Brain-spotting verses Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

If you’ve been in therapy or have a friend in therapy or have listened to a celebrity like Prince Harry talk about therapy you’ve probably heard of EMDR therapy and/or Brainspotting. When we put these two treatment modalities side by side what are the similarities and what are the differences you may be wondering?

Brainspotting & EMDR Are Both Brain Therapies

Both of these types of therapies are considered “brain-therapies”. This is different from talk therapy where a lot of the processing in brain therapies happens on the neurological level. Plus in general, they have less narrative/story sharing from the client that is typically involved in talk therapy. These newer methods work to unlock creativity, process through past trauma, and otherwise make some truly significant progress with your Brainspotting or EMDR therapist that may have grown stagnant after doing talk therapies. EMDR and Brainspotting have been developed around the client’s line of vision. EMDR utilizes eye movements as a form of bilateral stimulation, while Brainspotting focuses the eye on a fixed gaze position. The position of your eyes, or where your gaze is directed, can actually unlock some deeper insights that have not yet been recognized.

When comparing the two types of therapies it’s important to know that Brainspotting has roots in EMDR and supports reprocessing trauma and retraining the brain to respond differently to emotional situations. Brainspotting and EMDR are therapeutic interventions that help the client and therapist access deeply stored emotional, somatic, traumatic, and often subconscious information. Both interventions may involve bilateral stimulation as well as building somatic awareness. The objective of each type of therapy is to ease the building of new neural networks that allow the client to have decreased symptoms that may be associated with trauma, increase emotional regulation, and be able to sustain being in what is referred to as the Window of Tolerance.

The Main Differences Between Brainspotting & EMDR Therapy

The primary differences between the two involve the procedure used and the role of the therapist.

Brainspotting Therapy

Brainspotting therapy focuses on the neural networks associated with trauma. While EMDR focuses on a specific memory. This is an important difference between the two models in that a specific or detailed memory is not necessary or as important for brainspotting. Dual Attunement is a primary tenant of Brainspotting in that the attunement of the therapist activates attachment brain pathways associated with safety, support, and connection towards the client. The brainspotting therapist applies minimal interventions during the process to allow the client’s inherent healing to occur. Many clients at WellMinded Counseling find this to be empowering, instinctual, and flexible.

EMDR Therapy

EMDR therapy follows more of a passive presence where the client is leading their processing. While the EMDR therapist only interjects when the client appears to be stuck. Attunement is not at the forefront of the EMDR model and isn’t necessary for processing. However, the clients’ ability to self-regulate their emotions is critical for there to be safety in the session.

Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing follows a very specific protocol in which the EMDR therapist leads and guides the client through a series of eight repetitive steps. The EMDR therapist applies the primary interventions and leads the client on when to start and stop the rapid bilateral movements. As part of this process, the client focuses on one traumatic issue, event, or core belief while experiencing bilateral stimulation. The client is guided by the EMDR therapist to repeatedly re-experience the issue while being led through the steps in the process. In this way, EMDR focuses more on one issue at a time vs brainspotting which allows for the possibility of organic processing of multiple traumas in one session.

Start Healing With Brainspotting or EMDR Therapy in Colorado & Florida

Hopefully, that helps bring some more clarity to the similarities and differences between the two treatment modalities. If you have more questions about Brainspotting therapy or EMDR therapy we would be happy to explore those with you. Follow these steps to start the process of healing at our therapy practices in Colorado and Florida.

1. Reach out to schedule a free consultation

2. Schedule your first appointment with a dedicated therapist

3. Start healing and feel empowered

OTHER COUNSELING SERVICES We Offer in Denver, CO & Tampa, FL

We offer a variety of additional services besides brain-spotting and EMDR therapy. WellMinded Counseling also offers the following therapy services:

• Substance Abuse Counseling

• Couples Therapy

• Relationship Counseling

• Depression Treatment

• Trauma Treatment

• Teen therapy

• Self-Esteem Counseling

Activities Around Tampa to Help You Stay Cool & Reduce Stress from A Young Adult Therapist

As we know Florida can get pretty humid and hot especially during the summer months, you may be looking for places to keep yourself entertained to avoid any summer boredom, or loneliness. Have you considered that Tampa and St. Petersburg area offer a lot of great indoor activities to avoid that summer sun and heat? Sure the beach is always a great option but we know that eventually it gets too hot, and the potential for sun burn, heat exhaustion, etc can set in.

