EMDR and Brainspotting: Cousins, Not Twins

If you’ve been in therapy long enough—or Googled trauma therapy at 2 a.m.—you’ve probably seen EMDR and Brainspotting mentioned in the same breath. They often get lumped together, compared, or quietly pitted against each other like rival siblings at a family reunion.

The truth is simpler (and less dramatic):They’re related. They overlap. And they’re different in meaningful ways.

Let’s break it down.

What They Have in Common

Both EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and Brainspotting are brain-based trauma therapies. That means they don’t rely solely on talking about what happened—they work with how the nervous system and brain store distressing experiences.

Shared foundations:

• Both are based on the idea that trauma can get “stuck” in the nervous system

• Both use bilateral or visual processing (eye movements, fixed gaze, or auditory stimulation)

• Both aim to reduce emotional intensity, not erase memory

• Both allow access to material that may be pre-verbal or difficult to articulate

• Both can feel less cognitively demanding than traditional talk therapy

In short: You don’t have to explain everything perfectly for either of these to work.

EMDR: Structured, Predictable, Research-Heavy

EMDR is probably the more well-known of the two—and for good reason.

What EMDR looks like:

• Uses guided eye movements or alternating stimulation

• Follows a clear, eight-phase protocol

• Targets specific memories, beliefs, emotions, and body sensations

• Has a defined beginning, middle, and end for each target

Strengths of EMDR:

• Extensive research support

• Highly structured (which some clients find grounding)

• Especially effective for single-incident trauma

• Often helpful for clients who like clarity, goals, and direction

Potential challenges:

• Can feel intense or fast-paced for some

• Requires identifying specific memories or beliefs

• Less flexible if someone needs more spaciousness or slowing down

Think of EMDR as the therapy equivalent of: “We’re going to follow a map—and the map is solid.”

Brainspotting: Deep, Attuned, Less Linear

Brainspotting grew out of EMDR, but it takes a different approach.

What Brainspotting looks like:

• Identifies a specific eye position (a “brainspot”)

• The client maintains a steady gaze rather than following movement

• Emphasizes mindfulness, attunement, and nervous system regulation

• Allows material to emerge without directing it

Strengths of Brainspotting:

• Often gentler and less directive

• Can access very early or preverbal trauma

• Useful when words are limited or emotions feel diffuse

• Allows the client’s system to lead the process

• Expands beyond trauma processing to support work around social anxiety, performance anxiety, self-esteem, shame, guilt, and chronic self-criticism

• Helpful for clients who feel emotionally “activated” in relationships but struggle to explain why

Potential challenges:

• Less structured

• Can feel vague or unfamiliar at first

• Progress may be subtle rather than dramatic

Brainspotting often feels more like: “Let’s stay here and see what your nervous system wants to show us.”

Similar Goal, Different Path

Both approaches aim to help the brain reprocess distress so it no longer hijacks the present.

The difference isn’t depth—it’s style.

• EMDR is active, organized, and time-bound

• Brainspotting is relational, spacious, and organic

Neither is better. They’re simply different ways of listening to the brain.

Who Might Benefit from EMDR?

EMDR may be a good fit if you:

• Prefer structure and clear steps

• Want a research-backed, widely recognized approach

• Are working with specific traumatic events

• Like knowing what’s coming next in therapy

• Feel ready to process memories more directly

Who Might Benefit from Brainspotting?

Brainspotting may be helpful if you:

• Feel overwhelmed by structure or pace

• Have trauma that feels early, complex, or hard to name

• Experience strong body-based reactions

• Struggle to verbalize emotions

• Want a slower, more attuned process

A Final (Very Important) Note

EMDR and Brainspotting are tools, not magic tricks. Their effectiveness depends heavily on:

• The therapist’s training and attunement

• Safety and pacing

• The therapeutic relationship

• Your readiness and consent

No technique replaces feeling seen, respected, and emotionally safe.

And if you’re wondering which one is “right” for you? That’s often a conversation—not a diagnosis.

Sometimes the brain doesn’t need to be pushed.

Sometimes it needs permission.