EMDR VS. Brainspotting
Brainspotting: The Gold Standard for Anxiety and Trauma Relief
Anxiety often leaves you feeling trapped—overwhelmed by worry, a racing heart, and sleepless nights. At Creating Changes Counseling, we understand how debilitating anxiety can be, and we’re here to help with Brainspotting, a cutting-edge therapy that’s transforming lives. Often compared to EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Brainspotting is considered a gold standard for healing anxiety and trauma. Krissy White is trained and certified in Brainspotting, offering personalized care to help you find peace. Here, we will explore how Brainspotting works, how it relates to EMDR, and why it’s the preferred choice for deep, lasting relief. If you know you are ready to start your journey, go ahead and contact Creating Changes Counseling today!
What Are Brainspotting and EMDR?
Brainspotting and EMDR are innovative therapies that target the root of anxiety and trauma, helping your brain and body process stuck emotions. While both are effective, Brainspotting is the cornerstone of my practice at Creating Changes Counseling. Here’s a quick look at each:
Brainspotting: Developed in 2003 by David Grand, Brainspotting identifies “brainspots”—specific eye positions tied to emotional distress—to access and heal trauma in the deeper, subcortical brain. It’s intuitive, somatic (body-focused), and highly flexible, making it ideal for anxiety and complex trauma.
EMDR: Created in 1987 by Francine Shapiro, EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (e.g., eye movements, taps) to reprocess traumatic memories through a structured eight-phase protocol. It’s widely recognized for treating PTSD, anxiety, and phobias.
Overlap: Both therapies use eye-based techniques to process trauma and anxiety stored in the brain and body, offering faster relief than traditional talk therapy. They’re effective for symptoms like panic, restlessness, or physical tension. While we specialize in Brainspotting at Creating Changes Counseling, we can refer clients seeking EMDR to trusted local providers.
How Brainspotting Helps Anxiety
Anxiety can feel like a constant storm—racing thoughts, tightness in your chest, or a sense of dread. Brainspotting addresses these symptoms by targeting their source, often without requiring you to relive painful memories. Here’s how it works:
Krissy, our certified Brainspotting therapist, helps you find a brainspot—an eye position linked to your anxiety’s physical or emotional sensations, like a knot in your stomach. By focusing on this spot, your brain processes the underlying trauma or stress, often stored in the subcortical brain, leading to profound relief. For example, a client with chronic panic attacks found calm after just a few sessions, noticing less tension and fewer intrusive thoughts.
Compared to EMDR, which focuses on specific memories and follows a structured protocol, Brainspotting is more flexible, intuitive, and client led. It’s ideal for generalized anxiety, physical symptoms, or cases where you can’t pinpoint a clear trigger. This makes it a powerful tool for the diverse ways anxiety shows up in your life.
Why Brainspotting Is the Gold Standard
Brainspotting stands out as a gold standard for anxiety and trauma therapy, and Krissy’s expertise at Creating Changes Counseling brings this transformative approach to you. Here’s why Brainspotting shines:
Deeper Healing: Brainspotting accesses the subcortical brain—where trauma and anxiety reside—more directly than many therapies, including EMDR. This can lead to faster, more lasting results, even for complex cases.
Flexibility: Without a rigid protocol, Brainspotting adapts to your unique needs. Krissy tailors each session to your emotional and physical cues, making it ideal for varied anxiety symptoms, from panic to chronic worry.
Somatic Power: Anxiety often manifests physically—racing heart, muscle tension, or shortness of breath. Brainspotting uses these sensations as entry points, helping you process emotions through your body, not just your mind.
Client-Centered: Brainspotting requires less verbal processing, perfect for those who find talking about trauma challenging. A client shared, “After three Brainspotting sessions with Krissy, I felt lighter without reliving my past.”
Innovation: As an evolution of EMDR, Brainspotting incorporates modern brain-body insights, building on EMDR’s foundation but offering a more intuitive approach.
While EMDR is effective and research-backed (e.g., endorsed by the World Health Organization for PTSD), Brainspotting’s depth and adaptability make it our preferred method at Creating Changes Counseling. If EMDR is better suited for you, Krissy can refer you to trusted local therapists.
Is Brainspotting Right for You?
Brainspotting is ideal for anyone struggling with anxiety, trauma, or physical symptoms like tension or panic attacks. It’s especially effective if you:
Feel “stuck” but can’t identify a specific cause.
Experience physical anxiety symptoms (e.g., racing heart, sleeplessness).
Prefer a less verbal, more intuitive therapy approach.
At Creating Changes Counseling, Krissy’s Brainspotting certification ensures you receive expert care tailored to your needs. If you’re interested in EMDR’s structured approach, we’ll connect you with a trusted provider. Ready to find relief? Book a session with Krissy to explore Brainspotting’s transformative power.
Start Your Healing Journey Today
Anxiety doesn’t have to define your life. With Brainspotting, Creating Changes Counseling offers a gold-standard therapy to help you process trauma and find lasting calm. Krissy’s expertise in Brainspotting can guide you toward peace, whether you’re battling panic attacks, chronic worry, or past trauma. Contact us today to schedule your session and take the first step toward a calmer, more empowered you.
