What is Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR)?

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For me, 2023 was all about learning and practicing Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR). I first heard about this trauma treatment from D. Michael Coy, a consultant on the Multidimensional Inventory of Dissociation (MID). Developed by Scottish psychiatrist Dr. Frank Corrigan, DBR is a gentler way to work with trauma.

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Using a bottom-up approach, DBR helps process trauma deeply while keeping you anchored in your body through orienting tension—felt in the forehead, around the eyes, and/or the back of the neck. It’s a great standalone option or a complement to EMDR therapy, which is more top-down processing. We can decide together what approach (or combination) works best for you.

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What a DBR Session Looks Like

I’d check in with you to see if you’re up for processing that day, and if so, we’d focus on a present or recent situation—specifically, the activating moment. We’d work on identifying orienting tension linked to that moment, clear any shock response, and allow the natural processing to unfold—through emotions, memories, sensations, and more. Over time, you may start to notice a shift in perspective about yourself and your experiences.

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My Background in DBR

I’ve completed:

Level 1: An Introduction to Deep Brain Reorienting
Level 2: DBR for Attachment Shock and Wounding
DBR-AT: Body-Based Somatic Interweaves (co-taught by Dr. Frank Corrigan and Martin Warner)

 

I'm signed up for:

Alexander Technique with Martin Warner April 2025
Level 3: DBR for Dissociative and Other Complex Trauma Disorders May 2025

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Resources:

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History of DBR (link)

DBR Handout - created by Natalia Ranson