Addressing Anxiety with Brainspotting

We tend to talk to anxiety in some combination of these three ways.

1.     Ignoring anxiety.

2.     Talking bad to anxiety / calling anxiety names.

3.     Telling anxiety that it needs to go away / die.

Anxiety is a necessary emotion, alerting us that danger may be on the way. Without it, we would not know when to take a step back and reevaluate what is happening. When the anxiety train starts coming, it is there for a reason.

Like it or not, the train still comes down the tracks… Brainspotting will help with making a change of perspective which allows you to move from being glued on the tracks of anxiety and waiting to be run over to standing next to the tracks and watching the train go by.

 Our goal is not to stop the train but instead learning acceptance that we need to change the way we talk to anxiety. You can’t bully your anxiety away. In real life, when you are bullied, one of two things happens: 1) you get angry, louder, and more intimidating, 2) you submit and stay quiet hoping it will go away while losing focus, increasing stress, and reaching heightened awareness of ongoing threat. When you bully your anxiety, your anxiety reacts the same way!!

The new goal with anxiety

           Anxiety is an emotional response that is grounded in the desire to keep us safe. At times Anxiety can become a bit louder / more present than is desired / comfortable. Brainspotting is a method that can help the frozen / stuck pieces of anxiety to thaw, move, and heal. Allowing anxiety to be present with the goal of lowering level of distress being experienced.

A Quick Option that Combines Brainspotting with Movement

Cover one eye to determine SUDs then switch to coving the other eye. Go with the eye that when open feels the calmest / grounded. Find a spot to look at that feels calm / grounded. Allow your body to sway / shake. Gently stretch while yawning. 

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