Brainspotting and EMDR - What's The Difference?
Brainspotting is an alternative therapy that uses eye positioning to help identify and release emotions and trauma stored in your brain. The idea is that when you recall a traumatic memory, your eyes will naturally move to a specific location that correlates with that memory. A brainspotting therapist helps you locate these eye positions, called “brainspots,” and uses them to help process the memory and release its negative emotions.
How Does It Work?
During a brainspotting session, you focus on a traumatic memory while the therapist observes your eye movements. When your eyes become fixed on one location, you've found a brainspot. The therapist will have you hold your gaze on that spot as you discuss the memory, helping weaken its emotional impact.
Benefits of Brainspotting
Brainspotting helps reduce symptoms associated with trauma like anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Some of the main benefits include:
Decreased negative emotions and distressing physical sensations related to traumatic memories
Improved ability to think about traumatic events without feeling overwhelmed
Increased awareness and acceptance of your thoughts and feelings
Improved self-confidence and ability to handle stressful life events
Deepened insight into behaviors, thought patterns, and coping mechanisms
While brainspotting shows promise, more research is needed to understand its effectiveness fully. But for many, it's a helpful tool for working through trauma and cultivating emotional healing.
What Is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR therapy, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a form of psychotherapy that helps process traumatic or distressing memories. During EMDR therapy sessions, you recall distressing events while the therapist directs your eye movements. This helps the brain reprocess these memories, reducing their painful intensity over time.
EMDR therapy can be effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma-related conditions. The idea is that the bilateral stimulation of the brain through touch, sounds, or eye movements helps unlock emotional memories so you can reframe them in a less distressing way.
How Does EMDR Therapy Work?
EMDR therapy works by activating both sides of your brain during the recall of traumatic memories. This is done through bilateral stimulation, such as side-to-side eye movements, alternating buzzers, or tapping. While recalling the traumatic memory, bilateral stimulation is thought to help reprocess information and change how you feel about the memory.
Over multiple sessions, the distressing memory tends to lose its power. EMDR can also strengthen more positive associations and beliefs about yourself. The result is that the memory becomes less painful, emotionally charged, and more factual.
Brainspotting vs EMDR: Key Differences Explained
When comparing Brainspotting and EMDR therapy, there are some notable differences:
Approach
Brainspotting focuses on the location of your eye movements, called “brainspots,” and uses them to access emotions and traumatic memories. EMDR also uses eye movements, but by guiding your eyes back and forth to desensitize you to traumatic memories.
Session Structure
Brainspotting sessions are less structured and are client-led. The therapist follows your cues to determine which brainspots to focus on. EMDR follows a more standardized protocol, with the therapist guiding you through eye movements while focusing on a target memory.
Trauma Focus
Brainspotting aims to access the deep brain centers where trauma is stored focusing more on where the subconscious stores the trauma. EMDR has clients actively focus on and reprocess traumatic memories and events. For some, EMDR’s focus on traumatic details can feel too intense or retraumatizing.
Physical Sensations
Brainspotting often brings up strong physical and emotional sensations as the deep brain is accessed. The EMDR process can also elicit uncomfortable physical and emotional reactions as traumatic memories are activated. Both approaches believe these reactions are an important part of the healing process.
While the approaches differ in some ways, Brainspotting and EMDR are two effective trauma therapy approaches. Book a consultation with us today to find the right approach for you.