Fun Indoor Activates in Tampa & St Petersburg

Here are activities around town here are a few of our teams favorites:

Armature Works in Tampa Heights/Downtown offers great food, events, and water views. Allowing for a communal space for you to meet new people, friends, and family all summer long.

Another great place is Cinebistro with locations at Hyde Park Village in Tampa and Wesley Chapel, FL offering an elevated movie experience with dining, and super comfy lounge seats for you to enjoy a great movie.

International Plaza offers a wide variety of shopping options, food, and events all summer long to gather with friends and family, with over 200 stores to choose from.

Dali Museum in St. Pete carries the largest collection of Dali's work outside of Europe and there are so many unique pieces to look at. With lots of opportunities for learning about Dali’s fun and quirky personality along with his brilliant talent as an artist.

Pin Chasers can be another great option allowing you to have some indoor/air conditioned fun, from bowling classes, tournaments, cyber bowling, late night bowling and just plain ‘ol regular bowling too.

Other Techniques to Lower Stress This Summer

While doing fun activities or really any one thing can’t eliminate stress there are some other things you can do to manage it. These include:

• Sleep hygiene- sleeping regular hours consistently

• Cultivate a sense of humor- having fun and taking things less seriously

• Maintain a healthy diet and drink plenty of water

• Having solid boundaries in relationships

• Avoid people-pleasing behaviors

Meeting With A Young Adult Therapist in Tampa Can Help

We understand that you have a lot of therapy options to choose from in Tampa or St. Pete, and we want to assure you that working with one of our Florida-licensed young adult therapists will help you address any summer blues you may have. When schools are out for summer, and perhaps you are finding yourself feeling lonely, bored, overwhelmed with the changing of seasons, traffic to the beach, or the threat of tropical storms we are here to help provide you guidance. Whether it is to get through “an everyday issue” or something significant that you’re struggling with.

There are plenty of coping strategies and outlets for your experiences feeling stuck and/or feeling like you have to go through it alone hopefully doesn’t become your reality and reaching out for help can feel empowering and potentially the right step for you to make towards healing. Besides encouraging you to utilize coping skills, a young adult therapist at WellMinded Counseling can help you build awareness and insight, and challenge your thoughts/perspectives that may be creating barriers for you in the long run. Choosing the right therapist can make all the difference, we encourage you to talk with someone on our team to see if they are the right fit for you.

Start Therapy to Beat Summer Blues with a Young Adult Therapist in Tampa, FL

Are the summer blues, or something more serious, weighing you down? It's time to take control of your emotional well-being and reclaim your happiness! Our young adult therapists in Tampa understand the unique challenges you may be facing during this season. Whether it's the pressure to have the "perfect" summer or feeling isolated from your peers, therapy at WellMinded Counseling can provide the support and guidance you need to navigate these emotions. Don't let the summer blues dictate your experience any longer. Start by following these steps:

1. Reach out to talk with a Florida-licensed therapist

2. Schedule your first appointment for Tampa therapy

3. Work towards building resilience, finding joy, and creating a summer filled with growth and self-discovery.

OTHER COUNSELING SERVICES OFFERED AT WELLMINDED COUNSELING

WellMinded Counseling offers a variety of services when it comes to therapy:

• Substance Abuse Counseling

• EMDR

• Couples Therapy

• Relationship Counseling

• Depression Treatment

• Trauma Treatment

• Teen therapy

• Self-Esteem Counseling

Your First Counseling Session: Here's What to Expect

By Karli McClure, LSW

You’ve found the right therapist to start therapy with. Now it’s time to schedule your first therapy session. Good news! The challenge of finding a therapist is over. So, now it’s time to get acquainted. 

The First Step of Counseling is the Intake

The first counseling session is called, “intake” as this is a time for your therapist to ask assorted questions about your past, present, and hopes for the future. This is important: don’t feel nervous or feel like your therapist is judging you. These questions are meant to help your therapists develop a relationship with you and a recommendation for counseling. 

Your therapist will ask questions about your family's history with mental health, symptoms you are currently having or have had previously, history of past traumas, and what brings you to therapy today. Although it would be impossible for your therapist to learn all there is about you in an hour, this will at least give them a starting point on things you two will begin to work on. Essentially, this session is for the therapist to gather a whole and accurate picture of you. 

Be Vulnerable & Build A Partnership

The therapist isn’t the only person who asks questions during this session. You’re allowed to ask them too. In fact, at WellMinded Counseling, I encourage my clients to ask me anything they want. I find that it is much easier to be open and honest with someone when they are open and honest with you.

