Presented by Lisa Larson, LMFT

Brainspotting is a powerful, brain-based trauma therapy that accesses the deepest regions of the brain where clients store their traumatic experiences and survival terror. This access to the limbic system and brainstem allows deep transformation to occur. It works by identifying, processing and releasing core neurophysiological sources of emotional and body pain, trauma, dissociation, terror, flashbacks, panic, and other challenging symptoms. Symptoms of unprocessed trauma, which include chronic anxiety, insomnia, and numbing, are notoriously difficult to eliminate through talk therapy. This is because the brain becomes overwhelmed and is unable to process verbal information about the traumatic events.

Brainspotting was voted the most effective trauma treatment by the parents and survivors of the Sandy Hook massacre after a five-year study by the Sandy Hook Foundation comparing over 25 therapeutic modalities. The parents rated it first in its effectiveness in treating the traumatic loss of their young children. This presentation teaches participants to metrically measure the efficacy of each session with their clients so it is very clear if the client is benefiting from the treatment. It also will help the attendees stay abreast of the most recent brain-based breakthroughs in treating clients with PTSD. This presentation underscores principles of complete non-judgment and compassion for each and every client. It also encourages the therapist to follow the client, rather than lead.

 Presentation Outline

1. What is a "Brainspot" and how is it able to rapidly calm the neurophysiology of the client?
2. What are the most common symptoms of clients with unresolved Trauma?
3. The scientific evidence of the efficacy of Brainspotting.
4. How Brainspotting was discovered by a top EMDR Trainer, Dr. David Grand.
5. Why Talk Therapy is ineffective in healing the survival terror held in the limbic system (flight or fight) and brain stem (numb/freeze) of our traumatized clients.
6. Outline of the steps involved in a Brainspotting session.
7. A live demonstration of Brainspotting.
8. Questions and answers

 Objectives

• Understand the core components of Brainspotting including how to apply Brainspotting to Trauma, Dissociation, Anxiety, Performance Anxiety, Somatic Conditions, Addiction and Self Loathing.
•  Learn the theories and practice of Brainspotting through a live demonstration.
•  To clearly be able to explain why talk therapy is so effective for some conditions, but so notoriously ineffective for treating PTSD and unresolved trauma.
•  Understand the neuroscience that allows Brainspotting to resolve long-standing trauma symptoms.
•  List the core symptoms of undischarged trauma in the body.

About the Presenter

Lisa Larson has been a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for the past twenty years. In 2005, Lisa experienced a traumatic event that transformed the course of her life as well as her therapeutic orientation. Lisa and her teenage son both flatlined three weeks apart from anaphylactic shock. They had unrelated allergic reactions and although both fully recovered. Lisa was traumatized and developed a classic case of PTSD. No amount of talk therapy worked but after only two sessions of EMDR she was back to being herself.

 Lisa was inspired. She was trained by the founder of EMDR and trained with the creator of Brainspotting, Dr. David Grand. She immediately recognized the powerful neurophysiological healing access Brainspotting taps into as she saw her severely traumatized clients heal quickly and permanently. She learned that her years as a talk therapist were missing the most crucial piece required to heal those with trauma- the body and the primitive regions of the brain. Those with complex trauma and PTSD are enslaved by their own neurophysiology. True healing requires releasing the individual from the trapped body-brain memories that trigger chronic fight/ flight or numb/ freeze responses. 

Lisa was determined to do something about the unnecessary suffering of the traumatized. She opened Pacific Counseling and Trauma Center in 2012 and became a Brainspotting Trainer to teach other therapists how to bring lasting relief to their traumatized clients. She is passionate about teaching Brainspotting so clinicians can offer their clients permanent freedom from the devastating impact of trauma.

Inland Empire Chapter of CAMFT is a CAMFT Approved CEU Provider Agency  Provider # 62278

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