How Brainspotting Can Help You Prepare for Birth

Pregnancy is often described as a joyful, exciting time—but for many women, it can also stir up anxiety, fear, apprehension, or memories they weren’t expecting to revisit. If you’ve experienced trauma in the past—whether it was a difficult birth, medical procedures, or even something from childhood—those emotions can resurface during pregnancy, especially as you start thinking about labor and delivery.

This is more common than people talk about. You’re not broken for feeling overwhelmed, and you’re not alone in this. As a pregnancy therapist offering birth trauma therapy and online therapy for trauma, I work with clients who want to feel more grounded, empowered, and emotionally prepared for birth—and brainspotting is one of the most effective tools I use to get there.

Trauma Can Resurface During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a major transition, and big life changes tend to activate old wounds—especially if they involve your body, your sense of safety, or your identity. For some people, that might look like lingering anxiety from a past miscarriage or birth trauma. For others, it’s unresolved experiences from childhood, relationships, or a medical trauma that suddenly feels very present again as you plunge back into the medical system as a result of just being pregnant.

You might notice yourself feeling unusually tense, reactive, or even disconnected during pregnancy. Maybe certain words, images, or conversations bring up panic or discomfort. These can be signs that your nervous system is trying to protect you—even when you logically know you’re safe. That’s where pregnancy therapy and brainspotting can make a big difference.

What Is Brainspotting?

Brainspotting is a type of trauma therapy that helps the brain and body process stuck emotions—without needing to talk through every detail of what happened. It works by identifying a specific “brainspot” connected to a painful experience, using eye position, and then allowing your brain and nervous system to do the healing work from there. More about what this looks like below.

It’s a powerful yet gentle method that supports deep emotional processing, often without words. Unlike traditional talk therapy, brainspotting allows you to feel and release what’s stored in the body, even if you can’t explain it all.

The best part? Brainspotting works incredibly well online, so you can do sessions from the comfort and privacy of your own home—especially helpful when you’re pregnant and trying to minimize stress.

Why Brainspotting Works So Well During Pregnancy

Pregnancy can be a vulnerable time, and brainspotting helps create space for healing without overwhelming your nervous system. Many of my clients come to pregnancy therapy because they’re feeling fear about the birth experience (either because it’s their first time or from a difficult birth in the past), struggling with a sense of control, or noticing old trauma showing up in new ways.

Brainspotting can help with:

     • Reducing fear around childbirth or medical settings

     • Processing past trauma without having to “re-live” it

     • Calming anxiety or intrusive thoughts

     • Supporting nervous system regulation (which can also help with sleep, digestion, and mood)

     • Strengthening your connection with your body—and your baby

Because the brain does so much of the processing behind the scenes, this work tends to be especially helpful when trauma feels hard to put into words. Some clients feel a noticeable shift after just a few sessions. Others use brainspotting throughout their pregnancy as part of their emotional self-care.

What a Brainspotting Session Looks Like Online

During an online brainspotting session, we’ll start with grounding and checking in on what you’d like support with. From there, we’ll identify a “brainspot” using eye position—don’t worry, I’ll guide you through it—and then we let your brain and body do the work. Check out my Instagram post about what this looks like here.  

You’re fully in control the whole time. You don’t need to go into details or explain everything. I’ll hold space for whatever comes up and support you throughout the process.

Sometimes clients can feel especially vulnerable during pregnancy and are nervous about brainspotting due to the sensations they may feel during the session and how this affects the baby. I do not encourage anyone to “push through” if they feel uncomfortable. However, there are many therapists using brainspotting with their pregnant clients, and the fact that you are regulating your nervous system throughout the process will likely benefit your baby. For clients who feel apprehensive, I gently guide them through a visualization to create a protective space for their baby, helping them feel safe and separate from the emotions coming up. I also encourage clients to talk to their baby, offering reassurance that these sensations aren’t about them and that they are safe and held.

As a pregnancy therapist offering trauma therapy online, my priority is creating a calm, attuned space where you can feel safe to do the work—at your own pace.

Real-Life Examples of How Brainspotting Has Helped Pregnant Clients

Every pregnancy is different, and so is every reason for seeking support. Here are just a few ways brainspotting has helped clients I’ve worked with feel more emotionally prepared for birth:

     •           Processing a previous traumatic birth that involved emergency medical interventions

     •           Working through fear of medical procedures due to past medical trauma

     •           Processing anger after a stillbirth or loss

     •           Addressing childhood trauma that resurfaced in parenting a toddler

     •           Calming panic around body changes or loss of control during pregnancy

     •           Building confidence and finding clarity about upcoming labor and delivery

These are just a few of the many reasons someone might choose to begin pregnancy therapy with a focus on utilizing brainspotting. If something from your own experience is coming up during pregnancy, brainspotting can be a gentle and powerful way to move through it.

You Don’t Have to Carry This Alone

If you’ve noticed that past experiences are showing up during your pregnancy—or if you’re just feeling overwhelmed by the thought of giving birth—you’re not alone. These feelings are valid, and they don’t mean you’re not meant to be a mom. They just mean your nervous system might need some extra support.

Pregnancy therapy can help you feel more grounded, clear, and confident as you prepare for birth—and brainspotting is one of the most effective tools I’ve found for helping clients feel like themselves again.

If you’re curious about trying pregnancy therapy online during pregnancy, I offer free 15-minute consultations so we can see if it feels like a good fit. You don’t have to carry this alone—healing is possible, and support is available. Contact me to see if we’re a good match to work together!