Always remember: therapy is a partnership.  If you find that your therapist is not a good fit, it is always okay to try to find a new one. Therapy is all about supporting and empowering you as the client. I challenge you to be as vulnerable as you can with your therapist because that is when real progress can be made. 

Setting Your Goals With Your Tampa Therapist

All therapists conduct intakes their own way, but typically at some point in the session, your therapist will ask what goals you have for therapy. This question tends to be the most challenging part of the session for some. Your goals should be specific, measurable, and obtainable. What do you hope to gain from therapy? What would you do if your anxiety was not getting in the way of your everyday life? These goals are going to help your therapist support you in the ways you need. 

Therapy can be scary, challenging, and uncomfortable and at the same time, it is life-changing, beautiful, and exciting. Growth and change do not happen after one session. However, each session is a step closer to obtaining your therapy goals. Be kind to yourself through this process and trust that your therapist is leading you in the right direction toward the person you want to be. 

Start Counseling in Tampa, FL or Boulder, CO

Take the next step towards your journey of self-discovery and personal growth. Schedule your first therapy session now and unlock the transformative power of counseling. Remember, the intake session is just the beginning—a chance for your Tampa therapist to understand your unique story and create a tailored plan to support you. Embrace vulnerability and build a partnership with your therapist, where honesty and openness lead to breakthroughs. Don't be afraid to ask questions and seek a therapist who truly resonates with you. Together in counseling, we will set achievable goals that pave the way for positive change. Embrace the challenges, embrace the beauty, and embrace the excitement of this life-changing process. Take the leap and embark on a path toward becoming the best version of yourself.

1. Reach out for a free consultation

2. Schedule your first appointment at WellMinded Counseling

3. Embark on a path toward becoming the best version of yourself

OTHER COUNSELING SERVICES We Offer in Colorado & Florida

Therapy for depression isn’t the only service we offer. WellMinded Counseling offers the following counseling services:

• Substance Abuse Counseling

• EMDR

• Couples Therapy

• Relationship Counseling

• Depression Treatment

• Trauma Treatment

• Teen therapy

• Self-Esteem Counseling

Tampa Therapy: How It Can Help You Enjoy Living in The City

Our 40s and 50s are ever-changing times in our lives. Our children are growing up. Some are heading to college, and some are getting married. Some have little ones that are entering the world of after-school activities, programs, and sports. Tampa Therapy can help you cope with that.

Here in Tampa, I am sure all of Florida, sports are ALL year round. I grew up in the north, a cold and snowy country. We had seasons; football in the fall, hockey, and basketball in the winter, and baseball in the spring.  Not here - you have spring, summer, fall, and winter leagues in EVERYTHING.  It feels like an endless cycle. 

Family in Florida

For those with children close to graduating, the pressure and challenges of getting into our local colleges and universities are getting harder and harder each year.  Some families look outside of Tampa, outside of the state, for college, and that comes with a higher price tag.

With all of that in our immediate families, we have our parents, who are now getting older as well. With age comes more medical concerns, medicare programs, social security benefits, and now limited income. We ask ourselves, did they save enough?  Do they need my help financially?  

We make those reflections within ourselves too!

We ask ourselves, too  - are we secure in our jobs?  Finding a new job in our 50s is harder than it was in our 20s.  Are you satisfied with the income and the flexibility?

So those of us in our middle age have a lot going on in our own families, but now let’s talk about our parents.  We see things changing and now need to start parenting, guiding, and helping our own parents and learn about all the new aspects of being 60, 70, and 80.  Tampa has wonderful medical services, but where do you go? Which doctor do you trust? Baycare? Advent? Moffitt? 

How far are you willing to drive? Is your work flexible and allows you to? Are they in the network with their insurance?   Are they able, or should they be driving?  That is a difficult conversation, as are many others.  

Relationships in Tampa, FL

For couples, one set of parents may live here, but another may be in another state - how do you travel and provide care when one or more are far away?  Do you relocate them so they are closer? Is your sibling doing more work?  How can you better help?

how Tampa therapy can help!

No wonder we feel exhausted, confused, and overwhelmed.  We want to be carefree and go out with our spouse or friends, attend all the sporting and theater events here in Tampa or have a mini vacation in Clearwater or Anna Maria Island, or head to Orlando for the weekend.

But we have so much to do, work, household chores, we have our kid’s sports or activities, we have to serve as taxi drivers for our teens, go grocery shopping for our parents, or we have to do upkeep on our own homes that have been set aside way too long. 

