Brainspotting vs EMDR: A Clear Comparison
People pursue counseling for various reasons but one thing they have in common is the fact that what they are doing to move through challenges is not working. It is important to choose the right therapy because we don’t want to waste time (or money) on a specific type of counseling that isn’t right for us nor do we want to invest in services that yield marginal results or results that fade over time. Without effective treatment many people become disheartened by the effectiveness of therapy to help them as they rotate through therapists and modalities.
Traditionally, people wanting relief have gravitated toward talk therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). However, with advancements in neuroscience, we have become clearer that talk therapy only treats the mind and can have limited impact on our healing and growth. Therapies like Brainspotting (BSP) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) are somatic therapies that get below the surface by bringing both the brain and body into therapy. These approaches offer clients a deeper healing experience by helping us reset the brain and nervous system after traumatic or challenging experiences.
In the following post you will learn the difference between brainspotting vs emdr as therapies and the benefits of both.
What is Brainspotting?
Brainspotting, created by David Grand, is based on the idea that “where you look affects how you feel.” Grand discovered BSP by accident while working with a client and found it tremendously effective for helping the client move through performance issues that were preventing her from excelling as an ice skater. Based on fixed eye position, Brainspotting gains access into the deeper regions of the brain by bypassing the neo-cortex (the part of the brain in charge of higher level functioning) in order to get to the deeper regions of the brain in charge of regulation.
Brainspotting involves the practitioner to help the client find appropriate brainspots by first drawing awareness to either activation or relaxation in the body and then mapping the visual field in order to find neurobiological indicators that we have an access point. These indicators can appear below the client’s awareness and oftentimes involve rapid blinks, twitches, yawns, or other movements. Once the brainspot has been located, the client is invited to begin mindful processing while they keep their eyes locked on the spot (or spots) that have been identified as relevant eye positions.
Brainspotting works by allowing clients an ability to focus on the parts of the brain that are “stuck” in trauma or dysregulation. By acknowledging these parts of the brain, mindful processing, and by working with an attuned therapist, clients are able to work through issues and conditions that might not otherwise be identified. BSP has lasting results and many clients report positive results after only a few sessions of Brainspotting.
What is EMDR?
Although Brainspotting utilizes bi-lateral tones and music to help calm the parasympathetic nervous system during processing, EMDR therapists use bi-lateral eye movements, tones, and taps as a driving force to elicit results for the client. By utilizing back and forth movements, therapists using EMDR help the client access both hemispheres of the brain in order to disrupt faulty neural pathways and create new ones. Through the bi-lateral stimulation clients process trauma memories (the past) along with here and now (present) experience. As a result of treatment, many clients report a reduction in symptoms and activation in their brains and bodies.
Along with helping clients let go of disturbing memories and reduce symptoms (such as anxiety, depression, and focus issues), clients are also encouraged to identify faulty beliefs about themselves and replace them with positive ones. Like Brainspotting, clients report lasting results after just a few sessions of EMDR and an ability to be more firmly grounded in the present.
Difference Between EMDR and Brainspotting
Both therapies fall under a somatic experience umbrella where greater healing and growth are possible due to the focus on the deeper parts of the brain. It is through this focus that trauma and associated symptoms are flushed from the brainstem and nervous system, allowing the body and brain to reset. Furthermore, and as discussed earlier, both therapies utilize bi-lateral stimulation as a way to help access these deeper regions of the brain.
Brainspotting does not have the specific “set ups” or “protocols” that are utilized by EMDR therapists and a Brainspotting treatment can be administered in as little as five minutes. And unlike EMDR, where clients are encouraged to focus on specific “targets” throughout the session, Brainspottimg therapists encourage clients to allow their thoughts to go where they need to without judgment or certainty. It is the focus on the “Uncertainty Principle” in Brainspotting that allows the client to access memories, thoughts, and resources that they may not have access otherwise.
Although both therapies are used for Post Trauma Stress and a host of other issues and psychological conditions, there are certain clients who may prefer one modality over the other. For example, clients who have had a recent trauma such as a car crash may prefer EMDR and what is known as the EMDR “Recent Events” protocol to quickly process out activating thoughts, body sensations, and memories about what happened to them.
