Why I Use Brainspotting: A Therapist's Perspective on Embodied Healing
When I first learned about Brainspotting, I felt an immediate pull toward it. I'd seen how powerful talk therapy could be, but I also knew words sometimes weren't enough. Clients could explain exactly what they were going through and their body would still hold onto it. I wanted something that reached the places that stayed stuck. That's what led me to Brainspotting training, one of the most significant decisions in my career.
What Brainspotting Actually Is
Brainspotting is a brain-based therapy developed by Dr. David Grand, built on the idea that where you look affects how you feel. Using eye positions, or brainspots, connected to areas of stored trauma or unresolved experience, we can access deeper parts of the brain that talk therapy alone doesn't always reach.
Instead of trying to think your way out of pain, Brainspotting works with the body and nervous system directly, letting them process and release what's been held.
What a Session Actually Looks Like
In session, we identify what you want to work on, then use eye positioning and mindfulness to locate the brainspot. From there, the brain does what it's built to do: process and settle. Sometimes that looks like an emotional release. Other times it's quieter, a wave of calm or a flicker of new clarity. What I consistently see across both is some combination of relief, physical movement, and a deep exhale.
Why I Trust This Work
I've also been on the other side of this as a client, using Brainspotting to process my own stress, anxiety, and past experiences. Situations that used to trigger an anxious, unsettled feeling started landing as neutral. My body holds less tension. I feel more present and more like myself. Because I've felt that shift firsthand, I can guide clients through it with real confidence in what it can do.
What I appreciate most about Brainspotting is that it doesn't force or rush anything. It respects that recovery isn't only about thinking differently, it's about letting the body and nervous system actually release what they've been carrying. For people who've found that talk therapy helped but didn't quite get to the root, Brainspotting often opens something talk therapy alone couldn't.
If you've been looking for a way through trauma, anxiety, grief, or chronic stress, this might be the piece that's been missing. I offer Brainspotting in Boise and virtually for Idaho residents. Reach out if this feels like the right next step.
For a detailed explanation of what Brainspotting is and how it works clinically, read this post.
This post is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for mental health treatment or therapy. It reflects general principles of nervous system–informed care and is not individualized clinical guidance. If you are seeking support for your mental health, working with a qualified professional is recommended.
