How Trauma Can Affect Us 
                                                                                                                             BRAINSPOTTING 
                                                                      Brainspotting is a gentle, 
                                                                  mindfulness-based approach in                                A Mind/Body therapy 
                                                                      which the client-therapist                               tool that can help you 
                                                                 relationship offers a safe alliance                            access, process, and 
                                                                    as the mind and body work                                     overcome trauma, 
                                                                together to dismantle the trauma,                                negative emotions, 
                                                                   symptoms, body distress, and                                     and even some 
                                                                   outdated beliefs so new, more                                 physical symptoms. 
                                                                     adaptive perspectives can 
          It is not so much the traumatic event that                      develop and thrive. 
          determines trauma; it is the way we respond                                  
          and cope with the event that will determine            Brainspotting provides a focused 
          whether or not symptoms will develop.                  and effective neurobiological tool 
          Common Types of trauma include:                        for accessing and treating a wide 
            -  Sexual and physical abuse 
            -  Experiencing or witnessing an accident                  range of mind/body and 
            -  Natural disasters                                      emotionally-based issues. 
            -  Military combat 
            -  Sudden serious medical diagnosis 
            -  Medical treatment process 
            -  Unexpected life change 
            -  Bullying 
            -  Exposure to constant aggression or threat                      Pathway to 
            -  Early attachment difficulties                                    Wellness 
            -  Traumatic pregnancy and/or delivery                                                                                                                   
            -  Loss of a loved one                                                       
          Symptoms of trauma can include:                               Community Clinic 
            -  Intense feelings of anger/despair                                         
                                                                                      th
            -  Sleepiness                                                       560 4  Street 
                                                                          Prairie du Sac, WI 53578 
            -  Anxiety or phobias                                           Phone: 608.643.3663 
            -  Flashbacks                                                 bbonk@pathwaytwcc.org                               Bethe Bonk, MA, LPC 
            -  Hyper arousal to external or internal 
              stimulus                                                                                                            Phone: 608.643.3663 
            -  Numbness or detachment emotionally or 
              physically 
            -  Mood swings 
            -  Waiting for the next catastrophe                                                            
            -  Nightmares and night terrors 
           
        Brainspotting Explained                                   Brainspotting Explained Cont’d                            Brainspotting Explained Cont’d
                 
                                                                 How Does Brainspotting Work?                              How Brainspotting Can Help 
                                                                                                                                     
                                                                 Brainspotting is based on the neurobiological             Brainspotting can help decrease depression, 
                                                                 finding that the brain can heal itself.  Along with                
                                                                                                                           anxiety, phobias, and addictions.  It is used 
                                                                                                                           with all areas of trauma, including survivors 
                                                                 certain somatic (body) cues, the therapist and                     
                                                                 client are able to access those emotional places          of war, natural disasters, and emotional and 
                                                                                                                                    
                                                                 and allow the frozen fragments of information to          physical abuse.   Brainspotting is also used 
                                                                 begin to be dissolved.  Together the therapist and        for certain medical conditions, including 
                                                                 client are present moment to moment, to safely            traumatic brain injuries, strokes, 
                                                                 witness the brain processing in its own unique way,       fibromyalgia, headaches and preparation and 
                                                                                                                           recovery from surgery.   
                                                                 whatever is being released from the system.                
                                                                                                                           In addition, Brainspotting can be used for 
                                                                                                                           performance enhancement such as sports, 
                                                                                                                           acting, public speaking, auditions, and other 
           What Is Brainspotting?                                                                                          types of performance-related experiences.  
                                                                                                                           Brainspotting works well with children, 
             Brainspotting is a powerful, mindfulness-                                                                     adolescents and adults. 
                                                                                                                            
             based, brain/body focused treatment that 
             works by identifying, processing, and 
             releasing stored neurophysiological trauma                                                          
             and pain, which when untreated, results in a 
             variety of symptoms in humans.  The                 The client is assisted in observing what happens 
             emotional pain can accumulate and be stored         without becoming overwhelmed by the experience,                                                             
             in frozen “trauma capsules” within the deep         or having to revert to disconnecting as a way to           
             regions of the brain.  A brain spot is accessed     manage the experience.  The therapist literally and       It is important to understand that 
                                                                 emotionally holds the “spot” and a safe space for         Brainspotting is done in such a way that the 
             through eye positioning that correlates with                                                                  client is not retraumatized by reliving the 
             these “capsules” of stored negative energy.         the clients as the processing continues until, over       original experience.  The mindful attention 
             Brainspotting goes directly to these deeper         the course of therapy, all activation has been            between the therapist and client allows for a 
             places within the brain much more quickly           drained from the system.  This process is further         safe space as Brainspotting helps the 
             and effectively than many traditional               enhanced during the session, as the client listens        brain/mind/body to work in harmony to 
                                                                                                                           dismantle the trauma, symptom, 
             therapies.                                          to specifically designed music/sound that provides        somatic/body distress, and outdated beliefs 
                                                                 bilateral stimulation alternatively to the right and      so new, more adaptive perspectives and 
                                                                 left hemisphere of the brain to facilitate optimal        inner resources can develop. 
                                                                 processing.