As a therapist specializing in trauma treatment, I’m sometimes asked about the different modalities I use in my practice. Two of the most effective approaches I offer are Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Brainspotting. While both are brain-based therapies that help process trauma and distressing experiences, they each have unique qualities that make them powerful tools for healing.
What They Have in Common
Both EMDR and Brainspotting work with the brain’s natural capacity to heal from psychological wounds. They share several important similarities:
Brain-Based Processing: Both modalities access the deeper, subcortical parts of the brain where trauma is stored, bypassing the limitations of traditional talk therapy that primarily engages the thinking brain.
Bilateral Stimulation: Each approach uses some form of bilateral engagement, though in different ways, to help the brain process stuck material.
Minimal Verbalization Required: Neither therapy requires you to talk extensively about your trauma. This makes them particularly helpful for people who find it difficult to put their experiences into words or who feel re-traumatized by detailed recounting.
Faster Results: Compared to traditional talk therapy, both approaches can often produce significant shifts in fewer sessions, though the exact timeline varies for each person.
Focus on Body Awareness: Both recognize that trauma lives in the body, not just the mind, and incorporate somatic (body-based) experiencing into the healing process.
How EMDR Works
EMDR, developed by Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s, is one of the most researched and validated trauma therapies available. It uses bilateral stimulation—alternating activation of both sides of the body—while you recall distressing experiences. In my practice, most clients prefer using handheld pulsators (affectionately called “buzzies”) that vibrate alternately, though I also offer a lightbar for those who prefer eye movements.
The process follows a structured approach that includes:
- History-taking and treatment planning
- Preparation and resource-building
- Identifying target memories
- Processing traumatic material through bilateral stimulation
- Installing positive beliefs
- Body scanning for residual tension
- Closure and re-evaluation
The bilateral stimulation (either through eye movements or with “buzzies”) helps your brain reprocess the memory in a way that reduces its emotional charge and helps you develop more adaptive perspectives.
How Brainspotting Works
Brainspotting, developed by Dr. David Grand in 2003, is a newer approach that emerged from EMDR but takes a different path. Instead of moving the eyes back and forth, Brainspotting identifies specific eye positions (brainspots) that correlate with the activation of traumatic material in the brain.
The core principle: “Where you look affects how you feel.”
In a Brainspotting session, we work together to find the eye position that most strongly connects to your issue or trauma. Once we locate this “brainspot,” you maintain your gaze in that position while staying present to whatever arises : sensations, emotions, memories, or insights. This sustained focus allows your brain to process the material at its own pace.
Brainspotting is more open-ended and client-directed than EMDR’s structured protocol, relying heavily on the brain’s innate capacity to heal itself when given the right conditions.
Key Differences
Structure vs. Flexibility: EMDR follows a specific protocol with clear phases, while Brainspotting is more fluid and follows the client’s process moment to moment.
Eye Movement Pattern: EMDR uses bilateral eye movements, while Brainspotting uses a fixed eye position.
Therapist Role: In EMDR, I’m more directive, guiding you through specific steps. In Brainspotting, I maintain an attuned presence while you lead your own process.
Accessing Material: EMDR often starts with identified target memories, while Brainspotting may start with material that is outside of conscious awareness.
Which Approach Is Right for You?
The good news is that you don’t necessarily have to choose. In my practice, I often use both modalities, sometimes within the same treatment plan. The choice depends on several factors.
EMDR may be particularly helpful if you:
- Appreciate structure and knowing what to expect
- Have specific traumatic memories you want to target
- Feel comfortable with some level of cognitive engagement
- Respond well to bilateral stimulation
Brainspotting may be particularly helpful if you:
- Prefer a less structured, more intuitive approach
- Have trauma that’s difficult to put into words or remember clearly
- Feel overwhelmed by too much therapist direction
- Are highly sensitive or dissociative
- Want to access deeper material beneath conscious awareness
My Integrative Approach
When combined with Internal Family Systems (IFS) principles, both EMDR and Brainspotting become even more powerful. IFS helps us work respectfully with the different parts of you that may be protecting you from the pain of trauma, ensuring that we move at a pace that feels safe for your entire system.
I also integrate sandtray therapy when appropriate, which can provide a tangible, creative way to externalize and process material that emerges during EMDR or Brainspotting sessions.
The Bottom Line
Both EMDR and Brainspotting are evidence-based, effective approaches to healing trauma. Neither is universally “better”—they’re different tools that can be matched to your unique needs, preferences, and healing style.
During our initial sessions, we’ll explore which approach feels right for you, and we can always adjust as we go. Some clients start with one modality and later try the other, while some benefit from alternating between them depending on what we’re working on.
The most important factor in healing isn’t which specific technique we use—it’s the safety and trust we build together, your own innate capacity for healing, and finding the approach that allows your nervous system to feel safe enough to process and release what it’s been holding.
If you’re struggling with trauma, anxiety, depression, or other challenges and are curious about whether EMDR or Brainspotting might be right for you, I invite you to reach out. Together, we can find the path that best supports your healing journey.