BRAINSPOTTING PHASE 2 - MAY 2026

Brainspotting Phase Two introduces students to five additional Brainspotting techniques to broaden the skills of the attendees in treating their more severely traumatized clients. Two techniques are taught for clients who have adaptively dissociated as a result of severe trauma. These “frames” are called “Rolling Brainspotting” and “Inside/ Outside Window” Brainspotting. This allows relevant eye positions to be found for the client outside of their awareness. The clinicians learn to identify reflexes in the body, eyes, and face that are signals from the client’s brain that an area of significance has been found in the visual field. This is groundbreaking for clients who have not been able to heal because of their dissociation or “freeze” response. The next three techniques are aimed at quickly adding layers of additional resourcing for clients who feel overwhelmed in session or find themselves shutting down. These techniques are called, “One Eye Brainspotting”, “Z Axis Brainspotting” with “Vergence Brainspotting” (More rapid Z Axis), and the “Advanced Resource Model of Brainspotting.” Attendees will review key principles and theories from Phase One in addition to learning important tools and techniques in working with Dissociation and the more severely traumatized needing higher levels of resourcing. These five new methods of Brainspotting allow the clinicians to find specific, resourced eye positions to keep their clients within their window of tolerance. The more advanced techniques will engender confidence in the attendees ability to handle more fragile and dissociative clients. 

After taking part in this course, participants will have acquired additional clinical skills to successfully treat those with more complex trauma, such as those who often need techniques that allow the client to  break through their dissociation which often keeps traumatized clients stuck for years or a lifetime. The additional resourcing will allow clients who previously disengaged
or shut down to successfully heal from their complex trauma and their pernicious negative cognitions. Additionally, therapists
will find that their clients unrelenting coping mechanisms of “Flight, Fight, Freeze, and Fawn” will dissipate as they are able to
resolve trauma and disturbing life experiences with additional resourcing tools. 

Learning Objectives - Day 1

1. Demonstrate the two most important Brainspotting principles of staying in uncertainty and following the client by “staying in the tail of the comet” during the client’s mindful processing.
2. Differentiate between three of the most common and challenging symptoms of an Autonomic Nervous System that is “Stuck On” (Overly sympathetic) and “Stuck Off” (Overly Parasympathetic).
3. Determine the two regions of the brain most involved in regulating a dysregulated nervous system to stay current in the field of brain science.
4. Describe two of the major benefits for clients whose nervous system is regulated or in a state of “coherence.”
5. Identify the nine steps of the “Inside/Outside Window” Brainspotting Technique and apply their knowledge in a practicum as both therapist and client.
6. Identify the nine steps of the “Rolling Brainspotting” Technique and apply their knowledge in a practicum as both therapist and client.

  Learning Objectives - Day 2

1. Apply three techniques to reduce client activation using “One Eye Brainspotting,” “Z Axis Brainspotting,” and “Vergence Brainspotting.”
2. Classify the “Activated Eye” and the “Resource Eye” while learning how to keep clients within their window of tolerance.
3. Demonstrate the ten steps of the “One Eye Brainspotting” Technique and apply their knowledge in a practicum as both therapist and client.
4. Apply the ten steps of the “Z Axis Brainspotting” Technique in a practicum as both therapist and client.
5. Identify the two physiological events that occur during the “Vergence Brainspotting” technique to lower client activation.

  Learning Objectives - Day 3

1. Apply an exercise to observe how processing feels with eyes open versus eyes closed and describe the differences.
2. Determine two symptoms indicating a client is in Flashback versus one outside their window of tolerance.
3. Analyze the importance of relational attunement in helping clients with complex PTSD, including staying present and mindful to ensure client safety and trust.
4. Apply the “Eye Contact Brainspot” technique until the client’s flashback resolves or attachment wounding is less activated, and analyze the process to identify its critical components.
5. Demonstrate the nine steps of the Advanced Resource Model for fragile or dissociative clients, and apply their knowledge in a practicum as both therapist and client.

DAY 1 AGENDA
9:00–9:15 am: Training Overview, Review Learning Objectives, and EDI Statement - Present course overview and EDI statement.
9:15–10:30 am: PowerPoint – Phase 1 Review - Describe key Phase 1 concepts and techniques.
10:30–10:45 am: Break
10:45–11:30 am: PowerPoint – Introduction to Phase 2 - Present Phase 2 goals and techniques.
11:30–12:15 pm: Demonstration – Inside/Outside Window - Demonstrate the Inside/Outside Window technique.
12:15–12:45 pm: Debrief & Q&A - Analyze key observations and techniques from the demonstration.
12:45–1:45 pm: Lunch
1:45–2:00 pm: PowerPoint Review - Present additional Phase 2 content and clarifications.
2:00–2:45 pm: Demonstration – Rolling Brainspotting - Demonstrate the Rolling Brainspotting technique.
2:45–3:15 pm: Debrief – Rolling Brainspotting Demonstration - Analyze key observations and techniques from the demonstration.
3:15–3:30 pm: Break
3:30–5:00 pm: Practicum – Inside/Outside Window & Rolling Brainspotting - Apply Inside/Outside Window and Rolling Brainspotting techniques as both therapist and client.
5:00–5:30 pm: Debrief & Q&A - Analyze and discuss experiences from the practicum.

DAY 2 AGENDA
9:00–9:15 am: Check in, review of previous day - Describe key points and insights from the previous day.
9:15–9:30 am: PowerPoint - Describe Phase 2 content to be covered today.
9:30–10:15 am: Demonstration – One Eye Brainspotting - Demonstrate the One Eye Brainspotting technique.
10:15–10:45 am: Debrief & Q&A - Analyze key observations from the demonstration.
10:45–11:00 am: Break
11:00–12:45 pm: Practicum – One Eye Brainspotting - Apply the One Eye Brainspotting technique as both therapist and client.
12:45–1:45 pm: Lunch
1:45–2:15 pm: Debrief – One Eye Practicum - Analyze experiences and insights from the practicum.
2:15–2:30 pm: PowerPoint - Describe upcoming demonstrations for Z Axis and Vergence techniques.
2:30–3:15 pm: Demonstration – Z Axis & Vergence Brainspotting - Demonstrate Z Axis and Vergence Brainspotting techniques.
3:15–3:45 pm: Debrief & Q&A - Analyze key observations from the demonstrations.
3:45–4:00 pm: Break
4:00–5:30 pm: Practicum – Z Axis & Vergence - Apply Z Axis and Vergence Brainspotting techniques as both therapist and client.

DAY 3 AGENDA
9:00–9:30 am: Check in, Debrief Day 2 Practicum - Analyze experiences from previous day’s practicums.
9:30–9:45 am: PowerPoint - Describe Advanced Resource concepts and goals.
9:45–10:30 am: Advanced Resource Demonstration - Demonstrate the Advanced Resource Model.
10:30–11:00 am: Debrief & Q&A - Analyze key observations from the demonstration.
11:00–11:15 am: Break
11:15–12:45 am: Advanced Resource Practicum - Apply the Advanced Resource Model as both therapist and client.
12:45–1:45 am: Lunch
1:45–2:15 am: Debrief & Q&A - Analyze and discuss practicum experiences.
2:15–3:45 am: Small Group Q&A - Analyze and discuss the use of Brainspotting with various populations and conditions.
3:45–4:00 am: Break