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Discover how Brainspotting helps transform childhood trauma into secure connection
Attachment wounds rooted in early childhood trauma or inconsistent caregiving can deeply shape how we relate, trust, and regulate our emotions. These wounds are stored deep within the body and brain, particularly in subcortical areas such as the amygdala. Traditional talk therapy often can’t reach these layers, but Brainspotting can.
What Is Brainspotting and How Does It Heal Attachment?
Brainspotting is a brain-body therapy developed by Dr. David Grand that locates eye positions called “brainspots” that are linked to stored trauma. With the attuned, compassionate presence of a therapist, clients access and release unresolved trauma that is held beneath conscious awareness.
Brainspotting accesses the part of the subcortical brain where trauma is stored. The combination of connecting to stored trauma and the attuned presence of the therapist allows for the nervous system to regulate and heal.
Why Co-Regulation Is Key to Healing Attachment Wounds
Co-regulation is the process by which one person’s calm, regulated nervous system helps another shift out of distress. In Brainspotting, the therapist offers steady, nonjudgmental presence that helps the client access their own healing resources. Mindful Attunement is a primary tenant of Brainspotting in that the compassionate presence of the brainspotting therapist activates brain pathways associated with safety, support, and connection.
Brainspotting focuses on the attunement of the therapist to the reflexive, somatic and subtle responses from the mind and body. In this way, healing comes from the combination of being compassionately supported and seen at a deep mind body level. This fosters a sense of trust that allows the nervous system to feel safe and open to process stored, unconscious trauma energy.
Coregulation Research
Research shows that the safe, caring support of another person moves us into the part of our brain-body connection for healing. According to Polyvagal Theory, social connection is key to healing trauma stored in the nervous system. When clients feel safe with their therapist, they move from survival states of fight, flight, freeze, appease or collapse into relational safety and repair.
Mindful Attunement & Subcortical Healing: Going beyond talk therapy
According to Matthew Lieberman author of the book, Social, our need for connection is said to be even more important than our need for food and shelter. This notion echoes early studies in psychology showing that social isolation and neglect cause significant mental and physical decompensation and mortality risk.
Polyvagal Theory, based on the work of neuroscientist Steven Porges, demonstrates that as evolved mammals our ability to engage socially shifts our physiology and allows for processing of traumatic energy and memories. Social connection activates the healing power of our vagus nerve to repair from the residue of trauma especially as related to the fight, flight, freeze, collapse, or appease nervous system responses.
Trauma Happens in Relationships, So Does Healing: Brainspotting and the science of co-regulation
The understanding that trauma happens inside of a relationship causing a break in attachment and trust, means healing involves reviving the attachment pathway. The power of attunement and compassionate presence are at the heart of Polyvagal Theory and interpersonal neurobiology. Brainspotting’s success hinges upon an individual experiencing the safe, mindful attention of the practitioner.
Rewire for Secure Attachment
Fortunately, attachment wounds can heal. By accessing trauma stored in the subcortical brain and offering compassionate co-regulation, Brainspotting helps clients feel safe enough to remain present, process unresolved trauma, and ultimately build secure relationships.
