Brainspotting

A revolutionary approach at JK & Associates Therapy Services.   We offer specialised brainspotting therapy, a powerful therapeutic tool for processing trauma and enhancing performance. Led by Jo-Anne, the approach combines professional excellence with deep understanding.

Benefits:

• Evidence-based trauma processing
• Particularly effective for complex trauma and professional burnout
• Discrete, professional environment in South Kensington and Binfield locations
• Flexible scheduling for high-profile professionals

Latest Research and Benefits

Recent studies in 2024 have shown significant benefits of brainspotting therapy:

• Reduction in PTSD symptoms and trauma-related stress
• Improved emotional regulation and resilience
• Effective treatment for anxiety and depression
• Particularly beneficial for professional burnout and complex trauma

A 2023 clinical study demonstrated that brainspotting can lead to meaningful improvement in symptoms within just 3-4 sessions.

An Overview

What is Brainspotting?

Brainspotting is a therapeutic technique that uses specific points in your visual field (or “brain spots”) to help process difficult memories and trauma. Rather than revisiting the full details of a traumatic experience, Brainspotting gently guides you to focus on areas where your body may be holding onto emotional tension or unresolved stress. This method engages the subcortical brain, which governs basic functions like emotions, movement, and learning, to support deep, lasting relief.

How Brainspotting Differs from Other Therapies

Unlike some therapies that require recounting past trauma, Brainspotting allows you to address these experiences without fully revisiting or verbalising them. Instead, it helps release trauma held in the body, providing relief without needing to relive painful memories.

Why is Brainspotting Effective?

When faced with trauma, our bodies can enter a “freeze” response, bracing against perceived danger. Brainspotting works to “unfreeze” these responses, releasing the emotional and physical effects of trauma and supporting mental and physical healing. This process can lead to significant emotional release, reduced distress, and a stronger sense of resilience.

What to Expect in a Brainspotting Session

In a Brainspotting session, your therapist will guide you through these steps:

1. Getting Started

   • We begin with breathing exercises or a body scan to promote relaxation. Many sessions incorporate bilateral music, alternating sounds in each ear to help keep the mind balanced and focused.

2. Locating Tension

   • After the breathing or body scan, we focus on any areas of physical discomfort or tension. You’ll rate the intensity of this feeling on a scale from 1 to 10 to gauge your progress.

3. Finding Your “Brain Spot”

   • With guidance, you’ll identify a specific point in your visual field where you feel the most physical and emotional connection to the tension. I may use a pointer or observe where your gaze naturally falls to identify this spot.
   • You may either choose the spot yourself (the “Inside Window” approach) or follow the therapist’s observation (the “Outside Window” approach).

4. Processing Emotions

   • As you focus on your “brain spot,” we stay with any emotions or sensations that arise. This can feel like a gradual release as you process these feelings, supported by your therapist throughout.

5. Session Wrap-Up

   • By the end of the session, we’ll check in to see if there has been a shift in your distress level. 

After the Session
It’s normal to feel tired or emotionally sensitive after a Brainspotting session. This is part of the body’s natural processing. Should any overwhelming feelings arise, please reach out or a support hotline for additional guidance.

Why We Offer Brainspotting
Brainspotting is a powerful, focused treatment that works by identifying, processing, and releasing core neurophysiological sources of emotional and physical pain, trauma, and dissociation. At JK & Associates, we’re proud to include Brainspotting as a therapeutic option, providing clients with a safe and effective way to address deep-seated challenges without the need to recount difficult memories.

Brainspotting is based on the profound attunement of the therapist with the patient, finding a somatic cue and extinguishing it by down-regulating the amygdala. It isn’t just PNS (Parasympathetic Nervous System) activation that is facilitated, it is homeostasis.
— Robert Scaer, MD, “The Trauma Spectrum”

The founder of Brainspotting is David Grand, PhD who explains further in the video below what Brainspotting is. 

Specialised Brainspotting Services in London and Berkshire

Our brainspotting therapy services are available at:

• South Kensington, London: Ideal for city professionals and executives
• Warfield, Berkshire: Peaceful setting for focused therapeutic work