Brainspotting Therapy for Overcoming Sex/Porn Addiction and Intimacy Disorders
What Is Brainspotting?
A psychotherapy technique that helps you process and overcome negative emotions, trauma, and pain by focusing on specific points in your visual field.
Discovered in 2003 by David Grand, PhD, as an advancement of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy.
Particularly effective for addressing deep-rooted issues underlying sex/porn addiction and intimacy disorders.
How Does It Work?
Identifying Brainspots:
A therapist guides your gaze to find "brainspots"—eye positions that trigger strong emotions or memories related to your struggles. These brainspots are connected to emotional distress or trauma driving compulsive behaviors.
By focusing on these spots, you access and process deeply held emotions stored in the subcortical brain (the part of the brain responsible for emotions and instinctive responses).
Processing Emotions:
This method bypasses conscious thought, allowing you to address underlying traumas or emotional pain that contribute to addictive behaviors and intimacy issues.
Helps release "stuck" emotional experiences, leading to relief from compulsive behaviors and improving relationships.
What to Expect in a Brainspotting Session:
Building Rapport: The therapist establishes a safe and supportive environment, understanding your specific concerns related to sex/porn addiction and intimacy disorders. Initial conversations focus on your experiences, challenges, and goals for therapy.
Relaxation Techniques: Sessions may start with relaxation exercises like deep breathing, mindfulness meditation, or listening to bilateral sounds (music alternating between ears) to promote a calm state.
Identifying the Issue: You'll discuss specific challenges and focus on where you physically feel them in your body, rating the intensity of these feelings on a scale from 1 to 10.
Finding Your Brainspot:
Inside Window Approach: You guide the therapist by indicating where your gaze naturally goes when focusing on distress.
Outside Window Approach: The therapist observes your eye movements to identify points that elicit strong responses, using a pointer to locate the spot that intensifies your feelings.
Focusing on the Brainspot: You hold your gaze on the identified spot, observing thoughts and sensations without judgment to process underlying emotions tied to your issues.
Processing Emotions:
As you focus, you may experience emotional or physical reactions, such as sadness, anger, shame, guilt or physical sensations. The therapist remains present and supportive, allowing your brain and body to lead the healing process naturally.
Mindfulness and Acceptance: You're encouraged to accept all experiences that surface, using mindfulness to stay present and reduce the urge to suppress difficult emotions.
Integration and Discussion: After the focusing phase, you discuss any insights, changes in feelings, or shifts in bodily sensations with the therapist.
You reassess the intensity of your distress, which often decreases compared to the initial rating.
The therapist may help you connect these insights to your behaviors and patterns in relationships.
Planning Further Treatment: You decide on next steps with the therapist, which may include additional sessions, other therapies, self-care practices, and coping strategies to develop healthier coping mechanisms and enhance intimacy skills.
How Can Brainspotting Help with Sex/Porn Addiction and Intimacy Disorders?
Addressing Underlying Trauma: Helps uncover and process past traumas or emotional pain that may contribute to addictive behaviors and intimacy difficulties. Traumas could include childhood experiences, relationship betrayals, or feelings of abandonment.
Reducing Compulsive Behaviors:
By processing deep-seated emotions, you may experience a reduction in urges related to sex or porn addiction. Enables you to respond to triggers in healthier ways.
Improving Emotional Regulation:
Enhances your ability to manage emotions, reducing reliance on addictive behaviors as coping mechanisms. Increases awareness of emotional states and how they influence behavior.
Enhancing Relationships:
Facilitates healing of intimacy issues, leading to healthier relationships and improved connection with others. Helps break down barriers to vulnerability and trust.
Building Self-Esteem:
Addresses feelings of shame or low self-worth that often accompany addiction and intimacy disorders. Promotes a more positive self-image and confidence in relationships.
Are There Side Effects?
Emotional Sensitivity: You may feel more emotional or sensitive after sessions. This is typically temporary and part of the healing process.
Physical Sensations: Some people experience physical sensations like tingling or fatigue. These are normal responses as the body releases tension.
No Major Risks: Considered safe when conducted by a trained professional.
Brainspotting Music
Here are a few places to get Brainspotting music.
Download as MP3s https://bodhitreebilateral.com/store#digital-singles
https://bspuk.co.uk/resources/music/
Brainspotting Videos:
https://youtu.be/7FO_udVWkqA?si=tcOhsfaXBWufURRF