Brainspotting Intensives
When I think of how Brainspotting facilitates healing, I can only think of the word ‘magic’. Not because Brainspotting is the one-stop cure for any ailment or distress, but because it feels like watching magic happen before my eyes, and your brain is the magician.
I always preface a client’s first Brainspotting session with, “This is going to be a bit weird,” because I think that’s honest. How can the stillness and open-endedness of Brainspotting actually heal me? And yet, I’ve seen clients become unstuck from patterns that once held their parts captive: lifelong anxious parts losing their stutter and reclaiming confidence, parts caught in trauma loops for years finally becoming free and unburdened.
What is Brainspotting?
Brainspotting is a somatic brain-body modality developed by Dr. David Grand that emerged from EMDR. Brainspotting uses fixed-gaze “brainspots” to access deeper areas of the brain to process and release unresolved trauma experiences.
Brainspotting allows you to reconnect with forgotten or unspoken parts of you in a safe, therapeutic space that trusts your brain’s inherent neuroplasticity, which is your body’s desire to self-regulate.
Compared to EMDR, clients and colleagues of mine who have experienced both modalities have described Brainspotting as a gentler approach to trauma resolution. Brainspotting is client-centered and self-led, where healing is not dictated by norms and ideals of what ‘healed’ is, but by what your system knows is true and authentic.
Intensives vs. Weekly Therapy
A therapy intensive is a focused, immersive experience that helps you move through specific, targeted issues in a shorter period of time. If weekly therapy sessions are like rehearsals - where you practice relational skills and revisit the same materials to deepen your understanding and compassion towards your parts in the play - then an intensive is like a healing retreat for the parts of you that have desired an intentional time and space to be attended to.
Sometimes, deeper trauma and emotional blockages require more than 50 minutes a week to feel safe - perhaps parts of us require the luxury of intentional planning, attention, and time aside from our regular rhythms.
A Brainspotting intensive is your gift to the struggling parts of you that are:
Unable to let go of the stories that haunt you
Trapped in repetitive cycles that harm you and others around you
Stuck in the past and unable to grow up
Needing a breakthrough that talk therapy cannot seem to find
A Brainspotting Intensive is best for you if…
You have a specific issue you’d like to target, such as:
one-time traumatic event, like a car accident or natural disaster
noticing that your relational patterns trace back to one event in your childhood
ruminating on a big decision ahead, but lacking clarity and certainty
You have tried EMDR, and it was too ‘harsh’ or ‘overstimulating’ on your system
Your neurodivergent system has prevented you from finding coherence in linearity, which has hindered your ability to find meaning and narrative sense in your trauma story
You have been in weekly therapy for a period of time, and you’re noticing you need supplemental trauma work to overcome your emotional blockages, or your therapist has recommended another provider to work on targeted issues beyond their scope
You want to invest in your healing without long-term therapy commitments
Overview of a Brainspotting Intensive:
An intensive includes:
Free 15-minute intake call to determine whether an intensive is appropriate for your needs and goals
90-minute assessment session to understand your internal system, and build safety and rapport for your parts
3-4 hours of Brainspotting, with a 1-hour break in between
50-minute reintegration session 1 month after the Brainspotting session to process your experience and reflect on your growth
Can be offered in-person in Highland Park or virtually throughout CA
Can be offered as an adjunct to your existing therapy sessions, and I’m open to collaborating with your existing therapist to align on your goals for healing
Add-on intensive sessions are available as needed for deeper work.
Start working with a Brainstpotting therapist in Highland Park and Los Angeles
Whether you’re seeking a one-time intensive session or a few adjunct sessions to supplement your existing weekly therapy work, Brainspotting intensives may help you gain the clarity and resolution you’re looking for. Reach out and schedule a brief initial consultation to see if this approach works for you!
Other Services Offered at Therapy on Fig
At Therapy on Fig, we provide therapy services tailored to the unique needs of couples, adults, and teens. We offer Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy, IFS Therapy, Therapy for Empaths, Trauma Therapy, Couples Therapy, Teen Therapy, ADHD Therapy, Group Therapy, Therapy for Entrepreneurs, Anxiety Therapy, Therapy for Autistic People, Depression Therapy, Premarital Counseling, and LGBTQ Affirming Therapy. Whether you're seeking support for a specific issue or looking to strengthen your relationship overall, our therapists are here to help. Reach out today to learn more about our services!
Grace Chan is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (#142670), supervised by Phillip Chang, LCSW #92156. She is trained in Brainspotting and Prepare/Enrich Premarital Counseling. She integrates Internal Family Systems (IFS) with creative arts therapies to support individuals and couples in deepening their connection to themselves and each other. Reach out to learn more about our experienced therapists.