Brainspotting

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Brainspotting (BSP; from English brain 'brain' and spotting 'to find something') is a psychotherapeutic method for trauma processing that was developed in 2003 by David Grand, an American psychotherapist with psychoanalytic training. The brainspotting assumes that memory contents that are not accessible to conscious retrieval and trigger the corresponding neural excitation patterns can be activated and influenced in a targeted manner via the line of sight. This pattern of brain activity associated with a specific eye position is known as the brainspot.

Demarcation

The procedure ties in with the traditions of Somatic Experiencing and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Similar to the Somatic Experiencing, brainspotting is “resource-oriented”. While EMDR stimulates the processing of stress caused by eye movements, Brainspotting assumes that this can be stimulated by eye fixation and specific eye position.

Mode of action and background

Grand made neurological hypotheses about brainspotting. He postulates a neurological connection between the line of sight and psychological content. The processing that happens at the reflex level or at the level of the central nervous system goes hand in hand with overwriting previously conditioned physiological reactions. Brainspotting can not only be directed towards stress, but also towards building up and strengthening resources in order to achieve a gradual processing of trauma and desensitization.

procedure

The brainspotting process is determined by the following steps:

  1. Remembering emotionally stressful events: As with EMDR , brainspotting is based on remembering stressful events that should be reprocessed.
  2. Activation of the client: The therapist instructs the patient to remember the stressful event in such a way that he is “activated”, ie emotionally and psychophysiologically aroused. As with the EMDR, the current level of stress or activation is measured using the Subjective Units of Disturbance Scale (SUDS) (0 = none; 10 = highest activation).
  3. Focusing on body awareness: the client is asked to determine the location of the strongest noticeable activation in the body.
  4. Determination of a brainspot: To do this, the client's eyes follow the therapist's slow hand movement through their own field of vision. If the continuous eye movement is interrupted by an involuntary reaction (e.g. strong blinking), a brainspot is postulated.
  5. Focused attention: The client should carefully observe his affects, memories, cognitions and body sensations and freely associate them.
  6. Completion: The processing process is deemed to have ended when the SUD level has dropped to zero.

Scientific reception

In the course of the follow-up care for victims and those affected by the rampage in Newtown-Sandy Hook , Brainspotting was rated as the most effective of all therapy methods.

The scientific investigation of this method shows good, but comparatively lower therapeutic effect strengths than EMDR for PTSD . Due to methodological deficiencies, the method is received controversially.

literature

  • David Grand: Brainspotting. How to resolve problems, trauma and emotional stress in a targeted manner. From the American by Anni Pott. VAK, Kirchzarten 2014, ISBN 978-3-86731-146-5 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Grand, D. (2011). Brainspotting. A new dual regulation model for the psychotherapeutic process. Trauma & Violence, 3, 276–285.
  2. ↑ a b c d Grand, D. (2014). Brainspotting. How to resolve problems, trauma and emotional stress in a targeted manner. Kirchzarten near Freiburg: VAK Verlags GmbH
  3. ↑ a b Peer, EL (2011). Brainspotting. Systemic Notes, 3, 24–35.
  4. ^ Corrigan, F. & Grand, D. (2013). Brainspotting: Recruiting the midbrain for accessing and healing sensorimotor memories of traumatic activation. Medical Hypotheses, 80, 759-766.
  5. ^ Schubbe, O. (2013). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. In A. Maercker (ed.). Post-traumatic stress disorder. 4th edition. Heidelberg: Springer.
  6. ^ Schubbe, O. (2014). EMDR, Brainspotting and Somatic Experiencing in the treatment of secondary trauma disorders. Psychotherapists Journal 2, 156-163.
  7. ↑ Wolpe, J. (1972). Practice of behavior therapy. Bern: Huber.
  8. ^ Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation: Report of Findings from the Community Survey September 2016. In: Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation. Retrieved March 2, 2018 .
  9. ↑ Hildebrand, A., Grand, D., Stemmler, M. Brainspotting. The efficacy of a new therapy approach for the treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in comparison to Eye Movement Desensitization ond Reprocessing . Mediterian Journal of Clinical Psychology MJCP, ISSN  2282-1619 , Vol.5 N.1. (2017) [1]