Is there a way for us to balance and manage the stressors?

So how do you cope?  How to manage these new roles while maintaining a full-time job and maintaining a household? Balance the sports and activities, shop, and send one off to college? Or even plan a wedding? 

Therapy in Tampa, FL can help. Learn how to balance all aspects of your life without becoming overwhelmed or losing site of your own life, and your own goals.  We want to be everything to everyone, but it is hard.  But these times can be fun and exciting, and we need to learn how to embrace all the roles and balance the new responsibilities.

Tampa Therapy May Be Just What You Need!

You don’t have to deal with this alone. As you grow throughout the years, new stressors come up. Don’t feel like you have to manage it all alone. Getting set up with a therapist in Tampa, FL at WellMinded Counseling is as easy as following these steps:

1. Schedule a free 30-minute consultation with our office

2. Get set up with one of our therapists in Tampa

3. Gain support from WellMinded Counseling Center

OTHER COUNSELING SERVICES OFFERED BY WELLMINDED COUNSELING CENTER

With over a decade of experience, our therapists in Tampa, FL are able to address a wide range of mental health concerns with clients of all ages. The WellMinded Counseling Center offers the following services: Anxiety therapy, depression treatment, Substance Abuse Support Group, Relationship Therapy, Eating Disorder Treatment: Anorexia Treatment, Bulimia, Binge Eating, Affordable therapy options, Self-Esteem Therapy, EMDR Therapy, groups, and more!

Are you Suffering from High Functioning Anxiety? An Anxiety Therapist Weighs In

January 25, 2022 by: Tesia Paz

Do you sometimes wonder if you could possibly be diagnosed with anxiety? But then again, on second thought, you think, “no way, don’t people with anxiety have messy and chaotic lives?” You, on the other hand, meet deadlines, are a star performer at work or school, and on the outside, seem to have your stuff together. After all, that is what success is measured by, isn’t it? Never mind the constant tension in your shoulders, ruminating thoughts, feeling like you’re never “enough”, having trouble falling asleep, intense fear of failing... Starting to sound familiar?

Let an Anxiety Therapist in Tampa, FL, tell you WHY!

Let me introduce you to anxiety’s not-so-distant cousin, High functioning anxiety (HFA). They would be twins, except that(HFA) can manage to keep the inner turmoil at bay and has the outside world fooled into thinking they are meticulously in control. What they don’t let others know is that they are intensely afraid of failing, which causes them to lose sleep each night. They never think they are good enough. Therefore, feeling good about themselves is a rare occurrence and a fleeting moment just barely within grasp. They also wonder what it would feel like to relax and just enjoy a beautiful morning rather than scurrying on to the next thing demanding their ever-present attention.

If this sounds like you, an Anxiety Therapist in Tampa, FL, is just a phone call away.

Anxiety is a cognition-based mental health disorder. Unfortunately, when you are faced with a strong enough stressor, you get thoughts that you are in danger which then create a cascade of fear-based responses in your body. Another interesting fun fact is that it happens regardless of if the stressor is real or imagined. The sense of danger seems to be lurking around, leaving you feeling on high alert, edgy and uncertain. Therefore, appearing from the outside, you seem like you have it all together, bright, cheery, full of energy, goal-driven, and successful. However, on the inside, you are anything but that. You are standing on the brink of a disaster waiting to happen at any moment.

Thankfully, just like with anxiety treatments, there are several cognitive and behavioral therapies that can be taught and, over time, help you regain your life back from the clutches of perfectionism and anxiety.

WORK WITH AN anxiety THERAPIST IN TAMPA, FLORIDA

Getting set up with a young adult therapist at WellMinded Counseling is as easy as following these steps:

1. Schedule a free 30-minute consultation with our counseling office

2. Get set up with one of our therapists in Tampa

3. Gain support from a Therapist in Tampa, Florida

OTHER COUNSELING SERVICES OFFERED BY WELL MINDED COUNSELING CENTER

With over 10 years of experience, our therapists are able to address a wide range of mental health concerns with clients of all ages. The WellMinded Counseling Center offers the following services: Substance Abuse Counseling, EMDR Couples Therapy, Relationship Counseling, Anxiety and Depression Treatments, Trauma Treatments, and Self-Esteem Counseling.

Resources:

https://harleytherapy.com/blog/posts/high-functioning-anxiety

https://www.bridgestorecovery.com/high-functioning-anxiety/

Photo:

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