EMDR vs. Brainspotting: Two Powerful Approaches to Trauma Healing
Understanding Two Paths Toward Healing: EMDR & Brainspotting
At Arnica Mental Health, many clients ask about the difference between Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Brainspotting (BSP). Both are mind-body methods that help the nervous system resolve trauma—but their approaches and felt rhythms vary. That difference can make all the difference in comfort, pacing, and healing results.
What Is EMDR?
How it works: EMDR uses bilateral stimulation—like eye movements, rhythmic taps, or sounds—while you gently engage with a distressing memory. This process lightly burdens working memory, allowing the traumatic memory to become less vivid, emotionally charged, and more integrated over time.
Evidence snapshot: EMDR is one of the only psychotherapies recommended as a first-line treatment for PTSD in the 2023–2024 VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines. Its efficacy is well-established across decades of trials and meta-analyses.
What Is Brainspotting?
How it works: Brainspotting locates a specific eye position—your unique “brainspot"—that resonates with the felt sense of trauma. You maintain focus on that spot while tracking associated sensations and emotions, allowing healing to emerge from a deeper, subcortical place—at your body's pace.
Evidence snapshot: Emerging research shows Brainspotting facilitates real gains in trauma treatment. A comparative study with EMDR found both reduced PTSD symptoms significantly after just three sessions, with EMDR showing higher effect sizes—yet Brainspotting still offered strong outcomes. Another within-subject experiment found that both EMDR and Brainspotting significantly decreased distress tied to memories in a single session, outperforming control conditions.
A Deeper Comparison
EMDR is a highly structured therapy that follows an eight-phase protocol. It typically involves bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements or tapping, and is backed by decades of robust clinical research. The method emphasizes memory reconsolidation and cognitive reframing, guiding clients step-by-step through a carefully defined healing process.
In contrast, Brainspotting is more flexible and client-led. Instead of a fixed protocol, it uses a “brainspot"—a specific eye position that correlates with a felt sense of trauma—as the anchor point for deeper somatic exploration. While the research base for Brainspotting is still growing, early studies show promising results. The process leans heavily on subcortical, embodied processing, often resonating with individuals who prefer to work at their own pace without as much verbal structure.
Both approaches tap into the brain’s natural ability to heal. EMDR may appeal more to those who feel secure with clearly defined steps, while Brainspotting tends to resonate with those seeking a body-led, intuitive experience.
What the Research Tells Us
EMDR in Clinical Guidelines: The VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guide (2023) explicitly lists EMDR among the most effective psychotherapies for PTSD—alongside CPT and Prolonged Exposure.
Direct Comparisons with Brainspotting: In a study of 76 adults with PTSD, EMDR demonstrated effect sizes between 1.19–1.76, while Brainspotting showed effect sizes of 0.74–1.04—both indicating strong benefit.
Single-Session Efficacy: A controlled, within-subject trial found that both EMDR and Brainspotting significantly reduced memory-linked distress more than body scan or book reading controls.
Which One Might Be Right for You?
If you benefit from structured frameworks and clearly defined steps, EMDR may feel most secure.
If you lean toward an embodied, intuitive process that unfolds in rhythm with your nervous system, Brainspotting may be more aligned.
Many individuals move fluidly between both—using EMDR to stabilize and Brainspotting for deeper somatic integration—all within compassionate pacing and safety.
Healing isn’t about pushing through—it’s about choosing the method that honors your nervous system and lets it do its work.
Taking the Next Step
At Arnica Mental Health, we tailor EMDR and Brainspotting to you—integrating sensory preferences, pacing, and mutual goals. Whether you’re curious about structure or somatic depth (or both), we can help you explore vibrational rhythms of healing at your pace. Schedule a free 15-minute consult to find the fit that feels like home for your nervous system.
References
Memorandum: VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for PTSD & ASD (2023). U.S. Departments of Veterans Affairs & Defense.
Hildebrand, A., Grand, D., & Stemmler, M. (2017). Brainspotting vs. EMDR in treating PTSD. Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology.
D’Antoni, F., Fabbro, F., et al. (2022). Single-session EMDR, Brainspotting, and Body Scan comparisons on memory distress. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
Lang, A. J., et al. (2024). Clinician’s Guide to 2023 VA/DoD PTSD CPG. Journal of Trauma Stress.
