EMDR & Brainspotting Therapy
EMDR & Brainspotting Therapy In Illinois
If you're feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or burdened by past traumas, know that you're not alone. Life's challenges can leave lasting imprints on our minds and bodies, affecting our daily lives in profound ways. However, there is hope. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and Brainspotting Therapy offers a unique approach to healing that taps into your brain's innate ability to heal itself.
What is EMDR & How It Works
EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a proven, research-backed approach that helps your brain finish processing those difficult experiences so they no longer control your present.
During an EMDR session, you’ll bring to mind a memory, thought, or feeling while focusing on gentle, back-and-forth movements like eye movements, sounds, or taps. This process helps your brain reprocess the memory in a healthier way, similar to how it naturally works during deep sleep.
The result? You still remember what happened, but it no longer feels as overwhelming.
What to Expect in EMDR
EMDR is a structured, step-by-step process. In the beginning, we’ll focus on building trust and giving you tools to feel calm and grounded. When you’re ready, we’ll begin reprocessing memories at a pace that feels safe for you.
You don’t have to share every detail of your story if you don’t want to — healing doesn’t require reliving all of the pain out loud. Many people begin noticing positive shifts in just a few sessions, though the pace is always unique to your journey.
Why Choose EMDR?
Evidence-based: Recommended by the World Health Organization and American Psychiatric Association for trauma treatment.
Gentle yet effective: Often brings results faster than traditional talk therapy.
Empowering: You remain in control throughout the process.
What Is Brainspotting?
This method is a gentle yet powerful therapeutic technique that helps you access and process deep-seated emotions and traumatic experiences stored in your brain and body. Unlike traditional talk therapy, Brainspotting bypasses the limitations of verbal communication to directly address the root causes of your distress.
How Does It Work?
As you step into your counseling session, your therapist will guide you through a process of focusing on various points in your visual field. Through gentle questioning, they'll encourage you to explore the emotions and thoughts surrounding the negative experiences you're grappling with. By directing your attention to different points, you'll start to discern which ones offer relief and which ones intensify your feelings.
When a particular spot, known as a "brainspot," is activated, your therapist will prompt you to maintain your gaze on it while discussing the negative experience or issue at hand. This deliberate focus engages your nervous system, facilitating the unraveling of entrenched ideas, emotions, and reactions stemming from your past experiences. Through consistent participation in brainspotting sessions, you'll gradually observe shifts in your emotional and mental regulation. With time, you'll find it increasingly natural to release the pain, trauma, and instability associated with your past struggles.
Who Can Benefit?
At our practice, we understand that every persons lives are unique in their mental, emotional, and physical health ways. That's why our certified Brainspotting therapists, Aparna Bhaskaran, and certified EMDR therapist, Kari Holman, tailor each session to meet your specific needs and goals. It can be especially helpful when you're struggling with:
● Anxiety
● PTSD
● Physical Pain related to stress
● Stress and Overwhelm
● Low Self Esteem
Both of these forms of therapy can be greatly beneficial for those who have tried traditional talk therapy but found that they wanted to take a more hands-on approach to their healing. Their effectiveness lies in between the cracks that traditional talk therapy can sometimes form. It makes it so that individuals don’t have to exert the energy to extensively talk about their trauma, and instead can focus on healing from within.
EMDR vs. Brainspotting
EMDR: Think of EMDR as giving your brain a way to “file away” painful experiences so they stop popping up and disrupting your present.
Brainspotting: Think of Brainspotting as finding the “spot” where your brain is holding the trauma and gently unlocking it so your body can release it.
Key Differences
Structure: EMDR follows an 8-step, highly structured process; Brainspotting is more open-ended and client-led.
Focus: EMDR emphasizes reprocessing memories; Brainspotting emphasizes the mind-body connection and processing through felt experience.
Techniques: EMDR uses back-and-forth stimulation; Brainspotting uses eye position and mindful focus.
Research: EMDR has a large body of research; Brainspotting is newer with growing but smaller evidence.
Which One is Better?
Neither is “better” they’re just different tools.
Some people like the structure and strong research base of EMDR.
Others prefer the gentle, body-focused, less-structured feel of Brainspotting.
✨ In short:
EMDR = structured, memory-focused, highly researched.
Brainspotting = flexible, body-focused, newer but powerful.
Learn More About EMDR & Brainspotting Today
If you're ready to explore the possibilities of EMDR or Brainspotting Therapy, we're here to support you every step of the way. Contact us today to schedule your consultation and begin a journey towards self-reflection and resilience. You deserve to live a life filled with joy, peace, and fulfillment.
OTHER SERVICES AT OBSIDIAN COUNSELING AND WELLNESS
Besides trauma and PTSD work, our therapists assist folks struggling with depression, anxiety, and work stress. With a compassionate and professional approach to counseling, our therapists help clients move through pain and create meaningful connections. In addition to our other services, our therapists work with folks in the LGBTQIA+ community and those who identify as highly sensitive people. And if you are a new parent, we can help you out, too. The team at our Chicago, IL-based therapy practice are ready to help whenever you’re ready.
