An Overview of Deep Brain Reorienting

## **How DBR differs from other trauma therapies** Deep brain reorienting offers a distinct approach to trauma that sets it apart from established modalities like trauma psychotherapy and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). While most chronic trauma therapies aim to process traumatic memories and reduce symptoms, DBR uses a unique neurobiological methodology that may suit certain clients particularly well. - **Subcortical focus**: DBR targets subcortical brain structures that generate orienting responses to threat. Unlike therapies that work primarily with cortical processes, DBR engages the deeper regions responsible for automatic responses. - **Physiological sequence**: Instead of starting with emotions, DBR begins with the specific physiological sequence activated during trauma. Therapists guide clients to track physical sensations in order—starting with orienting tension—before emotional responses arise. - **Orienting tension**: DBR focuses on the orienting tension that arises in response to trauma, especially in the neck, head, and upper back. This tension, rooted in deep brain structures, serves as a core access point for processing. - **Pre-emotional processing**: While a DBR treatment addresses emotions directly, DBR works with the pre-emotional phase. By focusing on what happens before emotional overwhelm, DBR enables safer trauma processing for clients.

## **Benefits of DBR for trauma recovery** DBR provides several meaningful advantages that make it a valuable addition to trauma recovery. ### **Reduced emotional overwhelm** DBR helps mental health professionals assess clients' unresolved trauma without diving into overwhelming emotions. By focusing on orienting tension instead of emotional content, therapists help clients build the capacity to handle difficult material more safely. ### **Enhanced body awareness and interoception** Clients who regularly practice DBR techniques tend to develop sharper body awareness and interoceptive skills—the ability to detect internal body states. This awareness improves emotional regulation and supports early recognition of trauma responses. ### **Improved emotional regulation** By targeting the brain’s subcortical threat-response systems, DBR enhances emotional regulation. Clients often experience broader emotional balance, not only in response to trauma but in everyday life and relationships.

## **Who can benefit from DBR?** Understanding which clients might be most responsive to DBR can help inform appropriate referrals and treatment planning. - **Individuals with PTSD**: People diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder often experience significant improvement with DBR therapy. The approach directly addresses the neurobiological underpinnings of PTSD symptoms, including hyperarousal, intrusive memories, and avoidance behaviors. - **Survivors of childhood trauma**: DBR is particularly well-suited for addressing early developmental trauma and attachment wounding. The therapy's focus on physiological responses rather than narrative recall makes it accessible for processing preverbal or early childhood experiences that may be stored primarily in the body rather than in explicit memory. - **Individuals with somatic symptoms**: Clients who experience their trauma primarily through physical sensations or somatic symptoms may find DBR particularly helpful. The therapy's emphasis on tracking physical sensations and physiological sequences aligns well with the experience of somatically oriented clients.

## **Case studies and research** Researchers continue to explore DBR's effectiveness, with early studies suggesting promising clinical outcomes. ### **Neurobiological foundations of DBR** Corrigan and Christie-Sands (2020) laid the theoretical groundwork for DBR by exploring how interpersonal trauma impacts innate brainstem systems. They described how trauma activates persistent patterns in subcortical regions, influencing emotional and relational responses. Their model identified two types of shock: pre-affective shock (triggered by the SC and locus coeruleus) and affective shock (linked to over-activation of the PAG). These distinctions justify DBR's focus on orienting tension before emotional activation. While compelling, the study offered theoretical insight rather than experimental data. ### **Randomized controlled trial of DBR** Kearney and colleagues (2023) conducted a randomized controlled trial comparing eight DBR sessions (delivered via videoconference) with a waitlist control group. The 29 participants who received DBR showed significant improvements in PTSD symptoms across all domains—including re-experiencing, avoidance, mood alterations, and hyperarousal—compared to the 25-person control group. These results suggest DBR works broadly across the PTSD spectrum. ### **Treatment of dissociative identity disorder (DID)** In two single-case studies by Gerge (2025), after around 30 sessions of DBR therapy, they found that there was a decrease in the clients' dissociative and other associated symptoms. This link is worth noting, and the researcher advised further research to establish generalizability.

## **Conclusion** Deep brain reorienting represents a powerful evolution in trauma therapy. By working directly with subcortical structures and guiding clients through the physiological sequences that encode trauma, DBR addresses experiences at their neurobiological roots. For clinicians looking to treat complex trauma, somatic symptoms, or early developmental wounds, DBR offers a unique, evidence-informed pathway. As research expands, this therapy may continue to prove essential for clients who have not responded to traditional approaches.

## **References** Corrigan, F. M., & Christie-Sands, J. (2020). An innate brainstem self-other system involving orienting, affective responding, and polyvalent relational seeking: Some clinical implications for a "Deep Brain Reorienting" trauma psychotherapy approach. Medical Hypotheses, 136, 109502. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mehy.2019.109502 Deep Brain Reorienting. (2022, April 7). Dr. Frank Corrigan MD, FRC Psych. https://deepbrainreorienting.com/frank-corrigan/ Gerge, A. (2025). The utilisation of deep brain reorienting (DBR) in the treatment of two clients with dissociative identity disorder (DID). European Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 9(3), 100579. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejtd.2025.100579 Kearney, B. E., Corrigan, F. M., Frewen, P. A., Nevill, S., Harricharan, S., Andrews, K., Jetly, R., McKinnon, M. C., & Lanius, R. A. (2023). A randomized controlled trial of deep brain reorienting: A neuroscientifically guided treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 14(2), 2240691. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008066.2023.2240691