What it is
A gaze-based psychotherapy that uses a fixed eye position to help process distress.
Experiential support
Brainspotting
A brain-body psychotherapy from David Grand that uses a fixed gaze position, called a brainspot, to help a person focus on and process distress held in the body
CategoryComplementary
SafetyModerate risk
Reviewed by Gyfts Editorial Team · Editorial Health Review
6 July 2026
At a glance
Brainspotting at a glance
Why explore it
Some people use it to work with trauma-related distress and body-held tension alongside therapy.
How it’s experienced
A quiet session of holding your gaze while the therapist stays attuned, often with music.
Evidence context
Support is mostly theory and clinical reports; no controlled trials were found.
See the evidence snapshotSafety
Best with a licensed, trained clinician. It can stir strong memories.
See staying safeHistory & Origin
About Brainspotting
Brainspotting, often shortened to BSP, is a psychotherapy that works with distress held in both the mind and the body. A trained therapist helps you find a position in your visual field, called a brainspot, that seems connected to a troubling feeling or memory. You hold your gaze on that spot, often using a pointer, while you pay quiet attention to what you notice in your body, thoughts, and emotions. The therapist stays closely attuned and mostly lets the process unfold at its own pace.
Practitioners describe brainspotting as a way of working that may help with trauma-related distress, anxiety, and body-held tension, and some also use it with performance blocks. Sessions often include bilateral sound, slow music with sounds moving between the ears, and may combine brainspotting with other therapies. The idea is that eye position can point to where emotional experience is stored in the brain and body, and that sustained focus there supports processing.
The research base is early. The main published papers are theoretical proposals about how it might work, and controlled trials were not found in a PubMed search. Because it can bring up strong memories and is often used for trauma, it should be delivered by a licensed mental health professional with brainspotting training. It is a complement to, not a replacement for, established trauma care.
Brainspotting was discovered in 2003 by David Grand, a New York psychotherapist who was then an EMDR trainer. While using EMDR with a competitive ice skater, Grand noticed that her eyes wobbled at a certain point in her visual field. When he had her hold her gaze there, she processed an intense body-based trauma quickly. He named the phenomenon Brainspotting and went on to build a framework around it, describing it in his book Brainspotting: The Revolutionary New Therapy for Rapid and Effective Change (2013).
Grand teaches brainspotting through his own training institute, and training is open to licensed mental health professionals in many countries. The approach grew mainly through clinical word of mouth and workshops, among therapists who use it with trauma and with athletes and performers. Scientific work has largely been theoretical. In 2013 the UK psychiatrist Frank Corrigan and Grand published a paper in Medical Hypotheses proposing that holding the gaze on a brainspot engages midbrain and thalamic pathways, followed by a 2015 paper with Raju on how healing might proceed during the session. Both are hypotheses, not trial results, and researchers outside the brainspotting community have not widely tested them. Brainspotting is not regulated as a title, so the quality of training varies, and it is best sought from a clinician who is already licensed.
Mechanism
How it works
Brainspotting uses a fixed gaze position to anchor attention while a therapist supports you in processing a distressing experience. The proposed mechanisms are untested.
- Noticing a FeelingYou tune in to where distress sits in your body.
- Finding the SpotThe therapist helps you locate a gaze position tied to it.
- Holding FocusYou hold your gaze there with mindful attention.
- ProcessingFeelings, images, and sensations arise and shift while you are supported.
- SettlingThe intensity eases and you ground before closing.
Your first visit
What to expect from a session
A typical session outline to help you feel prepared
Clinicians differ, but a first brainspotting session often follows a shape like this. You can ask about any step before you begin.
Welcome and History
The therapist asks what brings you in, your health and trauma history, and any care you already have, and explains their training.
Safety and Consent
You agree on pacing, whether to use music or bilateral sound, and how to pause or stop at any time.
Choosing a Focus
You pick something to work on and notice where you feel it in your body, rating how strong it feels.
