Brainspotting for couples or for individuals is a non-verbal therapeutic approach that helps people process past trauma or any stuck points that show up between intimate partners. Often these patterns subconsciously interfere with the relationship and prevent the couple from healing. Examples of stuck points that we can process using Brainspotting include: shame, anger, withdrawal, communication blocks, depression, jealousy, avoidance, and others.
Brainspotting Couples In Session
We can do Brainspotting treatment for both partners at the same time, or for one partner at a time, with the second partner providing their compassionate presence during the joint session. Partners may also choose to do Brainspotting without their partner present.
Each person explores their own triggers and body responses and chooses the issue they want to start Brainspotting on. Examples could be: fear of rejection or feeling anxiety about bringing up an issue. Both partners set themselves up with Brainspotting music, I help each one find their Brainspot, and then they begin processing.
Integrating Brainspotting with Other Couples Therapy Methods
Brainspotting naturally integrates with other Couples Therapy approaches. When a partner describes a distressing or emotional event, their gaze tends to naturally find their Brainspot connected to the area in the brain where the distress is stored. The Brainspotting therapist helps the partner identify their Brainspot and invites them to continue gazing there if they choose, as they continue describing the situation.
Identifying a Brainspot can be a natural step integrated into a Gottman Method Couples Therapy exercise, a practice experience in Neurodiverse Couples Therapy, an IFIO sequence tracking activity where the client is working to heal their own inner child parts, or an exercise in Couples Financial Therapy when difficult emotions around money interfere in the conversation.
Couples Brainspotting with Elaine Korngold
Brainspotting can be particularly significant in Couples Counseling. It enables both people to simultaneously explore their emotional reactions and responses to each other in gentle ways. Both individuals have an opportunity to gain a deeper insight of each other’s perspectives, leading to stronger and more compassionate connections between them.
I am a Certified Brainspotting Therapist and an Approved Consultant, I have extensive training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy (Level 3+), I am Certified in Neurodiverse Couples Counseling and in Internal Family Systems (IFS) or Parts therapy that is the foundation for IFIO (Intimacy From the Inside Out) therapy. Contact me to learn more about how I integrate these approaches in my sessions with couples.