The Eyes are the Windows to the Soul: an Introduction to Brainspotting

Brainspotting is a neuro-biological process involving body sensation, eye position and current psychological practices, allowing for clients to process traumatic events, attachment distress and performance concerns.

Brainspotting is a very different type of psychotherapy and one of the more recent therapeutic practices’s used. On today’s Parent Choices for Struggling Teens, Ron Schwenkler, the Clinical Director for Greenbrier Academy explained this process with Lon Woodbury and his co-host Larry Stednitz. The three phases that combine to create a brain spot are: the activated subject matter, the felt sense in the body (or body sensation), with a set eye position. “This is what is called the perfect storm- whereas the client is open for processing.” 

“Eye movement helps stimulate our thoughts as well as our feelings” explained Ron. “So therefore in working with a client, we help them find the area on their body where they feel  the (negative) feeling the strongest- this can be the stomach, throat, arm or anywhere the sense feels the strongest, then assist them in finding the one eye position where the feelings ( i.e.: anger, sadness, fear, etc) are the most clear. Holding this eye position allows for a deep processing, a connection with their story that they had never connected with before.” This allows clients to process traumatic events, attachment distress and performance concerns, while being careful to avoid flooding, or “staying in the trauma vortex of yesteryear”, as Ron explained. “We try to down rate the amygdala, (the fight, flight and freeze of the survival terror) while processing, by adding resources (like the felt sense of a grounded feeling in the body). “By allowing the amygdala to stay offline, the client can then understand their story in the present moment, and that’s the healing. When there is a sense of control. The body is actually hardwired to heal.”

“The future of Brainspotting looks bright. It allows people to get into deep processing in a timely manner and clinicians need to hone their techniques. Especially in these short term intervention programs, where clinicians have a shorter amount of time to work with the clients, Brainspotting is like a no-brainer.”

To listen to the full interview on The Eyes Are the Window to the Soul: An introduction to Brainspotting on LATalkRadio at http://www.latalkradio.com/Players/Lon-061812.shtml.

Larry Stednitz Ph.D. is an Independent Educational Consultant and an affiliate of Woodbury Reports. He is located in Morro Bay, California and co-hosts some of the Parent Choices for Struggling Teens Internet Talk Radio Shows.

Ron Schwenkler, M.A. is a Marriage and Family Therapist, Licensed Professional Counselor, Approved Licensed Professional Supervisor and a Grief Recovery Specialist. Ron has been the Clinical Director of The Greenbrier Academy for Girls since its conception in 2007. He has 16 years of experience working with youth and their families in settings ranging from wilderness programs to private practice. In addition, Ron has recently earned his Brainspotting Training Certification.

This segment was sponsored by Spring Ridge Academy, 928-632-4602, www.springridgeacademy.com, a Therapeutic Boarding School for Girls in Arizona.

Woodbury Reportswas founded in November 1989, by Lon Woodbury, MA, IECA, CEP, as an Independent Educational Consulting firm to help parents of teens making poor decisions select a private, parent choice program that would help return the family to normalcy.  Through interviews with parents, communication with professionals who know your child well, and then thoroughly researching viable options, we can help parents make the right choices that will help your child get back on the right path.  For more information about Woodbury Reports Inc., call 208-267-5550, or email to [email protected]or visit the web site www.strugglingteens.com.