Brainspotting Counseling in Florida
Wesley Chapel, Tampa, Lutz, and Nearby Areas
Who can benefit from Brainspotting?
Have you tried talk therapy but still wrestled internally?
Do you experience chronic pain that can’t be explained by physical exams?
Are you frustrated that the symptoms of your anxiety, depression, fear, or anger continue to interfere with the life you want for yourself?
Does the ongoing impact of your trauma seem to be treatment-resistant?
It may be beneficial to try a different approach. Traditional talk therapy relies on language. It takes a “top-down” approach to mental health challenges, presuming that a change in thoughts will lead to a change of emotions. This is a valid approach to many issues. However, it is based on the assumption that you can articulate the source of your suffering.
An alternative to “top-down” counseling is a “bottom-up” approach. There are a variety of “bottom-up” therapeutic approaches that rely on your physical body and the deeper parts of your brain to access your autonomic and limbic systems. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an example of this form of treatment. Brainspotting (BSP), a relatively new type of “bottom-up” therapy, is similar to EMDR.
We offer Brainspotting to Tampa, Wesley Chapel, Lutz, and nearby areas.
What is Brainspotting?
Brainspotting is a type of therapy that utilizes eye positions to access and heal internal emotional wounds that may also manifest as physical pain. A therapist will literally ask you to look in different directions and report sensations within your body. The goal of this is to identify which eye position activates and increases the intensity of your experience. This eye position is described as a Brainspot.
Looking for accelerated healing?
Click here to learn about our Brainspotting Intensives!
~ ~ ~
Looking for accelerated healing? Click here to learn about our Brainspotting Intensives! ~ ~ ~
What is a Brainspot?
A Brainspot is an eye position that, when held, activates the part of your brain where traumatic experiences, mental injuries, or unprocessed emotions are stored.
God wired our bodies to be able to respond to stress. We have a vast array of internal resources to equip us for facing and surviving threats. In an ideal scenario, our bodies rally their forces to protect us from a threat. The sympathetic nervous system activates the fight/flight response. Once we are able to either defeat or flee from the danger, our parasympathetic nervous system activates the rest/digest response. Our bodies heal and repair whatever damage was inflicted and we are able to return to a state of stability, homeostasis, or balance.
What happens when we try to fight, but are overpowered?
What happens when we try to flee, but are caught?
Brainspotting Therapy in Florida with Boundless Hope Christian Counseling
When our initial line of defense fails and we are trapped, we may plead with our captor (fawn) or freeze in a state of helplessness. This inability to fight or flee can cause traumatic injury. The fear and pain we feel gets stuck in our bodies. The places in our brains where unprocessed emotion lies are activated by brainspots.
How does looking in a certain direction activate unprocessed emotion?
Scientists are not entirely sure. There are many evolving theories, connected to REM sleep and EMDR therapy. Keep in mind that the first CT brain scan was done a little over 50 years ago. Neuroscience is a relatively new discipline that is making exciting discoveries every day. However, we do know that Brainspotting has been beneficial to many people since its creation in 2003 by therapist David Grand.
How are Brainspots identified and treated?
Imagine you’re playing a multi-generational game of hide-and-seek with your family. All members of the family have been found except for Grandma. Your 1 year-old is standing in front of you as you ask, “Do you know where Grandma is hiding?” The little one just stares at you and smiles, but her eyes dart to the nearby closet door, which you open to reveal Grandma. The toddler’s reflexive eyes, rather than words, directed you.
Similarly, during Brainspotting, your therapist will observe your eyes and body. Your subconscious triggers reflexive responses when one of your Brainspots is stimulated. These automatic reflexes are clues to direct your clinician as they lead you through your Brainspots. Once a Brainspot has been identified, you will need to hold your eye position and focus on what your mind/body are experiencing.
Brainspot Reflexive Responses - Brainspotting at Boundless Hope Christian Clinical Counseling in Florida
The fear and pain we feel during trauma gets stuck in our bodies when we are unable to fight or flee the danger. This is very common during adverse childhood experiences because children do not have the power or autonomy afforded to adults. When a place in your brain where unprocessed emotions and sensations reside is activated through a brainspot, your therapist will be present to safely guide you. Just as God created us with a defense system, He also created our bodies with an inherent ability to heal and be restored.
As you access and process the dormant, trapped emotions and sensations in your mind and body you will be able to integrate, release, and heal things that may have been festering in your subconscious for years. You can move from a frozen, primitive survival mode to a fluid, empowered thriving mode of living.
“I’m interested. How do I get started?”
We offer Brainspotting and Brainspotting Intensives to Tampa, Wesley Chapel, Lutz, and nearby areas. While single-session Brainspotting is effective, multi-day Brainspotting Intensive can be a great option if you are looking for accelerated healing.
Intensives, structured to cover more ground in fewer days, are a great fit for you when:
Your schedule doesn’t allow for weekly therapy visits or you need to minimize time away from work.
You are looking for prompt symptom relief and want a big change in a shorter time; a few months’ worth of healing in just a few days.
You believe there is more healing to be had. You are ready to dig in and commit to the hard work.
If you’ve tried talk therapy and want a different approach, Brainspotting may be just the therapeutic exercise you’ve been looking for! Christie Rios provides Brainspotting therapy for Boundless Hope clients. You can reach out to Christie directly, email Boundless Hope, or call us to schedule a FREE 15-minute phone consultation.