Finding a Brainspot
With a pointer, the therapist helps you find a gaze position linked to the feeling, and you settle your attention there.
Processing in Quiet
You hold your gaze and notice what arises while the therapist stays attuned, speaking little and checking in gently.
Closing and Grounding
The session ends with grounding, a recap, and a plan for next steps, with a reminder that it complements other care.
The Evidence
What the research says about Brainspotting
Brainspotting has a small but growing evidence base, with early trials showing promise for trauma and PTSD symptoms. Independent large-scale research is still needed.
Overall pictureEmerging Evidence
Early trials are promising, but the evidence base remains small
Small controlled studies show Brainspotting can meaningfully reduce PTSD and trauma symptoms, with results comparable to EMDR in direct comparisons. The research is encouraging but not yet supported by large independent trials, and major clinical bodies have not formally endorsed it.
What the studies show so farSmall trials report significant symptom reductions, but the evidence base is limited in scale.
A 2017 comparative trial (n=76) found three BSP sessions produced PTSD symptom reductions comparable to EMDR with large effect sizes. A 2022 within-subject study (n=40) found BSP and EMDR equally effective at reducing subjective disturbance. A 2023 case series (n=9) reported significant PCL-5 score reductions after six sessions. All studies are small and require independent replication.
Where Brainspotting sits clinicallyBSP is not currently listed among formally recommended PTSD interventions by major clinical bodies.
The APA does not currently list Brainspotting as a recommended PTSD intervention. Its theoretical mechanism — that specific eye positions correlate with neurological distress sources — remains a hypothesis without direct neuroimaging confirmation. This does not mean BSP is ineffective, but it means the evidence has not yet met the threshold for formal clinical endorsement.
Brainspotting as a complementary approachBSP is typically used alongside, not instead of, established mental health care.
Brainspotting sits within the complementary category of the MACH framework. It is most commonly used alongside conventional psychological care rather than as a standalone intervention. For people with complex trauma, severe PTSD, or co-occurring psychiatric conditions, BSP is best considered one tool within a broader, professionally guided care plan.
Safety and important considerationsBSP is generally low-risk but should be delivered by a formally trained therapist.
Sessions may surface intense emotions or previously suppressed memories. People with severe dissociation should work only with practitioners experienced in dissociative presentations. BSP is not a substitute for psychiatric medication where that is clinically indicated. The overall risk profile is low when delivered by a qualified, BSP-trained therapist in an appropriate clinical context.
Finding a qualified practitionerFormal BSP training is essential — not all therapists offering BSP have equivalent preparation.
Brainspotting requires specific training beyond general psychotherapy qualifications. By 2024, over 20,000 therapists across 40+ countries had completed formal BSP training. When seeking a practitioner, confirm they hold recognised BSP training credentials and are licensed mental health professionals in your jurisdiction. If you have complex trauma or dissociative symptoms, ask about their specific experience with those presentations.
What we still don't knowThe evidence base is promising but has real gaps that matter for informed decision-making.
Existing BSP studies are small, some lack control groups, and independent large-scale replication has not yet occurred. The proposed neurological mechanism is theoretical. It is not yet clear which populations benefit most, what the optimal number of sessions is, or how BSP compares to other trauma-focused approaches beyond EMDR. These are open questions, not reasons to dismiss BSP, but they are important context.
Safety first
Staying safe
General guidance to help you decide whether this approach is appropriate for you. This is informational only and not a substitute for medical, psychological, or professional advice.
Check with a professional first
If you are pregnant, managing a health condition, recovering from injury or surgery, or taking medication, consult a qualified healthcare professional first.
See specific guidance
- People with dissociation, psychosis, severe depression, recent crisis, or a history of seizures or severe migraines triggered by sensory stimuli should talk with a licensed professional before starting, since fixed gaze, music, and sound may affect them. In the US you can call or text 988 at any time, and findahelpline.com lists services in other countries. Be cautious of practitioners who are not licensed, who promise rapid or complete resolution of trauma, who discourage other care, or who push you to continue when you want to stop. You may pause or end a session at any time.
