February '26 - The Power of Brainspotting in Chronic Pain Treatment

February 2026 Trauma Mama Newsletter

The Power of Brainspotting in Chronic Pain Treatment

By Lisa Larson, LMFT | Pacific Counseling and Trauma Center

From Hopelessness to Hope: A Whole-System Approach

People living with chronic pain experience far more than ongoing physical discomfort - its effects ripple through every system of the body and mind. As the pain persists for months or years, the nervous system becomes increasingly sensitized, amplifying pain signals and diminishing resilience. Sleep becomes disrupted, cognitive clarity deteriorates, stress hormones rise, and immune functioning weakens. Emotional regulation becomes difficult, identities lost, and clients often experience anxiety, depression, irritability, hopelessness, and profound exhaustion. Careers, mobility, and social engagement can become significantly limited or disappear altogether.

Over the years, we’ve seen a clear rise in referrals for clients struggling with chronic pain. Its impact is devastating, whether its functionally, emotionally, relationally, and often erodes one’s sense of self and hope for the future. In my work, I’ve found Brainspotting to be a deeply effective modality for supporting clients through the grief, loss, disconnection, and emotional overwhelm that chronic pain brings, while also helping them access internal resources and pathways toward relief.

One Brainspotting approach I consistently rely on for chronic pain is the Outside/ Inside Window Frame from Phase 2 (see below). Because this method engages every reflexive eye position across the visual field, it allows practitioners to address the many layers embedded in chronic pain: physical sensations, emotional responses, traumatic imprints, beliefs, identity disruption, and moments of resilience. It creates a comprehensive and thorough pathway for deep processing and integration.

-Client Story-

One client I worked with suffered chronic nerve and ligament pain after a bunion surgery went wrong. Her feet had been improperly bound by a nurse after the procedure, triggering severe complications. For nearly a year, she was confined to bed rest with her feet elevated above her head. I provided a long in-home Brainspotting session to help her regulate and process the overwhelming physical and emotional burden she carried.

As we mapped each reflexive Brainspot across her visual field, distinct emotional landscapes emerged: hopelessness, grief, anger, sadness, apathy, and intense physical pain. She also discovered one deeply meaningful positive spot; her “hopeful spot.” On this spot, she felt her determination, her capacity to research solutions, and her belief that she would ultimately find a way forward.

We also identified an Expansion Spot where her physical pain was noticeably reduced. Throughout the session, she was able to shift to this spot whenever the pain became intolerable and return to the hopeful spot whenever she felt emotionally overwhelmed.

During the two-hour session, she released a profound amount of physical tension and emotional distress. She memorized the visual anchor for her least-painful spot and used it regularly during her most difficult hours. Whenever she felt defeated, she returned to her hopeful spot for grounding and regulation.

More than a year later, her perseverance paid off: she located a renowned foot surgeon specializing in nerve pain and underwent corrective surgery. Today, she has returned to the life she envisioned; walking her dog, playing pickleball, and enjoying Zumba again.

Chronic pain can feel like it takes over a person’s entire world—but Brainspotting helps create space again. Through presence, attunement, and the precision of the visual field, clients can release what’s frozen, reclaim what’s been lost, and rediscover what still lives inside them. Every reflexive eye position holds a piece of the story, and every session offers an opportunity for integration. As practitioners, our work becomes a beacon of possibility - helping clients move from survival back into participation, connection, and a life that feels like their own again.