Clinicians often ask me about the differences between Brainspotting and EMDR. I hope you find this chart helpful and I welcome your input.
As an Approved Brainspotting Consultant and training assistant, I have the privilege of certifying other therapists in Brainspotting. Brainspotting training is offered through Dr. David Grand’s website www.brainspotting.com. Attendees are encouraged to begin using Brainspotting after they complete the first three-day training (Phase 1). Certification requires attending Phase 1 and Phase 2 trainings and six consulting sessions.
If you are interested in getting trained in EMDR, I did my initial training with the EMDR Institute https://www.emdr.com/ which teaches the Standard EMDR protocol. I completed the certification process over the following year. Next, I attended Laurel Parnell’s Attachment Focused EMDR training and became an approved Attachment Focused EMDR provider. Parnell’s training was more aligned with my theoretical orientation, and I found her streamlined protocol easier to use than the standard EMDR protocol. You can learn more about her trainings at https://drlaurelparnell.com/training/
Whichever path you choose, I recommend investing in consultation. These are both powerful, trauma modalities and you will benefit from building a strong foundation in your skills.
If you are trying to decide which training to take, do your homework. Read about each modality and see what resonates with your theoretical orientation; talk with your colleagues. If you are an over achiever like I am, you might decide you want to learn both. My website, mariagray.net offers links to EMDR and Brainspotting resources. The comparison chart on the last page may help you with your decision. I hope this article helps explain some of the difference between these two powerful, healing modalities. Feel free to reach out to me through my website with any feedback or questions you may have.
