Brain Spotting: A Revolutionary Treatment Protocol for PTSD -- No Matter
What the Cause
What is a brain spot?
A brain spot is not a literal specific location in the brain which holds a
traumatic experience. Rather it is an eye “position,” identified by the
therapist or the client, which correlates with activation of felt
experiences within the body.
At the identified brain spot, the client experiences in his or her body
the sensations which accompany the experience of trauma or emotional
arousal, whether that be named as fear, sadness, anger, disappointment,
abandonment, hurt, despair, or a host of other identified feelings. In
brain spotting, we don’t want to intellectualize your experience of trauma
or emotional activation. Instead we want to be there as witness and fellow
sufferer with you as you go through releasing the trauma which has been
held in your body since the initial experience.
Working with the
nervous system:
Brain spotting initiates deep processing within the nervous system. This
processing often results in integration of split-off memories with their
accompanying “trauma capsules.” When these “capsules” integrate in your
body/brain, you experience a release in your nervous system. Brain
spotting appears to work at the brain’s emotional centers (the midbrain
and amygdala) to detoxify emotional, psychological, and somatic responses
and patterns. Some examples of these maladaptive responses which respond
to brain spotting would be the intermittent presence of a startle
response, a pattern of self-sabotage in relationships, or an inability to
“get beyond” a specific experience.
The development of brain spotting:
The technique of brain spotting was developed by David Grand, Ph.D., who
specializes in the healing of trauma and the enhancement of performance.
Dr. Grand was working with a top-notch ice skater who was unable to
perform the triple toe loop. As Dr. Grand used the techniques of slow eye
movements (EMDR) to help this young skater, he noticed through careful
observance of her entire body, that at a specific eye position, she began
processing and releasing some very painful body-centered emotions.
From this initial discovery, Dr. Grand went on to develop the basic tenets
of brain spotting. His has been a lifetime of work in the trauma and
performance field which has led to his being featured on a number of
television shows on several networks and his work being highlighted in
both the New York Times and the Washington Post. Dr. Grand has written
about EMDR in his 2001 book, Emotional Healing at Warp Speed. More
recently he has published Ignite the Genius Within.
Jean Eva’s work with brain spotting:
Jean Eva has recently added Brain Spotting to her cadre of tools which she
uses to help heal individuals and couples. She has been an EMDR therapist
since 1996 and currently finds brain spotting an excellent protocol for
specific areas of trauma and emotional dysregulation. Jean Eva brings her
own compassionate attunement to each individual’s challenges.
Contact Jean Eva
