Brainspotting: What is it and How Does it Work?
Last updated July 14, 2026.
What Brainspotting Is Like
If you’ve ever wondered, “What is brainspotting like?” I’m going to give you an overview of what many of my clients have experienced, knowing that your own experience might vary.
Brainspotting is considered a somatic therapy because the body is so involved in the processing of emotions. Even people who’ve tried many forms of therapy, or who struggle with overthinking and high-functioning anxiety, often note how unique Brainspotting feels in comparison.
How Brainspotting Works
Brainspotting works by using your eye positions and movements to identify Brainspots, aka spots in your visual field that are linked to experiences of emotional activation. In my therapy practice, I sometimes use a visual aid, like a teaching pointer, to help people find where their Brainspots are located.
The theory behind Brainspotting is that these Brainspots allow us to access information from the subcortical area of the brain, which is responsible for tasks like memory and emotional regulation.
By accessing these Brainspots, you’re able to process trauma, enhance positive emotions you’d like to experience more of, and allow your nervous system to regulate.
What to Expect During a Typical Brainspotting Session
First, you’ll identify the issue or concern you’d like to work with. One of the many benefits of Brainspotting is that you don’t have to rehash every last detail of your experience.
Next, you’ll be guided with a pointer to find the eye position connected to the feeling or issue you’re wanting relief from. Then, you’ll engage in what’s sometimes called, “focused mindfulness,” where you’ll keep your eyes on your Brainspot and notice the physical sensations and emotions that unfold the longer you remain focused on it.
In more advanced Brainspotting sessions, you might explore several Brainspottings, which means your eyes will move across several different locations in your visual field while you process.
You’ll then engage in a closing process where you’ll reflect on how activated you were at the start of the session, compared to how activated (or not!) you are by the end.
Brainspotting has some crossover with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
This is because the founder of Brainspotting, David Grand PhD, was originally trained in EMDR. But is Brainspotting EMDR? Nope, it’s not.
Unlike EMDR which focuses on bilateral (side-to-side) eye movements and sensations, Brainspotting uses your entire visual field. I have another blog post all about the differences between Brainspotting and EMDR if you want to take a deeper dive.
What Does Brainspotting Feel Like?
Unlike traditional talk therapy where you might catch yourself saying things like, “I think I developed anxiety after x, y, z,” Brainspotting focuses on the bodily sensations that pair with the events you’ve experienced.
Because as much as you might try to avoid feeling the bodily sensation of anxiety for instance, you actually need to access those feelings in order to process them fully.
In my own experience, clients commonly report the following sensations during a Brainspotting session:
Temperature changes in different areas of the body
Weight on their chest
Sensations of lightness
Feelings of swirling energy
Pressure on their shoulders or head
Whole body muscle relaxation
And of course, these sensations are just a few examples. So instead of talking about what you think during a brainspotting session, you might make more statements about what you’re feeling. Or, you might simply notice what you’re feeling, without even talking.
Do You Have to Talk During a Brainspotting Session?
This is what tends to surprise people the most. Even the most talkative people have a tendency to go silent during a Brainspotting session, and with good reason!
The processing portion Brainspotting is sometimes referred to as focused mindfulness. Your eyes are typically locked onto one visual point at this time and your brain is hard at work processing different bodily sensations and memories that come up.
A lot of people also ask, Will I cry during Brainspotting? You might! Crying is simply one way that your body processes emotions.
The Psychedelic and Expansive Effects of Brainspotting
And by psychedelic, I mean that Brainspotting can bring about experiences that expand your consciousness. In my own experience and the experiences of my clients, Brainspotting can lead to experiences like:
Time feeling like it’s going much faster or slower
Sensing the presence of your ancestors
Hearing the voice of a deceased relative or friend
Feeling tactile sensations (like a comforting hand on your shoulder)
Smelling or even tasting foods associated with certain memories
This doesn’t happen for everyone, but I always like to give people an idea of what to expect in case it does come up.
Brainspotting is well-suited for overthinkers and intellectualizers.
Instead of being limited to talking during therapy sessions, Brainspotting gives you the option to process without needing to rehash your most traumatic memories. This is crucial for overthinkers and interllectualizers who can sometimes get caught talking in circles about their struggles in therapy, without actually getting any relief from what’s brought them to therapy in the first place.
Brainspotting gets people out of the talking/analyzing loop and into the mode of feeling and processing what’s behind the story of what’s wrong.
Experience It For Yourself
If you want to experience Brainspotting for yourself, you’re in luck! I work with clients who arebased in Colorado and Oregon for both weekly therapy and brainspotting therapy intensives. Click the button below to read over some FAQs and send in your contact form. You can expect to hear back from me within 24 hours.
I’m Halle! A brainspotting therapist based in Colorado.
I work with millennials of all genders who are ready to ditch anxiety. You can work with me in either 1:1 weekly therapy, or in a therapy intensive.
If you live in either Colorado or Oregon, I’d love to work with you. Book your free intro call to get started!
