BC, RYT 200
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Now Offering Brainspotting in Individual Art Therapy Sessions
This past year, I completed the Phase 1 Training for the therapeutic technique Brainspotting. Developed in 2003 by psychologist Dr. David Grand, this technique helps individuals both access and digest deeply held emotions and physical sensations related to stressful life events. Brainspotting builds upon the core idea that where you look affects how you feel.
You can even experiment with this idea now as you read this. When you shift your gaze to the left... to center... and again to the right... what do you notice? How does it feel to look in different directions? What shifts do you notice in your body?
When used in an art therapy session, the art therapist will guide individuals in finding a “spot” in their visual field that relates to a stressful situation described as well as the related emotions and feelings identified in the body. By holding this gaze for an extended length of time, the brain and body begin to make connections that help one both gain awareness of the source of distress as well as release any associated feelings and sensations tied to this distress.
The effect being that these long held effects of stress are no longer driving our nervous system, and we can ground ourselves and recover more quickly when challenges arise.
When combining Brainspotting with Art Therapy,* we can use art making and creativity in session to further enhance this process of exploration of experience, understanding of emotions, and regulating the nervous system. Art making is naturally calming to the mind and body. As a result, when we create artwork about difficult emotional content, we are teaching our minds and bodies that it is possible to face challenging experiences while maintaining a feeling of stability. We also engage more areas of the brain when we create artwork, which helps us step back from overwhelming emotions and situations and see a bigger picture, often leading to new perspectives and insights in how to move forward.
As a part of their training, practitioners are required to experience their own sessions in Brainspotting, and here’s what I’ve noticed so far:
gaining insight into why certain situations feel particularly activating and overwhelming
an immediate decrease in the intensity of emotions felt in response to those situations
sleeping more deeply after sessions
feeling more relaxed and at ease when facing related stressors
There were also sessions where we focused on expanding positive emotions as well, leading to feelings of greater confidence, clarity, and peace.
As I tell all individuals I work with, everything I bring into session I bring because I have tried it myself and have experienced the benefits, and Brainspotting is no different.
Interested in learning more about Brainspotting and exploring if it feels right for you?
Take a look at these resources and schedule a free consultation today.
*There's a saying in the field of Art Therapy--It's not Art Therapy unless an Art Therapist is present. Art Therapists have extensive knowledge and training in mental health as well as how to guide individuals in the creative process when strong emotions or difficult circumstances are present. Working with a credentialed Art Therapist ensues that you working with someone who has completed the in depth education and training needed to pair Art Therapy with a therapeutic tool like Brainspotting.
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