Clients with recent events may choose Brainspotting, but oftentimes clients respond to Brainspotting who are not sure why they feel “stuck” or “off.” Through Brainspotting, clients and their attuned therapist can stay open and curious as they discover patterns and memories that have previously been kept out of the client’s conscious awareness.
Effectiveness and Evidence
There are one to four quadrillion synaptic connections in the brain, and to think that we know the answers or where to go in therapy is not actually realistic. Brainspotting is effective because neither the therapist or client can truly know what is behind a client’s struggle or challenge simply by talking. It is the process of uncertainty, focusing on the parts of the brain that may be out of our awareness, and the therapist’s attuned presence to the client both neurobiologically and relationally that make BSP a powerful modality of treatment.
Is Brainspotting evidence based? Although there is more awareness about Brainspotting across the therapeutic community, it is still an approach that needs more research around its effectiveness with different populations. However, the limited studies that have been administered clearly show that Brainspotting is effective and a therapy that clients report is more effective over traditional talk therapy. More studies are being done and promise results across cultural and societal differences between clients involved in them.
EMDR’s effectiveness is clear due to the robust research on this specific modality. Originally created in the eighties, EMDR has gained traction with PTSD and other psychiatric challenges as well. Clients routinely report that they have greater results in fewer sessions over clients who are only receiving cognitive (or talk) therapy.
Risks and Considerations
Although Brainspotting Therapy is a resource model (a model that helps clients clear activation in the brain and body) there are some things clients need to be aware of. For example, clients who have experienced very complex PTS or have Dissociative challenges may become overwhelmed if they are too activated. It is the job of the attuned therapist to help administer the therapy and contain the client’s symptoms and challenges by knowing which brain spots and techniques to use during a Brainspotting session so that a client is able to stay in their window of tolerance of emotional regulation.
Although highly effective, some clients report that EMDR actually increased activation versus dialing it down. A criticism of the model is that it is more therapist led versus client led and therefore the client may feel out of control of the therapy. For a client who has experienced trauma or abuse, feeling like they are not in control can actually intensify symptoms such as helplessness and fear.
Tips on making sure you are choosing the right therapy for you include finding a therapist who can attune to you. In other words, does your therapist strive to understand your experience? Does your therapist thoroughly understand the modality they are using? Do they encourage you in a way that helps you feel grounded or safe?
Duration and Outcomes
Brainspotting can work in just a few sessions and for some clients, results are instantaneous. Additional sessions may be warranted if new challenges or issues present themselves, or if there are additional stressors or challenges the client may be experiencing. More significant types of psychiatric conditions may also warrant additional sessions.
Similarly, EMDR can also yield quicker results due to the somatic experience nature of the therapy. Clients can move through processing recent events quickly and resolve trauma symptoms that they may have been struggling to resolve for years.
Additional factors influencing the duration and success of both therapies include a therapist’s ability to prepare clients on what to expect, the client’s ability to regulate themselves, and the client’s ability to see the therapist consistently or as needed. Another factor may be access to care. For example, some insurances may limit the number of sessions, do not even cover behavioral health, or have high deductibles. If therapy is too expensive or there are other reasons preventing the client from working with their therapist the treatment may have diminished results. One thing to note is that both EMDR and BSP are therapies that can be utilized through telehealth although in person appointments are always ideal.
Conclusion
Both Brainspotting and EMDR are therapies that allow clients to go below the surface and to heal on a deeper level than other types of talk therapy. By accessing the midbrain, clients are able to calm their limbic brain (or survival brain) and identify thoughts, memories, or beliefs that have previously been out of their awareness. Healing happens when we restore what has been lost, and with 1 to 4 quadrillion synaptic connections in the brain, there is so much out of our conscious awareness that we can’t possibly know exactly what it is at times we are feeling overwhelmed or dysregulated - even if we think we do. Going deeper into the brain allows for deeper healing as we heal not only the mind but the brain and body as well.
Consult with a Brainspotting or EMDR therapist to determine which therapy may be best for you. Contact us at Clear View Counseling for additional resources or to book a free consultation.