If you have been looking into trauma therapy, you have probably run into two names that sound a lot alike: EMDR and Brainspotting. Both use your eyes. Both are used for trauma. So what is the difference, and how do you know which one fits you? Here is a plain-language answer.
The short version: EMDR follows a set series of steps with back-and-forth eye movements. Brainspotting uses one steady eye position, found by noticing what your body does, and follows your lead from there.
What is EMDR?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It was developed by Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. In EMDR, you hold a hard memory in mind while your eyes follow something moving back and forth, like the therapist’s hand or a light. Some therapists use tapping or tones instead.
EMDR follows a clear structure with eight phases. You and your therapist pick a target memory, rate how upsetting it feels, and work through it in steps until it feels less charged. EMDR has a lot of research behind it, and many major health organizations list it as a treatment for PTSD.
What is Brainspotting?
Brainspotting is a trauma therapy that uses where you look to help your brain and body work through experiences that got stuck. It was developed by David Grand in 2003. He was an EMDR trainer who noticed that when a client’s eyes paused on a certain spot, something important was happening.
In Brainspotting, your eyes stay still. We think about what you want to work on and notice what happens in your body, like a tight chest or a knot in your stomach. Then I slowly move a pointer across your field of vision, and together we watch for a spot where your body reacts. That spot is called a brainspot. You rest your eyes there and notice whatever comes up. There is no set script. We follow what your body and brain do next.
How they are alike
- Both use the eyes to help the brain process hard experiences.
- Both work with the body, not only with thoughts and words.
- Neither one requires you to tell every detail of what happened.
- In both, you stay awake and in charge. Neither one is hypnosis.
How they are different
- Eye movement. EMDR uses back-and-forth movement. Brainspotting uses one still eye position.
- Structure. EMDR follows set phases and steps. Brainspotting is more open and follows your lead.
- Starting point. EMDR usually starts with a specific memory. Brainspotting can start with a memory, a feeling, or just a sensation in your body you can’t explain.
Which one is right for you?
There is no single right answer. Some people like the clear structure of EMDR. Others feel boxed in by steps and do better when the work can follow what comes up. Brainspotting is often a good fit if:
- You have talked about it for years, and your body still won’t settle.
- You can’t point to one memory. It feels more like years of bracing.
- You freeze up when someone asks you to explain how you feel.
- You want to go slow and have room to pause.
I use Brainspotting along with parts work informed by Internal Family Systems, or IFS. IFS is a way of working with the different parts of ourselves, like the part that keeps everything running or the part that still hurts. I don’t offer EMDR. If you want EMDR specifically, I’m happy to help you think through referral options. What matters most is that you feel safe with your therapist and the pace of the work.
Questions people ask
Is Brainspotting a type of EMDR?
No. Brainspotting grew out of EMDR work, but it is its own approach with its own training.
Is Brainspotting faster than EMDR?
There is no honest promise about speed for either one. Everyone heals at a different pace, and good trauma work goes at the pace your body can handle.
Where can I try Brainspotting near Redding?
I offer Brainspotting in Redding at Attune Center for Healing, for women from Redding, Anderson, Shasta Lake, and across Shasta County, and by secure telehealth anywhere in California.
Want to keep reading? See Brainspotting for people who don’t want to talk about it or what happens during a Brainspotting intensive.
Book a free 15-minute consult at theancientwell.com.
Yvette Brown is a Marriage and Family Therapist Trainee at Attune Center for Healing. Supervised by Christina Whitney, LMFT #111050.
This is education, not therapy. It’s not medical advice and doesn’t create a therapist-client relationship. If you’re in crisis, call or text 988. In Shasta County, the 24-hour mental health line is (530) 225-5252 or (888) 385-5201. For immediate danger, call 911.