What It Is:

Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR) is a newer, body-based trauma therapy developed by Dr. Frank Corrigan. It’s designed to access and release the earliest, pre-verbal components of trauma — the deep brain responses that get locked into the body when we experience overwhelming events.

Unlike traditional talk therapies, DBR works with subtle physical and emotional sensations to help the nervous system safely process trauma at its source — without needing to revisit the full story.

What It Can Help With:

• PTSD and complex trauma

• Developmental and attachment trauma

• Dissociation and emotional shutdown

• Chronic anxiety or somatic tension

How It Works:

DBR guides you through three phases:

1. Orienting – noticing subtle physical sensations in the face, head, and neck as your body prepares to respond to perceived threat

2. Shock – gently accessing the pre-emotional “shock” response that often underlies trauma

3. Emotion – allowing stored emotional responses to rise and be processed safely, often resulting in a deep sense of release

It’s a quiet, client-led process — no pushing or reliving trauma. Just small, slow steps that allow the brain and body to reconnect and heal.

Why It Works:

A 2023 randomized controlled trial found that just 8 online DBR sessions led to a 36.6% reduction in PTSD symptoms — and nearly half of participants no longer met the criteria for PTSD at the 3-month follow-up. It’s a promising approach for anyone looking for a gentle, deeply somatic method for trauma healing.