So, you’re thinking about booking a Brainspotting Intensive, or you have already. Now you’re wondering what it will be like. This is a guide to help you prepare for your Brainspotting Intensive Session!

Make sure that you are in a safe, comfortable space where there will be no disruptions.

Brainspotting is most effective when you are able to focus and feel like you are in a safe space to do so. This includes silencing your phone or putting it on do not disturb mode.

Ensure that you will have a quality internet connection.

Brainspotting Therapy can not be done via phone, therefore, if there is not a stable connection, we will have to reschedule.

Carve out time to rest after the Brainspotting Intensive.

Brainspotting Intensives can be…intense! Everyone reacts differently and it’s all normal. Many people often feel tired after Brainspotting, so it is important to allow yourself time to rest and recover after an Intensive. Plan to wait at least half an hour before driving after an intensive. We will be doing deep work that occurs in our midbrains, the parts of our brains that do not have access to higher executive functioning. After a Brainspotting session, it is common to have less awareness than usual which increases the likelihood of an accident if you drive immediately after a session.

Please be prepared with the following:

Water
Charged/working headphones/earbuds to use in both ears
Laptop with charger or desktop
Phone* with bilateral music

*I have noticed that it works best when you can play the music from your phone with headphones on and have the session sound from the computer mic/speaker. For enhanced privacy, or if you are unable to play music from your phone, feel free to have the session and the music playing from your computer with headphones on.

Music

Bilateral, or biolateral, music is said to help deepen processing and with processing from one hemisphere of the brain to the other. Bilateral music plays from one side of the headphones to the other, thus it is important to have both earbuds in each ear.

Few people dislike the music and they feel it is distracting. If this is the case for you, it is not necessary to use music. However, I do encourage clients to try the music before making that decision.

Finding Brainspotting Music

You can search for a playlist on any music streaming service that you might have including Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, YouTube, etc. You can search for “Bilateral Music” or “EMDR Music.” The one I use is on Spotify called “David Grand Bilateral Music.”

Please ensure that there is no talking in the music, just the sounds. Additionally, if you have any music streaming service with ads, you will not be able to use that for Brainspotting. Ads are disruptive to processing. You are welcome to pay for the service temporarily or look for a free trial.

Optional items to bring to session:

Comfy clothes
Blanket
Beverage of choice (non-alcoholic)
Journal

Important factors to keep in mind during the Brainspotting Intensive

Embrace this process with curiosity.

You don’t have to try to make sense of everything. Imagine yourself as a leaf floating down a river, allowing the water to take you where it wills. Don’t stop and try to get off on the river bank to question what’s going on there. Allow yourself to go with the flow!

It may feel weird at first.

Brainspotting is very different from talk therapy. Sometimes it can take you a couple tries to get into it. That’s okay! It’s normal to need some time to adjust to this new technique.

Cognitive versus emotional processing.

Sometimes talking through your processing as it’s happening may be helpful. Other times it can “keep you cognitive” and prevent you from “going deeper.” We use parts of our cognitive brains for language, but brainspotting accesses our midbrains brains where our emotions lie.

Processing looks different for everyone.

People process in different ways. Some cry, some feel the need to move their bodies around and shake things off, some people take deep breaths in and out. Allow yourself to process in whatever way feels best for you. It’s all normal and it’s all okay!

Trust helps you stay open.

Trust yourself and trust the process. Your mind and your body will know what to do. They know what lies in your subconscious and how to help you heal. Go with it.

Give yourself grace.

Be kind and patient with yourself through this process. There is no right or wrong way to process. And remember I’ll be right there with you along the way!

I hope this guide helps you prepare for your session! Please feel free to reach out with any questions or if you’re interested in booking a Brainspotting Intensive. I offer free consultation calls to determine how an Intensive can help you and if you’d be a good fit. You can also read more about Brainspotting here and Brainspotting Intensives here.

Learn more

Wishing you the best in your healing journey. Stay Golden!

How to Prepare for a Brainspotting Intensive