A new up-and-coming form of therapy is being practiced in Rockwall, boasting rapid and significant results.
The Dallas Express recently sat down with Dr. Audra Funk, a licensed professional counselor and certified “brainspotter.” From her practice Funk Counseling Services in Rockwall, Funk and her eight-person team employ a neurobiologically-based therapeutic technique called “brainspotting.”
First pioneered by Dr. David Grand, brainspotting taps into the brain’s healing ability by accessing the brain-body connection through a combination of “talk therapy” and a method known as eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR).
Grand’s technique gained traction through his work with professional athletes and performers, who he helped breakthrough blocks and reach their full potential. It continues to generate considerable buzz as a scientifically-backed and effective technique.
Yet as Funk explained to The Dallas Express, brainspotting is a mind-body modality that can benefit individuals of all ages grappling with a wide array of issues.
Using the example of a patient who has recently undergone shoulder surgery to fix a longstanding instability in the joint, she walked The Dallas Express through the brainspotting process.
The client is asked to look from right to left in order to find “brainspots” in the visual field that allow access to a targeted neural network associated with different emotions or physical experiences.
Given that the method is centered on the individual, the therapist acts as what Funk referrs to as an “empathic witness” who helps guide the client and talk him through the treatment.
It is in this way that much like placing “a key in the lock” brainspotting pinpoints neurophysiological sources of emotional and physical pain and helps the patient process and move past them, according to Funk. Whether this entails a physical trauma, such as an injury, or a psychological challenge, such as PTSD or anxiety, brainspotting can be applied.
“A body keeps score,” Funk explained.
Speaking to The Dallas Express, Funk noted that no problem is too small or too big to benefit from this modality. A significant share of her clients coming to Rockwall or participating in telehealth sessions seek help for overcoming trauma and anxiety. However, she noted that there are even those looking to make lifestyle changes — such as losing excess weight, which is a significant risk factor for obesity — or improve their lives in other ways, such as by overcoming insecurities.
Alongside its wide range of applications as a therapeutic approach, Funk stressed how brainspotting yields significant results in just a short amount of time. According to her, many clients saw more progress in just three sessions than they had through years of traditional therapy. Surprisingly, this is especially true of younger patients, with Funk Counseling Services treating children as young as a few months old and seeing considerable results.
Ultimately, as Funk explained, our physical and mental health are intrinsically connected, meaning that effective therapeutic approaches should strive to combine the two, just as brainspotting does.
For more information about brainspotting, please contact Funk Counseling Services through its website.
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