My Experience Brainspotting
Hi Everyone. Welcome back to another installment of On Our Mind. This installment shines light on a recent experience that I had and I thought it would be useful to share.
On December 9, 10, 11, I attended a Brainspotting training. I just thought I was going to learn something to help my current and future clients. While I did, I also got much more, a transformational experience of my own, which I had not expected AT ALL.
What is Brainspotting? Brainspotting was discovered by Dr. David Grand in 2003 through his therapeutic work with a client. While there are many ways to describe Brainspotting (BSP), from the technical ways to the lay ways. I describe BSP as a gunk detector and releaser. Imagine you have a drain that has been getting slower and slower, and is not functioning to its full capacity. It’s known that there isn’t a full clog because it still drains, but any day now, the material may not go down. So instead of being reactive and waiting for the day the drain is fully blocked, a plumber is called. The plumber comes in, does their thing, and now the drain is flowing like new again. The plumber isn’t asked about what they did or how they did it, there’s just relief to have a fully functional drain again. Brainspotting is that plumber.
In training, there is the opportunity to observe demonstrations before going into the practicum experience. What I observed and what I experienced was nothing short of amazing! The openness and vulnerability that was expressed by all was a thing of beauty. In my experiences with BSP, I was surprised at how much I shared and how much was resolved for me.
Yes, I am being vague, and that is with intention. My experiences and the experiences of others are private. What I will say is- who I was before starting the training was not who I am now. I feel energetically lighter and less bogged down. I have seen positive changes in my ability to engage in imaginative play with my daughter, which was very difficult for me before, and I am finding my ability to concentrate and focus has improved.
I am not saying that you or anyone you know will have similar results, but I know that Brainspotting is worth the try. I have provided Brainspotting to someone that was experiencing a low threshold for tolerating distress and since the session their threshold has increased, which was something they didn’t think would be possible for them. That change came through Brainspotting.
If you are thinking of trying Brainspotting, go for it! If you are a clinician that has thought about completing the training, go for it!
Don’t take my word for it, research it for yourself. There is a great amount of information available just waiting for you to access it.
Til next time.
