Brainspotting Therapy: A Path to Deeper Healing for High Achievers in Roseville, CA
If you're reading this, you might be one of those high-achieving individuals who looks successful on the outside but feels constant internal chaos. Perhaps you've tried self-help books, maybe even therapy before, yet you still find yourself caught in cycles of anxiety, perfectionism, and emotional reactivity that seem impossible to break. There's a powerful therapeutic approach called Brainspotting that works differently than traditional talk therapy—it connects directly with your brain's natural healing mechanisms to process stored emotional experiences that keep you stuck.
As a certified Brainspotting therapist in Roseville, CA, I work with anxious overachievers and people-pleasers who are tired of feeling emotionally disconnected while simultaneously being overrun by emotional reactions they can't control. Let me share how Brainspotting might be the missing piece in your journey toward genuine calm and authentic connection.
Understanding Brainspotting: More Than Just Another Therapy
Brainspotting represents a revolutionary approach to healing that goes beyond surface-level symptom management. Developed by Dr. David Grand, this evidence-based therapy recognizes that "where you look affects how you feel." Unlike traditional talk therapy that primarily engages your thinking brain, Brainspotting accesses the subcortical regions—those deeper, primitive areas where trauma, emotional memories, and automatic survival responses actually live.
Think about it: when you try to remember something important, your eyes naturally drift to a specific position. This isn't random. Your eye positions connect to different neural networks in your brain where experiences, emotions, and beliefs are stored. Brainspotting harnesses this natural phenomenon to help you access and process emotional experiences that may have been stuck for years.
Research suggests that Brainspotting's precision often makes it more effective than other approaches like EMDR or CBT for certain issues. The magic happens through what we call the retinocollicular pathway—a direct connection between your eyes and your midbrain's emotional control center. By holding your gaze on specific positions, you activate this pathway, giving your brain direct access to where emotional pain is stored and enabling natural healing to occur.
Who Benefits Most from Brainspotting Therapy
In my Roseville practice, I've found that Brainspotting particularly resonates with a specific type of person—perhaps someone like you. My ideal clients are intelligent, accomplished individuals who have often tried everything else. They've read the self-help books, maybe attempted therapy before, and they love learning about themselves. Yet despite all their efforts, they remain frustrated by:
- Constant internal chaos despite external success
- Emotional disconnection paired with overwhelming reactivity
- Perfectionism that never lets them rest
- People-pleasing that leaves them exhausted
- Relationship patterns that keep repeating despite their best efforts
- Self-criticism and self-doubt that undermines their achievements
- Imposter syndrome that makes success feel hollow
These aren't people looking for quick fixes or surface solutions. They want to understand the deeper reasons behind their struggles and are open to exploring what's really driving their patterns. If this sounds familiar, Brainspotting might offer the breakthrough you've been seeking.
The Brainspotting Experience: What Actually Happens
Your Journey Begins Before the First Session
When you choose to work with me, your healing journey starts with a comprehensive intake packet that includes detailed measures to gauge your current state and track progress. This isn't busywork—it's how we create a truly personalized treatment plan that addresses your unique needs and goals.
Our first session focuses on getting to know you: your background, contributing factors to current struggles, and what success would look like for you. I look at you as a whole person within all the systems you exist in—family, work, culture—to create a holistic plan. For those seeking specific work like addressing a phobia or single incident trauma, we might jump directly into focused Brainspotting or Accelerated Resolution Therapy.
The Four Phases of a Brainspotting Session
Each Brainspotting session follows a gentle yet structured process:
- Grounding and Resourcing: We ensure you feel stable and present through simple exercises that connect you with your body and surroundings, creating a secure foundation for the work ahead.
- Activation and Locating the Brainspot: Together, we identify the specific issue to address and find your unique "brainspot"—that particular eye position connecting to the emotional charge around your concern.
- Focused Processing: While maintaining your gaze on the identified spot, your brain naturally begins processing what's stored there. You might notice physical sensations, emotions, or brief memories arising and releasing.
- Integration and Closing: We gently bring you back to a grounded state, integrating any shifts that occurred and ensuring you feel stable before transitioning back to your day.
Your Active Yet Gentle Role
During Brainspotting, you remain the expert on your own healing journey while I provide attuned, supportive presence. You don't need to analyze or extensively discuss what's arising—your nervous system knows how to heal when given the right conditions. Many clients appreciate this aspect, especially those tired of talking about their problems without experiencing real change.
Your main role is simply staying present and curious about your internal experience. You might notice warmth, tingling, or energy shifting in your body. Emotions may rise and naturally recede like waves. Sudden insights or memories might surface. Most importantly, you'll likely experience a profound sense of release as your body lets go of what it no longer needs to hold.
Integrating Brainspotting with Comprehensive Treatment
A Customized Approach to Your Healing
In my practice, treatment is never one-size-fits-all. Some clients benefit from weekly sessions, while others prefer longer sessions every other week. We can maintain standing appointments or schedule more flexibly based on your needs. What makes my approach unique is how I integrate multiple powerful modalities:
For many clients, I incorporate sessions of both Brainspotting and Accelerated Resolution Therapy early in treatment. This combination often creates a boost of quick progress that's highly motivating, as clients see positive benefits right away. As a Certified Master ART Practitioner, I can seamlessly blend these approaches to maximize your healing potential.
