Bilateral stimulation.

Jun 27

Bilateral stimulation.

What is bilateral stimulation?

It is a technique engaging both the left and right side of the brain and body to create a sense of wholeness and calm. Let’s say, for example, you tap your right foot and then your left foot and you continue tapping back and forth in a rhythmic pattern. This activates the right side of your brain and body and then shifts over to the left and back again.

Bilateral stimulation helps to integrate information from the brains two hemispheres (left and right) and supports the brain in processing distressing experiences and feelings. It also creates a sense of grounding within the whole body by alternating tapping on the left and right sides of the body.

Psychologist Francine Shapiro first discovered this phenomena while walking in a park and reflecting on a distressing experience when suddenly she noticed the intensity of emotion had diminished. Upon further reflection she realized her eye movements had perhaps impacted her processing of the distressing memory. Shapiro experimented further and found that this process (now called bilateral stimulation) significantly reduced the emotional distress associated with traumatic or negative experiences and helped create more distance between herself and the distressing thoughts/emotions.

I use this resource often with clients in session, but using bilateral stimulation on your own can also provide a lot of benefits.

Like what?

helps calm anxious thoughts and feelings by decreasing physiological arousal
supports emotion regulation by creating a bridge between the emotional and logical sides of your brain
increases attentional flexibility (meaning it is easier to move through processing without getting stuck in a thought loop or feeling emotionally overwhelmed)
creates distance between self and the distressing thought/feeling
increases resiliency and capacity to manage stress by strengthening the connections that cultivate adaptability
creates sensation of grounding in body

“These effects are experienced as a ‘bottom-up’ cascade of changes meaning that they are experienced in the lower areas of the brain first, as a physiological response (ie; decreased tension) then travel ‘up’ the brain leading to mental changes (eg; decreased worry). Because this order works with how the brain normally processes information, the effects are often experienced more quickly and easily than with say top-down strategies such as insight and conscious introspection.” (https://anxietyreleaseapp.com/what-is-bilateral-stimulation/)

Somatic practices and most trauma-informed approaches address client issues from this “bottom up” approach. By doing it this way the client is able to feel more grounded, stable, and secure before moving on to address issues from a cognitive approach. What all of this means is we want to help our bodies feel safe and grounded first and then we can begin to make sense of our stories and experiences.

With clients I have them use headphones and listen to Biolateral Sound Healing by David Grand or bilateral tappers where clients hold small paddles in their hands and the paddles vibrate in an alternating pattern.

Other ways to create bilateral stimulation: