DEEP BRAIN REORIENTING
Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR) Therapy in Toronto, Thornhill, and Virtually Across Ontario
Sometimes a difficult experience can bring up a reaction before you have time to make sense of what is happening. You may notice tension, a sudden jolt, feeling frozen, or an emotion that seems to arrive very quickly.
Deep Brain Reorienting, or DBR, is a trauma therapy approach that pays close attention to some of these early responses. Rather than beginning with a detailed retelling of what happened, we slow things down and notice what happens as you briefly bring one part of a difficult experience to mind.
You do not need to know whether DBR is the right approach before starting therapy. We can first understand what has been happening for you and decide together whether it may be useful.
In-person DBR therapy in Toronto and Thornhill • Virtual DBR therapy across Ontario
What Is Deep Brain Reorienting?
Deep Brain Reorienting was developed by psychiatrist Dr. Frank Corrigan as an approach for working with trauma and difficult experiences.
DBR pays attention to what can happen in the first moments of a reaction. Before the full emotion arrives, you may notice a small shift in attention or tension, followed by a sense of shock or impact and then emotions such as fear, anger, or grief.
In DBR, we slow this sequence down enough to notice what is happening without trying to make anything happen.
The Focus Is Not on Telling the Whole Story
We may focus on one important moment from an experience rather than going through everything that happened. Much of the work involves noticing what happens as we focus on that moment, rather than describing every detail.
What Are We Paying Attention to in DBR?
Before a strong emotional response, you may notice a subtle shift in attention or tension. In DBR, this is called orienting tension.
Orienting
DBR is structured, but the session does not need to feel technical. I will guide you through what we are paying attention to and give you time to notice what is happening.
Shock
Sometimes there is a brief sense of impact or shock before the emotion fully arrives. We slow down and notice what happens rather than rushing past it.
Emotion & Response
Fear, anger, grief, an urge to move away, or another response may come afterwards. We continue to follow what is actually happening for you rather than expecting a particular reaction.
This can look different from person to person. You do not need to identify each part perfectly.
What Can a DBR Session Look Like?
A DBR session can be fairly quiet. We begin by helping you stay connected to the present before briefly bringing one part of a difficult experience to mind. Rather than going through the whole memory, we may focus on one important moment and slowly notice what happens next.
I may ask what you notice physically, whether anything changes, or what seems to happen next. There is no particular sensation or response you are expected to have.
If something begins to feel like too much, we can slow down, pause, or spend more time getting grounded.
When Might DBR Be Considered?
DBR may be considered when a difficult or traumatic experience still brings up reactions that feel sudden, intense, or difficult to put into words. It may be one option when your response seems to happen before you have had time to make sense of it.
Difficult or traumatic memories
Reactions that seem to happen very quickly
Experiences involving shock or fear
Difficult experiences in important relationships
Feeling frozen or shut down around certain reminders
Strong emotional or physical reactions to reminders
Memories connected with loss, rejection, or betrayal
Experiences that are difficult to talk through in detail
Having one of these experiences does not mean DBR is automatically the right approach. We can understand what has been happening and decide together whether DBR, another approach, or a combination would be useful.
DBR & EMDR
How Is DBR Different From EMDR?
Both DBR and EMDR can be used when difficult past experiences continue to affect you, but they approach the work differently.
DBR
DBR pays close attention to early responses such as orienting tension and shock. The work often involves slowing down and noticing what happens as those responses unfold.
EMDR follows an eight-phase model and, during processing, uses bilateral stimulation such as guided eye movements while working with aspects of a difficult experience.
EMDR
Neither approach is automatically a better fit. Which one we use can depend on what you are experiencing, what feels manageable, and what seems most useful for the work we are doing.
Deep Brain Reorienting FAQs
READY WHEN YOU ARE
Wondering Whether DBR Might Be a Good Fit?
You do not need to know whether DBR is the right approach before reaching out. A free 15-minute consultation gives us a chance to talk briefly about what you are looking for, answer any questions you have, and see whether working together feels like a good fit.
In-person DBR therapy in Toronto and Thornhill • Virtual therapy across Ontario