What is Deep brain reorienting (DBR) Therapy? A Gentle, Nervous System-Informed Approach to Healing Trauma
You've done the work.
You've read the books.
You've tried to understand yourself.
Maybe you've spent years in therapy. You've reflected on your childhood, learned about attachment, developed insight into your patterns, and gained a deeper understanding of why you respond the way you do.
And yet…
You still overthink conversations long after they're over.
You still find yourself saying yes when you mean no.
You still feel overwhelmed by things that seem easier for other people.
You still notice your body reacting before you've had time to think.
Perhaps you're an ADHD or autistic adult who has spent years masking, adapting, and trying to keep up in environments that weren't designed with your nervous system in mind.
Or maybe you've found yourself wondering:
"If I understand why I do this, why does it still feel so hard?"
If this sounds familiar, you're not doing therapy wrong.
Insight matters.
Understanding yourself matters.
But sometimes healing requires working with more than thoughts and beliefs. Sometimes it requires working with the deeper protective responses held by the brain and body.
This is where Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR) offers a different approach.
What Is Deep Brain Reorienting?
Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR) is an evidence-informed trauma therapy developed by psychiatrist Dr. Frank Corrigan.
DBR is based on research into how the brain and nervous system respond during moments of threat, shock, or overwhelming experiences.
When something distressing happens, our body responds almost instantly.
Our attention shifts.
Our muscles prepare.
Our breathing changes.
Our nervous system organizes itself around protection. These responses are not failures. They are intelligent survival responses.
Sometimes those responses settle naturally after the experience has passed. Sometimes they remain unfinished. When this happens, people may continue experiencing anxiety, hypervigilance, emotional overwhelm, shame, or patterns of self-protection long after the original circumstances have changed.
Deep Brain Reorienting is designed to gently work with these early protective responses, helping the brain and body process experiences that may not have fully resolved. Many people experience DBR as a way of creating more choice, flexibility, and ease in how they respond to life.
Why Insight Isn't Always Enough
One of the most common things I hear is:
"I know where this comes from."
And often, people do. Many of my clients are deeply insightful. They understand their histories, their patterns, and the experiences that shaped them. Understanding ourselves can bring compassion. But insight alone does not always change our automatic responses.
You might know your current relationship is safe and still feel activated during conflict. You might know you are capable and still feel overwhelmed when facing a new challenge. You might know you are allowed to rest and still feel guilty when you slow down.
These responses aren't signs that you haven't tried hard enough. Often, they are signs that your brain and body learned important protective strategies that once served a purpose. DBR works alongside insight by helping you connect with these deeper protective responses in a different way.
Trauma Isn't Always One Big Event
When people hear the word trauma, they often imagine a single overwhelming event. Sometimes trauma does involve something clearly identifiable - a frightening experience, a major loss, an accident, abuse, or another event that exceeded what someone could cope with at the time.
But trauma isn't only about what happened. It's also about how our nervous system experienced what happened.Many people carry the cumulative impact of repeated experiences that overwhelmed their nervous system over time.
Growing up feeling unseen.
Walking on eggshells.
Repeated criticism.
Feeling responsible for other people's emotions.
Being misunderstood.
Learning to hide parts of yourself to fit in.
Living with chronic stress or unpredictability.
Having your needs dismissed or overlooked.
For many neurodivergent adults, years of masking, burnout, rejection, or feeling like they were "too much" or "not enough" can also leave a lasting impact.
Sometimes there isn't one moment you can point to and say, "That's the thing that caused this." Sometimes it's the accumulation of many moments. The nervous system remembers patterns. Healing isn't about deciding whether your experiences were "bad enough" to count. It's about understanding how your brain and body adapted to help you survive—and creating the possibility for something different now.
What Is a Deep Brain Reorienting Therapy Session Like?
A common concern people have before starting DBR is:
"Will I have to relive my trauma?"
No.
