What Is Brainspotting?

Brainspotting is a brain-based therapy developed by Dr. David Grand that uses the position of your eyes to access and process experiences stored in the deeper, subcortical areas of the brain. It was developed out of EMDR and shares its foundational understanding that trauma and difficult emotional experiences are stored in the body and nervous system, not just in conscious memory.

Where talk therapy works primarily through language and conscious thought, brainspotting works through what is called the "body-brain connection" — using a specific eye position, called a brainspot, to locate where a charged experience is being held in the nervous system and allow the brain to process it.

It is particularly effective for:

• Trauma and PTSD, including complex trauma and childhood trauma

• Anxiety that persists despite other treatment approaches

• Grief that has become stuck

• Performance anxiety in athletes, performers, and professionals

• Highly Sensitive People who process intensely and need a deeper approach

• Experiences that are hard to put into words

What Brainspotting Therapy Looks Like at Thrive

Sessions are held in person at our Sacramento office or via secure video anywhere in California. Brainspotting sessions have a different rhythm from standard talk therapy — there is often more silence, more attention to what is happening in the body, and less expectation that you need to explain or narrate what you are experiencing.

Your therapist will begin by helping you identify what you want to work on and where you feel it in your body — a tightness in the chest, a heaviness in the shoulders, a caught feeling in the throat. From there, they will help you find a brainspot — an eye position that seems to activate or intensify the body sensation. You will hold that eye position while your therapist stays present with you, and the brain's natural processing capacity does the work.

Sessions often include bilateral sound through headphones, which supports the nervous system in accessing a deeper processing state. You do not need to talk through what comes up unless you want to.

Brainspotting for Highly Sensitive People in Sacramento

Brainspotting is a particularly good fit for Highly Sensitive People, whose nervous systems process experience more deeply than average and who often find that what they carry in the body is significant. HSPs tend to respond well to brainspotting because it works at the depth they naturally operate at, rather than asking them to simplify or speed through what they are experiencing.

Learn more about therapy for Highly Sensitive People at Thrive

Brainspotting vs. EMDR

Both brainspotting and EMDR are brain-based, body-informed approaches to trauma and difficult emotional experiences. EMDR uses structured bilateral stimulation in a more directive protocol. Brainspotting uses a fixed eye position and tends to be more open and less structured, following what the client's nervous system surfaces rather than moving through a set of predetermined phases. Both are effective. Your therapist at Thrive can help you understand which approach is the better fit for your situation.

Brainspotting Therapists in Sacramento

Brainspotting at Thrive is offered by trained therapists with specific experience in trauma, anxiety, and Highly Sensitive People. When you reach out, we match you with the therapist whose background and approach fits what you are bringing in.

Meet the Thrive team

Frequently Asked Questions

Is brainspotting the same as EMDR?

No. Both are brain-based, body-informed approaches to trauma and difficult emotional experiences, and both were developed from similar theoretical foundations. The main difference is how they work in session. EMDR uses structured bilateral stimulation — typically side-to-side eye movements or tapping — following a predetermined protocol. Brainspotting uses a fixed eye position and is more open-ended, following what the client's nervous system surfaces rather than a structured sequence of phases.

Do I have to talk through what comes up in a brainspotting session?

No. Brainspotting works largely below the level of language. You do not need to narrate or explain what arises during a session — your therapist stays present with you while the brain does its natural processing work. If you want to talk about what you are experiencing, you can. If not, the processing happens regardless.

How many brainspotting sessions will I need?

This varies significantly depending on what you are bringing in and how your nervous system responds. Some people notice meaningful shifts after a small number of sessions. Others work with brainspotting over a longer period as part of ongoing therapy. Your therapist will help you understand what a realistic arc looks like for your situation as you go.

Is brainspotting available online?

Yes. Brainspotting can be conducted via secure video to anyone in California. Online brainspotting sessions use the same approach as in-person sessions, with bilateral sound delivered through your own headphones.

Is brainspotting covered by insurance?

Brainspotting sessions are billed as individual therapy. Coverage depends on your specific insurance plan and benefits. Reach out and we can help you understand your options.

psst, wanna know more about brainspotting? check this out.

Frequently Asked Questions About Brainspotting