Brainspotting & EMDR Therapy in Indianapolis & Grand Rapids
Providing Trauma Therapy Online in Indianapolis | Fort Wayne | South Bend | Bloomington | Valparaiso | Grand Rapids
You’re tired of feeling like you’re stuck behind a mask. It seems like no matter how much you try to escape the past, it still finds you everywhere you go.
You want to be able to release all of the shit you’ve been through, yet the thoughts keep coming:
“You’re not good enough.”
“You’re not lovable enough.”
“You’re not safe.”
You want to believe those thoughts aren’t true, yet something is getting in the way.
You’re ready to unblock yourself and your healing. You’re ready for something to change.
Whether you’ve been trying to manage this feeling on your own for a while, or you’ve recently realized that something needs to change, as a trauma therapist in Indianapolis, I am here to offer you a safe place to:
Understand how your experiences shape the way you see the world
Build an inner well of resources to cope with difficult emotions, uncomfortable physical sensations, and painful memories
Reprocess painful thoughts and memories and allow your mind the opportunity to move toward healing
Develop new ways of thinking about yourself and seeing the world
Hi, I’m Meg. I’m a Brainspotting & EMDR Therapist in Indianapolis, Indiana.
I use trauma therapies to help my clients gradually lift the burden of life’s most difficult moments from their shoulders.
My Approach to Trauma Therapy
As an EMDR & brainspotting counselor in Indianapolis, my goals are to help my clients heal past trauma and pain so that they can…
Feel worthy, lovable, and wanted by others in their life
Learn how to prioritize themselves and their own wellness over others’ comfort
Feel more connected to others in their lives
Find ways to stop believing the negative, unhelpful thoughts they have about themselves and their loved ones
Move into a new phase of life where their past experiences no longer define who they are
Feel more human and less like an alien amongst others
Connect with their physical selves in ways that are joyful, not scary
Questions About Brainspotting Therapy
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Brainspotting is a type of therapy that, like EMDR, helps clients process difficult, upsetting, or traumatic experiences through the use of eye positioning and focused mindfulness. Some differences, however, are that in Brainspotting, you're focusing on a single "spot" at a time, rather than quickly moving your eyes back and forth, and rather than being "guided" by the therapist as you are in EMDR, the therapist in Brainspotting is following your lead.
Brainspotting also includes less set up, and is not as script-heavy as EMDR. Brainspotting can be used as a standalone therapy, or as an addition to talk therapy and EMDR therapy.
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According to the official brainspotting website, "A brainspot is the eye position which is related to the energetic/emotional activation of a traumatic/emotionally charged issue within the brain, most likely in the amygdala, the hippocampus, or the orbitofrontal cortex of the limbic system."
It's theorized that a brainspot gives both therapist and client greater access to the deeper parts of the brain and the body where trauma is stored.
By using a combination of therapist attunement (meaning, I am here with you and you alone in this process), focused mindfulness (focusing on the "spot" through a specific eye position we find together) and attention to somatic cues (what's happening in your body), we may be able to locate, focus, process, and release painful feelings, experiences and symptoms that are typically out of reach of your waking mind.
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In a Brainspotting session, I will help you identify an issue to work on, if you don't already have one in mind.
While focusing on the issue you will notice how you feel—body emotionally and physically.
From there, I'll guide you through the process of finding an eye position or "brainspot" that is associated with this issue will be identified. A brainspot is not just one spot, but one of many in an active network in your brain, so there may be one or more "spots" that are most activated by the issue at hand.
Once you find and focus in on the "right" spot, I will sit with you in attunement and support as you process whatever arises. You may choose to hold your gaze on your own, or you may wish for me to hold a focal point for you. You can process for an entire session, or for only a portion of a session.
Afterwards, we may talk about what came up for you, help you ground yourself, or practice self-soothing techniques if any difficult emotions come up as a result of your session.
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I'm gonna give you the therapist's favorite answer: it depends.
Some people find that brainspotting is effective after just one session. Some people find that they want it incorporated into their regular therapy sessions. And some find that they want or need regular, full-hour brainspotting sessions to help resolve their symptoms.
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Side effects for brainspotting are somewhat similar to EMDR and other types of trauma therapies.