The goal of DBR is not to force you to revisit painful experiences or retell every detail of your history. Instead, DBR is a gentle, paced process that involves noticing subtle experiences in the present moment. This may include:
sensations in the body
shifts in breathing
emotions that arise
changes in attention
moments of tension or ease
Small changes can provide important information.
The process is collaborative, and we move at a pace that respects your capacity and sense of safety.Healing is not about pushing harder. It is about creating the conditions where something different becomes possible.
Who Is Deep Brain Reorienting Therapy For?
DBR may be helpful for adults experiencing:
anxiety
chronic stress
burnout
complex trauma
shame
hypervigilance
people-pleasing
emotional overwhelm
attachment-related struggles
the lasting impact of difficult experiences
DBR can also be a supportive approach for many neurodivergent adults who have experienced years of masking, misunderstanding, rejection, or chronic overwhelm. DBR is not a treatment for ADHD or autism themselves. Rather, it may help process painful experiences that often accompany living in environments where your needs, differences, or ways of being have not always been understood or supported.
Deep Brain Reorienting vs Brainspotting
Both DBR and Brainspotting are body-based trauma therapies that recognize the importance of working beyond thoughts and talking. There are similarities between the approaches, but they are also different.
Brainspotting often uses eye positions to access and process experiences held in the nervous system.
DBR focuses specifically on the earliest moments of threat response and the protective responses that occur before conscious processing.
Some clients benefit from one approach more than the other. Some benefit from integrating both. The best fit depends on your history, goals, and what feels supportive for your nervous system. I offer both.
Is Deep Brain Reorienting Evidence-Based?
DBR is a newer therapeutic approach, and research is still developing. Current understanding of DBR is informed by neuroscience, trauma research, and clinical practice. As with any therapy approach, outcomes depend on many factors, including the therapeutic relationship, your goals, readiness, and the context of your experiences.
I approach DBR with curiosity, compassion, and respect for both the emerging research and the lived experiences of clients.
Frequently Asked Questions About DBR
Do I need to remember my trauma for DBR?
No.
Many people have experiences that shaped them without having a clear memory of every detail.
DBR does not require you to have a complete story of what happened.
Is DBR like EMDR?
DBR and EMDR are both trauma therapies that work with the brain and body, but they use different processes.
A consultation can help determine which approach may fit your needs.
How many DBR sessions do people need?
The number of sessions varies depending on your goals, history, and what you are hoping to work through.
Some people choose focused DBR work, while others integrate DBR into longer-term therapy.
Is DBR safe?
DBR is designed to be a gentle, paced approach.
A key part of the process is respecting your capacity and ensuring that we do not move faster than your nervous system can manage.
Deep Brain Reorienting Therapy Online Across Canada
Deep Brain Reorienting is still a relatively new therapy approach, and finding a trained DBR therapist can sometimes be challenging.
I offer online Deep Brain Reorienting therapy for adults across Canada, including clients in Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and PEI.
Based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, my work integrates DBR with over 20 years of counselling, trauma therapy, supervision, and training experience.
My approach is neuroaffirming, somatic, and grounded in the belief that your responses make sense in the context of what you have experienced.
Exploring Whether DBR Is Right for You
Healing is not about becoming a different person.
It is about creating enough safety and support that the parts of you that have been working hard to protect you no longer have to carry everything alone.
If you're curious about whether Deep Brain Reorienting might be a good fit, I would be happy to explore that with you.
Learn more about Deep Brain Reorienting therapy or reach out to schedule a consultation.
About Shari Lee Block
Shari Lee Block is a nature-led somatic psychotherapist and nervous system practitioner with over 20 years of experience in counselling, supervision, consultation, and training. She supports neurodivergent adults, including those navigating ADHD, autistic burnout, anxiety, perfectionism, and trauma. Her work integrates evidence-based psychology with body-based approaches, including Brainspotting and Deep Brain Reorienting, to help clients move from survival patterns toward greater safety, connection, and relief.
