Logan, Utah—Therapists at Logan River Academy (LRA) have been applying their recent training in brainspotting with great success. This training has allowed LRA therapists to approach Trauma Therapy from a different perspective and take the best of both worlds of talk therapy and EMDR. It has allowed therapists at LRA to be more attuned to their students’ needs and given therapists another tool to help adolescents on the path to healing. 

In simple terms, brainspotting is based on the principle that where you look affects how you feel. Brainspotting locates points in a person’s visual field that helps to access unprocessed trauma in a specific area (the subcortical area) of the brain. “It offers a much less-intimidating way to help adolescents process trauma than EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing), and it doesn’t come with some of the scary stuff from exposure therapy and reality therapy,” says LRA’s clinical director Mike Bodrero. He explains that this is because brainspotting is more verbal and incorporates the relationship aspect much better than EMDR. EMDR can be effective for students who are more reserved and closed off but, for those that respond well to more relationship-based forms of therapy, brainspotting is a great tool. He goes on, “It is really nice to have both tools at our disposal to match the best modality to each specific student.” 

After the training, Mike and LRA therapistnJosh Barson tried brainspotting techniques on each other. While applying brainspotting techniques and moving through Josh’s field of vision, Mike noticed subtle shifts in his demeanor or affect. Mike found spots where Josh started to breathe heavier, tense up, and was noticeably uncomfortable. As he continued to move through Josh’s field of vision, he found other spots where Josh appeared more comfortable and at ease. By utilizing these “brain spots,” they could more easily access traumatic experiences from the past and process them in an effective, systematic way.  

“It has helped our therapists become really attuned to their students. This attunement has helped therapists understand out students and has helped drive further progress and improvement in their treatment,” says Mike.  Even when not deliberately using brainspotting, the training has enhanced LRA therapists’ ability to notice subtle signs when someone’s body reacts to certain stimuli. This has carried over into other aspects of treatment and has dramatically enhanced treatment efficacy. Their commitment to continual professional development helps set LRA apart as a premier adolescent treatment program. They are excited to see this tool to help thousands more teens in the years to come.

About Logan River Academy

Established in 2000, Logan River Academy (LRA)  has over 21 years of experience providing high-end therapeutic care for adolescents and young adults. Our goal is to help each student develop the necessary skills to live successful and fulfilling lives. We provide a sophisticated approach tailored to each students’ individual needs. Through the concerted efforts of the family, the treatment team, and an individualized treatment plan, we help our students down the path of developing lifelong healthy habits that will lead to their success and prosperity. For more information, call (435) 755-8400 or visit our website at Loganriver.com.