Brainspotting

My introduction to Brainspotting grew out of my work with EMDR.

At times, I noticed that while a person was processing a difficult memory, their gaze would naturally settle on a particular point in space, as though something inside them had come to rest there.

At the time, I had been trained to continue the eye movements and guide attention back to the protocol.

Then one day, I discovered the work of David Grand.

As I learned more about his approach, I felt I had found a bridge between two worlds that are particularly important to me: trauma work as I had come to know it through EMDR, and the focus on present-moment experience that lies at the heart of Gestalt therapy.

Brainspotting originated in 2003 from a simple observation. David Grand noticed that a figure skater he was treating consistently fixed her gaze on the same point in space whenever she spoke about a significant difficulty. Rather than continuing the eye movement as he might have done in EMDR, he invited her to stay connected to that precise point in her visual field.

Something important began to emerge.

This experience led to an idea that has become central to Brainspotting: “Where you look affects how you feel.”

Brainspotting is based on the understanding that certain experiences remain deeply stored within the brain and body, sometimes beyond the reach of words. By focusing on a particular point in the visual field, it may become possible to access sensations, emotions, or memories that have remained difficult to reach.

During a session, we first identify the issue that is concerning the person and the bodily sensations associated with it. We then look for a position of the gaze that seems to resonate with what is being experienced internally.

The aim is not to analyse, interpret, or force anything to happen.

Instead, the person is invited to observe whatever emerges, within an atmosphere of presence, safety, and attentive support. Memories may arise, emotions may shift, or a greater sense of calm may gradually develop.

As with EMDR, this process can sometimes be challenging. However, each person remains free to slow down, pause, or stop whenever necessary. The work proceeds at a pace that feels manageable and respectful of each person’s needs and resources.

What particularly resonates with me about Brainspotting is the importance it places on the therapeutic relationship. The quality of presence, the attunement between therapist and client, and careful attention to the body’s experience all play a central role in the process.

Throughout my practice, I have often observed how this approach can bring into awareness aspects of experience that are difficult to access through words alone.

Brainspotting does not aim to explain what happened. Instead, it offers a space where the brain and body can process experience in a way that often leads to greater healing, integration, and resilience.