Where you look affects how you feel. — David Grand, PhD, developer of Brainspotting

At Moving Parts Psychotherapy, we offer Brainspotting as a gentle, brain-body approach to healing trauma and distressing life experiences.

Trauma doesn't only live in our thoughts. It lives in the body and in the deeper, survival-oriented parts of the brain that act before we can think. That's why you may know something is over and still feel your chest tighten, your mind go blank, or your body brace as if it's happening now.

Brainspotting works directly with those deeper systems. Rather than relying on talking things through, it uses where you look to access what your brain and body are holding. This allows stuck experiences to be processed in a way that feels contained and supported, so your nervous system can finally register that you're safe.

What can Brainspotting help with?

Brainspotting can support healing from a wide range of concerns, including:

• PTSD and complex trauma

• Dissociation and feeling disconnected from your body

• Anxiety and panic attacks

• Depression

• Attachment wounds and relational trauma

• Grief and loss

• Chronic stress and nervous system overwhelm

• Physical/mental abuse

• Phobias

• Performance and creative blocks

Brainspotting can be especially helpful if talking about what happened feels overwhelming, or if you've gained insight in therapy but still feel stuck. You don't need to share every detail of your story for the work to help.

How does Brainspotting work?

Brainspotting was developed in 2003 by Dr. David Grand, a psychotherapist and EMDR practitioner. While working with a client, he noticed her eyes wobble and hold at one particular spot in her visual field. When they stayed with that spot, she began processing trauma more deeply than she had in months of prior work.

That discovery led to a simple but powerful idea: where we direct our gaze connects us to what we hold inside. When you think about something distressing, certain eye positions bring up more activation in the body than others. These are called "brainspots."

In session, your therapist helps you locate a brainspot connected to what you're working on, often by slowly moving a pointer across your field of vision and watching for subtle reflexive cues like a blink, a swallow, or a change in breath. You then hold your gaze on that spot while noticing whatever arises: sensations, images, emotions, or memories.

From there, much of the work happens internally. Your brain and body do the processing while your therapist stays closely attuned to you. Sessions may include soft, bilateral music through headphones, which many people find calming. The result is often a felt sense of something shifting or softening, rather than simply understanding it differently.

This technique can be useful for teens and adults.

Our approach to Brainspotting

At Moving Parts Psychotherapy, Brainspotting is never rushed or done in isolation. We weave it into a broader, body-aware approach to trauma healing that may include Somatic Experiencing, Internal Family Systems, and EMDR.

Before going deep, we focus on building safety and resources in your nervous system. Throughout the work, we track your body's signals closely so activation stays within what you can handle. You're always in charge of the pace, and you can pause or shift focus at any point.

Brainspotting here is always guided by your needs, your goals, and your nervous system's capacity.

Brainspotting is offered by Ilyse Kennedy, LPC-S, LMFT-S, PMH-C, SEP, who is certified in Brainspotting. Ilyse is also an EMDRIA Certified EMDR Clinician, a Level 3 Internal Family Systems therapist, and a Provisional Somatic Experiencing Practitioner. (Add any other clinicians trained in Brainspotting.)

Please note: Brainspotting is an intensive trauma modality. We recommend weekly sessions for Brainspotting processing, and some clients benefit from occasional extended sessions when clinically appropriate. (Confirm whether this should match the EMDR policy wording, e.g., "we require weekly sessions" and 90-minute sessions.)

(Confirm slugs: /somatic-experiencing and /internal-family-systems are guesses; /emdr is live.)

Starting Brainspotting

Trying a new kind of therapy can feel both hopeful and unfamiliar. You might wonder whether you'll "do it right" or whether you're ready to go deeper.

There's no right way to do Brainspotting. Whatever comes up, or doesn't, is part of the process. And you don't have to arrive ready: we'll build that sense of safety together, one session at a time.

If you're looking for Brainspotting therapy in Austin, TX and want care that respects your body, your story, and your pace, reach out to schedule a free consultation.