When this may not be suitable
Some situations call for extra care or a different approach. Share any conditions, injuries, or sensitivities with your practitioner before your first session.
See specific guidance
- Brainspotting can bring up intense memories and physical sensations, and it is most often used for trauma, so it should be delivered by a licensed mental health professional with brainspotting training. Trauma-focused methods should be delivered by trained clinicians. It does not replace medical or mental health treatment, and research on it is limited.
Choosing a practitioner
Look for clear boundaries, transparent pricing, and practitioners who avoid fear-based claims or pressure to book frequent sessions.
Possible side effects or aftercare
Mild, short-lived effects such as tenderness, tiredness, or temporary soreness can occur. Rest, hydrate, and tell your practitioner how you respond.
For you?
Is this right for you?
A simple, human way to weigh it up. This is general guidance, not personal medical advice — a qualified practitioner can advise on your situation.
May be a good fit if…
- Brainspotting may suit people already working with a licensed therapist on trauma or anxiety who find talking alone does not reach distress held in the body. It may appeal to those who like a quiet, nondirective, body-aware process, including athletes or performers seeking help with focus. The evidence is still early, so it is best treated as a complement to established care.
May not be right if…
- Not suited to anyone seeking a quick or certain resolution of trauma, or needing an approach with strong trial evidence. It needs particular care, often specialist support, with dissociative disorders, psychosis, severe depression, or active crisis, and may not suit those with seizure or sensory sensitivities. Avoid unlicensed practitioners or claims it fixes medical conditions, and seek a licensed professional first in crisis.
Gyfts is a discovery platform, not a medical provider. Nothing here diagnoses, treats or replaces professional care. In an emergency, contact your local emergency number.
Explore approaches
Related modalities
Other practices people often explore alongside brainspotting.
In their words
People often describe it as
quietfocusedbody-awareinwardspaciousattunedintenseunhurried
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Articles & insights
Before you book
Choosing a practitioner
FAQ
Common questions
What is brainspotting?
It is a psychotherapy developed by David Grand in 2003. A trained therapist helps you hold your gaze on a position in your visual field, called a brainspot, while you focus on a distressing feeling or memory. The therapist stays attuned as you process it. It is mainly used for trauma, anxiety, and body-held distress.
Is there scientific evidence for brainspotting?
Only limited evidence exists. The main published papers are hypotheses about how it might work, and controlled trials were not found in a PubMed search. Many clinicians report good experiences, but clinical reports are not trial evidence. It is best seen as a promising, untested complement to established therapies.
How is brainspotting different from EMDR?
It grew out of EMDR but differs in method. EMDR uses a structured protocol with moving eye or other bilateral stimulation, while brainspotting holds the gaze on a fixed position and is more open-ended. EMDR has a large body of trial research for PTSD. Brainspotting does not yet have comparable evidence.
Is brainspotting safe?
It is generally low risk in skilled hands, but it can stir up strong memories and physical sensations. It should be delivered by a licensed clinician with brainspotting training, and it needs extra care with dissociation, psychosis, or severe depression. It does not replace medical or mental health care.
Do I need to talk about my trauma in brainspotting?
No. You do not have to describe events in detail. Many sessions involve noticing a feeling or body sensation and holding your gaze quietly while the therapist stays present. You can share as much or as little as you wish, and you can pause or stop at any point. A good clinician lets you set the pace.
References
Evidence & Research
Educational sources that inform this overview. Inclusion is for context and does not imply endorsement.
- Brainspotting: recruiting the midbrain for accessing and healing sensorimotor memories of traumatic activation
- Brainspotting: sustained attention, spinothalamic tracts, thalamocortical processing, and the healing of adaptive orientation truncated by traumatic experience
Full citations are maintained by the Gyfts editorial team and reviewed periodically.
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