Brainspotting: A Somatic Approach to Healing Trauma
Trauma manifests deeply within the body and spirit, often echoing through generations and cultures. Brainspotting therapy (BSP) offers a healing pathway that bridges the mind-body connection, acknowledging the wisdom of the body in releasing trauma, particularly for those who carry ancestral wounds. This somatic approach transcends conventional therapy by focusing on the body’s innate ability to heal—something often overlooked in traditional healing practices.
What is Brainspotting?
It’s crucial to acknowledge that the concept of Brainspotting, as presented today, is rooted in ideas and practices that were not created solely by Dr. David Grand, a psychotherapist whose approach has been critiqued by many for appropriating Indigenous and ancestral healing practices. While Dr. Grand popularized Brainspotting and developed certain methodologies, the essence of this practice draws heavily from ancestral and indigenous knowledge systems that have long understood the connection between eye movement, energy flow, and trauma release. These practices were co-opted and rebranded within the Western therapeutic framework, erasing their true origins and failing to credit the communities from which these healing methods emerged.
Indigenous healing traditions across the globe have long recognized the importance of the mind-body connection, using various forms of bodywork, movement, and focused attention to facilitate deep emotional and physical healing. These teachings, passed down through generations, were often rooted in sacred knowledge and spiritual practices, which were not recognized or respected within mainstream Western healing systems.
How Brainspotting Works
In a typical session, Brainspotting is not about talking through trauma in a detached, intellectual way. Instead, it moves beyond the rational mind, accessing the subcortical brain, where trauma is stored in our limbic system and brainstem—our body’s center of emotional memory and survival. This therapy invites clients to reconnect with the deeper, often unseen layers of their pain, moving toward healing through embodied awareness.
Identifying the Issue: The therapist and client collaboratively explore what is being carried—whether it’s emotional distress, ancestral pain, or somatic suffering.
Locating the Brainspot: The therapist uses a pointer or intuitive gaze to help the client find an eye position that resonates with a deep emotional or physical response. This is where the healing begins.
Processing and Healing: Through focused awareness on the brainspot, the client is invited to feel whatever emerges—whether it’s a sensation, an emotion, or a memory. This practice provides space for the body and mind to release, creating a safe, grounded environment for healing.
Integration: The release of trauma may result in emotional relief, greater clarity, or a sense of wholeness. This transformation is not just intellectual but deeply experiential, leading to a more integrated self.
Why Brainspotting Works for Trauma
While talk therapy tends to engage the conscious, neocortex part of the brain, trauma often resides in areas deeper than the rational mind can access. For individuals who have experienced generational, cultural, or developmental trauma, especially those from marginalized communities, trauma can be preverbal or tied to ancestral narratives. Brainspotting works with these deep layers of the brain, helping individuals process trauma without needing to articulate it verbally. It honors both the cognitive and somatic aspects of healing, a vital aspect for those who may struggle to find words for their experiences.
The Role of the Body in Brainspotting
Brainspotting is inherently somatic, acknowledging that trauma is not just a mental experience but a lived, embodied one. It recognizes that the body carries knowledge and healing potential that the mind may not be able to articulate. In this work, the body’s sensations—whether tension, warmth, tingling, or subtle shifts—are honored as messages, signaling the body’s process of release. By aligning with the body’s cues, Brainspotting offers a restorative way to heal fragmented parts of the self and re-establish balance.
Who Can Benefit from Brainspotting?
Brainspotting is a deeply inclusive therapy that can support individuals with various emotional and psychological challenges, especially those who have experienced marginalization and trauma. It is effective for:
PTSD and Complex PTSD
Anxiety, depression, and chronic stress
Ancestral trauma and cultural wounds
Chronic pain and somatic symptoms
Performance anxiety and creative blocks
Grief and collective loss
Attachment wounds and relational trauma
Substance use recovery
What to Expect in a Brainspotting Session
Sessions are unique to each individual, honoring the pace at which healing unfolds. Clients are not pushed to “fix” or “speak” their trauma; instead, they are invited to feel and experience their body’s responses. For many, the changes happen over time, through subtle shifts in emotional, physical, and spiritual states. Brainspotting is client-led and honors the body’s wisdom, working in sync with your pace of healing.
Final Thoughts
If you are seeking to work with trauma through a somatic approach, it is important to seek out practitioners who are conscious of the origins and ethics of their practices, and who are committed to respecting and honoring the communities from which these healing practices originate.
Reclaim Your Healing Journey with Sharma Mental Health Counseling 🌿
At Sharma Mental Health Counseling, we recognize the importance of healing through a decolonized, culturally respectful lens. We integrate somatic practices and trauma-informed approaches to honor the mind-body connection, especially for individuals navigating generational trauma, complex PTSD, and healing from cultural wounds. Our therapeutic practices center your experience and empower you to reclaim your healing, honoring both ancestral wisdom and your body’s innate capacity for transformation.
If you're ready to begin your healing journey, connect with us to explore how our decolonized therapeutic approach can support your path to emotional freedom and wellness. 🌱
Book a session today and let us support you in reconnecting to your roots, healing from the inside out, and creating a future grounded in peace and self-awareness.
✨ Healing is a process—together, we can walk through it. ✨