Tracking Progress with Precision
At approximately 3-6 months into our work together, we reassess using the detailed measures from your intake. This isn't guesswork—we use concrete data to determine progress and identify where there's still work to be done. Goals are updated regularly to keep us on track together, ensuring every session moves you closer to the calm, connected life you're seeking.
Beyond Individual Work: Couples and Intensive Options
Brainspotting for Relationship Transformation
Many couples come to me thinking they have "communication problems," but what's really happening is that internal narratives and unconscious processes are getting in the way. These aren't relationships with huge violations—rather, chronic building issues that drive partners apart over time.
For couples work, I recommend minimum 80-minute sessions, often every two weeks, with an initial 3-month commitment to doing work both in and out of session. This gives us time to see how far we can get and determine if we're on the right track. Brainspotting can be particularly powerful for couples, helping each partner process their individual triggers while building deeper connection.
Intensives for Accelerated Healing
Sometimes you need concentrated healing rather than weekly sessions stretched over months. Intensives offer focused Brainspotting and Accelerated Resolution Therapy work that can lead to rapid breakthroughs. These longer, immersive sessions are ideal for:
- Processing specific traumas or phobias
- Breaking through stubborn patterns quickly
- Preparing for major life transitions
- Addressing acute anxiety or performance issues
The Science Behind Your Transformation
Why Brainspotting Works Where Other Approaches Fall Short
Many of my clients have tried traditional therapy and found themselves frustrated—understanding their issues intellectually but still feeling stuck emotionally. This happens because talk therapy primarily engages the neocortex (thinking brain), while your emotional reactions and trauma responses live in the subcortical brain that operates outside conscious awareness.
Brainspotting bridges this gap by accessing these deeper brain regions directly. When you're caught in what Dr. David Grand calls "frozen maladaptive homeostasis"—where your brain remains locked in survival mode due to unprocessed experiences—Brainspotting gently "unfreezes" these patterns. Your nervous system can then achieve natural emotional regulation through your body's innate healing capacity.
Expected Timeline and Lasting Results
While everyone's healing journey is unique, many clients notice significant shifts within just a few sessions. The changes you might experience include:
- Decreased anxiety about making mistakes
- Improved emotional regulation during stress
- Greater willingness to take healthy risks
- Enhanced creativity and mental clarity
- Physical relief from chronic tension
- More authentic relationships
- Overall sense of wellbeing and self-acceptance
A 2023 study showed that people who used Brainspotting continued improving even after sessions ended. This isn't a temporary fix—the neurobiological changes created through Brainspotting tend to be profound and enduring.
Specialized Applications for High Achievers
Breaking Free from Perfectionism
Perfectionism isn't just about high standards—it's often a protective mechanism rooted in early experiences where mistakes felt dangerous. Brainspotting helps you access and process these underlying experiences at their source in the subcortical brain. Rather than just talking about letting go of perfectionism, you actually release the emotional charge that drives it.
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and Performance Anxiety
That persistent feeling of being a fraud, despite your accomplishments, often stems from deeply stored beliefs about your worth. Brainspotting can help identify and process the specific experiences that created these beliefs, freeing you from constant self-doubt and allowing authentic confidence to emerge.
Resolving Money Anxiety and Financial Avoidance
As someone who also offers financial therapy, I understand how deeply our relationship with money connects to our emotional experiences. Brainspotting can help process the underlying anxiety and shame that often drives financial avoidance, allowing you to approach money matters with clarity rather than fear.
Accessing Brainspotting Therapy
In-Person Sessions in Roseville
My Roseville office provides a calm, private space for deep healing work. Located conveniently for residents throughout the area, in-person sessions offer the benefit of a dedicated healing environment away from daily distractions.
Online Therapy Throughout California and Texas
Virtual Brainspotting sessions are just as effective as in-person work. All you need is a stable internet connection, a quiet space, and comfortable headphones. Many clients find that being in familiar surroundings actually enhances their sense of safety, potentially accelerating the healing process.
Your Next Step Toward Freedom
If you're tired of the constant internal chaos, frustrated with repeating relationship patterns, or simply know you're capable of feeling better than you currently do, Brainspotting might be the approach that finally creates lasting change. This isn't about endlessly analyzing your problems—it's about giving your brain the opportunity to heal at the deepest level.
In my Roseville practice, I work actively and directly with clients who are ready for real transformation. You can expect an engaged therapist who combines reflective and directive approaches, always keeping your goals in focus. Whether you choose in-person sessions in Roseville or online therapy from anywhere in California or Texas, I'm here to support your journey toward genuine calm and authentic connection.
The path to healing doesn't have to be a long, winding road. With Brainspotting's precision and your brain's natural healing capacity, profound change is not only possible—it's probable. If you're ready to experience what life feels like without constant anxiety, self-criticism, and emotional overwhelm, reach out today to discuss how we can work together toward the peace and connection you deserve.
To learn more about beginning your healing journey with Brainspotting therapy or to schedule a consultation, contact Audrey Schoen, LMFT today. Together, we'll create a personalized treatment plan that addresses your unique needs and helps you finally achieve the internal calm you've been seeking.