Virtual Across Ontario and In Person in Timmins

Brainspotting Therapy

Brainspotting Therapy is a powerful, focused therapeutic approach that helps identify and process deeply rooted emotional and physical trauma. By accessing specific “brainspots” in the brain through eye position, Brainspotting facilitates profound healing and emotional regulation.

Whether you’re struggling with unresolved trauma, chronic stress, or physical pain, Brainspotting counselling can help unlock your natural ability to heal. At Creating Connection, we offer Brainspotting sessions both in person in Timmins and virtually across Ontario, providing personalized support to meet your needs.

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Close-up of a client during a brainspotting therapy session, seated and expressing emotions, while a therapist takes notes.

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Therapist taking notes during an abuse recovery therapy session with a client seated on a couch, fostering a supportive environment.

Who Can Benefit from Brainspotting Therapy?

Brainspotting is especially effective for individuals seeking relief from trauma or emotional distress. It can help you manage:

  • Trauma and PTSD: Process unresolved trauma and find emotional freedom.
  • Anxiety and Stress: Reduce symptoms of anxiety and improve coping strategies.
  • Chronic Pain: Address the emotional and neurological components of pain.
  • Performance Anxiety: Enhance focus and confidence in high-stakes situations.
  • Addiction and Recovery: Heal emotional wounds and build resilience.

This approach is suitable for teens and adults dealing with a variety of challenges. Whether you’re seeking relief from specific symptoms or looking to improve overall well-being, Brainspotting offers a transformative path to healing.

What to Expect in Brainspotting Therapy Sessions

Starting a new therapy can feel daunting, but Brainspotting is designed to provide a safe, supportive space for healing. During sessions, you can expect:

  1. Understanding Your Goals: Your therapist will work with you to identify the emotional or physical challenges you wish to address.
  2. Locating Brainspots: Using your eye movements as a guide, the therapist will pinpoint specific areas of the brain linked to unresolved trauma or stress.
  3. Focused Processing: As you focus on the brainspot, the therapist will help you process and release stored emotions or pain.
  4. Integrating Healing: Sessions often conclude with grounding exercises to solidify progress and foster resilience.

Brainspotting is a gentle yet effective approach that honours your unique healing process. Each session moves at your pace, ensuring you feel supported and empowered throughout the journey.

Therapist taking notes during an abuse recovery therapy session with a client seated on a couch, fostering a supportive environment.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Book a free consultation via our online booking tool or send us a message. Offering evening and weekend appointments, online across Ontario and in-person in Timmins.

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The Caregivers Role in Child Therapy

Authored by Kelly Lamothe, MSW, RSW

Generally, children are not in therapy because they’ve requested it, rather, their caregiver, medical professional, or school has recommended they attend. Here are essential insights for caregivers to bear in mind during their child’s therapeutic journey.

Navigating the Start of Therapy
Before the first appointment, it can be helpful to prepare the child by explaining to them what they are about to do and what to expect. Offering ample reassurance, framing therapy as a positive and exciting experience, and creating positive associations can significantly enhance the child’s willingness to engage. Positive associations go a long way for helping the child enjoy and be willing to attend therapy. Pair a therapy session with a fun activity afterwards, such as allowing them a special treat or activity.

Creating a Positive Therapeutic Environment
Therapy doesn’t have to come with the same dread as going to get a cavity filled at the dentists. Therapists are committed to making the experience engaging and fun through activities like games, positive reinforcement, and creative expressions like playing with toys or art. Importantly, therapists respect a child’s comfort level and never force them to prolong a session beyond their readiness. The goal is to build positive associations that encourage the child’s enthusiasm to return. Forcing the child to stay longer than they want will not be conducive to learning new skills or building and maintaining trust.

Building Trust Over Time
Establishing trust with the therapist is a gradual process for the child. Similar to adults who may be hesitant to share inner thoughts with a stranger, it is unrealistic to expect immediate trust from a child. The initial few sessions, and sometimes longer, focus on nurturing trust, developing the therapeutic relationship, and gaining a deeper understanding of the child.

Diverse Approaches to Child Therapy
Child therapy doesn’t always appear like the traditional portrayals in the media. Unlike the image of someone on a couch in deep conversation, this is not an accurate representation of child therapy. Most children will not engage in traditional talk therapy to have deep conversations about what is troubling them as adults would. As such, the child therapist is trained to obtain relevant information and provide the child with essential skills through other modalities, such as play.

Home as an Extension of Therapy
While therapists spend limited time with the child during sessions, the caregiver plays a crucial role in reinforcing therapy at home. Just as a child needs reminders for everyday tasks, such as brushing their teeth, caregivers are responsible for prompting and supporting the child in practicing the skills learned during therapy. Like learning any new skill, practice makes progress.

Mutual Engagement in the Therapeutic Process
Caregivers are integral to the therapeutic process. The therapist may offer recommendations based on observed interactions, encouraging caregivers to manage situations and behaviors more effectively. Learning to navigate their own emotions and behaviors equips caregivers to better support their child, sometimes necessitating their own individual therapy.

Collaboration for the Child’s Success
Therapists are allies with the child’s best interests at heart. Open communication is crucial; caregivers should share thoughts and concerns, enabling therapists to tailor the therapy to the child’s unique needs and goals. If a particular approach isn’t yielding results, caregivers are encouraged to communicate with the therapist for alternative strategies. Together, caregivers and therapists form a collaborative team dedicated to the child’s success and well-being.