About Brainspotting Therapy
Brainspotting Therapy
If your struggles with compulsive substance use are related to psychological trauma, brainspotting therapy can be a valuable component of your treatment at Design Recovery.
About Brainspotting Therapy
Brainspotting Therapy
If your struggles with compulsive substance use are related to psychological trauma, brainspotting therapy can be a valuable component of your treatment at Design Recovery.
We Are Here for You!
If you have been struggling with an addiction to alcohol or another substance, our addiction treatment programs in Jacksonville, Florida, may be the ideal place to begin your recovery journey.
Brainspotting therapy can help you process traumatic experiences that lead to addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders. This unique type of therapy offers hope to those seeking to heal from the past.
Contact Design Recovery today at 833-818-4300 to begin addiction treatment in Jacksonville, Florida.
What is Brainspotting Therapy?
Brainspotting therapy is a holistic method of treatment that is designed to help patients process and release trauma by identifying where their distress is stored in their brain and body.
It was developed in 2003 by David Grand, PhD, who built on his experiences using eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy to treat trauma survivors.
As with EMDR, brainspotting therapy also employs eye positioning to alleviate trauma-related emotional pain. However, brainspotting therapy is a more flexible approach that features a different type of eye movement and typically involves less verbal communication between therapist and patient.
How Does Brainspotting Therapy Work?
Brainspotting therapy is based on the belief that trauma is stored in specific locations in the central nervous system (CNS) and elsewhere in the body, and that a person’s eye positioning can reveal these locations.
With the guidance of a trained brainspotting therapist, patients follow a pointer or other slow-moving object with their eyes while focusing on an unpleasant event from their past. When the therapist notices certain physical responses from the patient, they will stop moving the object and direct the patient to keep their vision fixed in the direction they are currently looking.
This fixed visual location is referred to as a brain spot. By remaining at the brain spot and directing their full attention toward the painful memory, the patient can begin to experience both physical and psychological relief.
Trauma’s Role In The Development of Substance Use Disorders
From a mental health perspective, trauma refers to intense, disruptive emotional pain in the aftermath of one or more particularly troubling experiences.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is probably the most well-known condition that results from trauma. But it is by no means the only one. Many people who develop substance use disorders (addictions) also have histories of untreated trauma.
Among its many harmful effects, psychological trauma can cause dysfunction within a person’s stress response system, which is commonly referred to as their “fight or flight” response.
Ideally, this automatic response triggers temporary changes in a person’s body and mind to help them deal with an imminent threat. But among people who have been traumatized, this response can be permanently activated, causing them to feel like they are in perpetual danger.
Without even realizing the reason, someone who has been affected in this way may turn to alcohol or another drug in an attempt to ease their mind or simply allow themselves to momentarily relax. The desire to find even fleeting moments of serenity through substance use can quickly become a compulsion, which can have the unintended effect of further degrading a person’s mental health.
When someone with this type of history seeks professional help for an addiction, it’s essential that their treatment plan also addresses their underlying trauma.
Our Programs That Offer Brainspotting Therapy
Design Recovery patients who can benefit from brainspotting therapy may receive this service at either the partial hospitalization or intensive outpatient level:
- Partial hospitalization program (PHP): Our PHP is in session Monday—Friday, 9 a.m.—4:30 p.m. each day. In a typical day at this level, patients take part in several types of psychotherapy, enjoy a nutritious lunch, and participate in surf therapy, a gym session, or another holistic service.
- Intensive outpatient program (IOP): At the IOP level, patients have the option of attending treatment either three or five days per week. Each treatment day includes three hours of programming, 9 a.m—noon. Groups are the main means of care in our IOP, but patients also benefit from other types of traditional and holistic programming.
What To Expect During a Brainspotting Therapy Session
Brainspotting therapy sessions are a form of individual therapy. This means that you will work in close collaboration with one specially trained professional.
Your first session may not involve the eye movements or other steps that are central to this approach. Instead, you will likely discuss your reason for seeking treatment, and your therapist will explain how brainspotting therapy works and what you can expect from future sessions.
This initial meeting can be essential for your future success. Understand the principles of the process and ensuring that you and your therapist are aligned are important in all therapeutic environments, including brainspotting.
During subsequent sessions, your therapist will direct you to focus on a specific memory. They will also ask you to describe how this memory makes you feel, paying special attention to any physical discomfort.
As you continue to focus on the memory, your therapist will slowly move their finger or an object in your field of vision, and ask you to follow this movement with your eyes. At some point during this activity, you may begin to experience increased physical and psychological distress.
When this occurs, your therapist will direct you to stop moving your eyes and hold your vision on that spot, while allowing yourself to feel the full force of your emotions. This can be challenging, but it is a vital part of the brainspotting experience.
As you remain in this state, letting the physical and psychological impact of this memory occur without trying to avoid or resist your discomfort, your therapist will help you to fully processes and then release your stored pain.
Before the session concludes, you can review what transpired, and your therapist can help you ease any residual distress that could cause problems for you during the period before your next session.
Our Experienced Therapists
Whether you are participating in brainspotting or any other therapeutic activity at Design Recovery, you will be working with a trained and experienced therapist who is truly invested in your success.
All therapists at our center have at least a master’s degree in their chosen field, and many have furthered their academic career beyond that point or received other specialized training. If you have any questions about the qualifications of the professionals who will be providing your care, a member of our team will be happy to provide you with the details you’re seeking.
Why Design Recovery?
With so many variables to consider, how can you be sure you’re making the best choice when choosing a mental health treatment provider?
Here are just a few of the many reasons why Design Recovery may be the right place for you or a loved one:
- Safety and support: When you are at Design Recovery, you will be in a safe place among people who truly care about you, and who are invested in your success.
- Individualized approach: We will take the time to understand your unique challenges, hopes, and goals, so that we can be sure we’re providing the focused services you need.
- Personal expertise: Many members of our treatment team are in recovery themselves. We have been where you are, and we know what it takes to find the path out of the darkness of active addiction.
- Holistic care: Our goal isn’t to simply treat your symptoms. We want to help you experience true and lasting healing in mind, body, and spirit.
- Detailed discharge planning: Before you transition out of treatment, we’ll identify the resources and support services that can help you maintain and build on the progress you make while you’re in our care.
Learn More About Brainspotting Therapy in Jacksonville, FL
To learn more about brainspotting therapy or any other aspect of treatment at Design Recovery, or to schedule a free consultation, please visit our Admissions page or call us today.