Side effects of this therapy range from slight tiredness, dizziness, or headaches, to temporary increases in upsetting feelings, dreams, memories or PTSD symptoms.
Some people have new or intensifying physical pain or discomfort, changes in sleeping habits, or changes in appetite. Brainspotting can also bring out new or upsetting feelings about some of the people, events, or places in your life that you're not used to.
These side effects are largely safe and temporary, for most people. However, if you are working with a therapist who is administering brainspotting and you have new or intensifying thoughts of wanting to hurt yourself or someone else, it's important that you communicate this to your therapist—or, in cases where you're not sure you're safe to wait for your next session, call 988 and connect with a crisis resource center to help you figure out your next steps to stay safe.
Questions about EMDR Therapy
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EMDR—which stands for Eye Movement, Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy (don't worry, you don't have to remember this)—is an evidence-based therapy for treating things like post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and more. This means it's been studied and tested and generally accepted as a valid way of treating various psychological disorders and mental health conditions.
EMDR involves the use of something called bilateral stimulation (BLS for short) which basically means stimulating one side of the body (and the brain) at a time, back and forth. This might be done through rapid eye movements, or it might be done through "tapping" or alternating audio. The idea is that this BLS helps your body and mind stay grounded in the present moment, while processing difficult, painful, or traumatic memories. The BLS is also thought to help desensitize you (or, make you less sensitive) to the psychological or physical pain you're experiencing as a result of your trauma.
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Yes! According to the EMDR International Association, EMDR therapy can be done online and is, in many cases, just as effective as EMDR done in-person. We've got a variety of ways to accommodate online sessions and I will work with you to find the type of bilateral stimulation (BLS) that is most effective for you.
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Because everyone is unique, so too is their response to EMDR. Side effects of this therapy range from slight tiredness or headaches to temporary increases in upsetting feelings, dreams, memories or PTSD symptoms. Some people have new or intensifying physical pain or discomfort, changes in sleeping habits, or changes in appetite. EMDR may also bring out new feelings about some of the people, events, or places in your life that you're not used to.
While these side effects are definitely uncomfortable, they're largely safe and cannot hurt you. That being said, if you are working with a therapist who is administering EMDR and you have new or intensifying thoughts of wanting to hurt yourself or someone else, it's vital that you communicate this to your therapist—or, in cases where you're not sure you're safe to wait for your next session, calling 988 and connecting with a crisis resource center to help you figure out your next steps to stay safe.
When I'm working with someone in EMDR, I will pretty much always err on the side of "slow and steady." This means taking our time with building a trusting relationship, working on strengthening your coping skills and inner resources, and making sure we are
That being said, there are some folks who respond very well to EMDR and who can move into reprocessing within a matter of a few sessions. Again, this is unique to you and your current concerns/symptoms, and we'll decide together (based on many different factors) when the right time to start reprocessing is.
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Yes! While EMDR is most often used to treat the symptoms of traumatic experiences, it can also be helpful for people who struggle with low self esteem, anxiety, depression, or difficulty with changing unwanted habits or behaviors.
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There are various steps to EMDR, so an EMDR session may look very different from one session to the next.
Typically, we'll follow these steps:
We'll talk about your coping strategies and I'll help you strengthen/build your inner resources. This may include a brief introduction to bilateral stimulation through calming/soothing exercises that use BLS.
I'll ask to learn more about your history, any traumatic experiences you've had that you may wish to work on in EMDR, and any negative beliefs you've developed about yourself or the world because of your trauma.
Once you feel solid in your coping skills and we've identified an issue to work through, we'll move into reprocessing.
A reprocessing session will typically take up an entire session, so that you have enough time to prepare, reprocess, and then ground yourself/self-soothe afterwards. This is where the "action" of reprocessing painful memories and feelings happens.
We may choose to use the next session after reprocessing to have a more "traditional" talk therapy session, where we can explore what came up for you and any changes you've experienced in your thoughts, feelings, or physical sensations.
Unblock your inner peace
Free Consult
Wondering if trauma therapy can help you? I invite you to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with me to talk about whether this might be a good fit.
Find Your Voice
Receive compassionate, thoughtful support as you find your voice and rewrite your story in a more helpful, empowering way.
Grow Big
Grow into your transformed self with confidence, excitement, and a sense of clarity about who your are, where you’re been, and where you want to go.