Guide and free tools
What is bilateral stimulation?
Bilateral stimulation is rhythmic left and right input, through the eyes, the ears or touch, that moves your attention from one side of the body to the other and back. It is one part of EMDR therapy, where a trained therapist uses it inside a structured treatment. On its own, a slow left and right rhythm can be used as a simple calming exercise, and the three free tools on this page let you try each kind.
Key facts
- EMDR was first described by Francine Shapiro in a 1989 study of eye movements and traumatic memories. [source]
- The World Health Organization (2013) recommends EMDR, alongside trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy, for PTSD in children, adolescents and adults. [source]
- The American Psychological Association (2017) conditionally recommends EMDR for adults with PTSD. [source]
- A leading explanation for how the eye movements work is that they tax working memory, making a recalled memory less vivid and less intense. [source]
- In laboratory studies, eye movements taxed working memory more than beeps did. [source]
- The butterfly hug, a self-tapping form of bilateral stimulation, was developed by Lucina Artigas in 1998 while working with survivors of Hurricane Pauline in Mexico. [source]
Three free bilateral tools
Each tool starts with a short safety check. All three are free, need no sign-up, and run in your browser.
Bilateral sounds
Alternating left and right tones, chimes, clicks or a soft drum, with headphones. Keeps playing with your screen locked, and you can download a five-minute file.
Open the bilateral soundsEMDR light bar
A moving dot or a light bar that sweeps left and right for your eyes to follow, with an optional tone at each side.
Open the light barButterfly hug
A self-tapping technique with your arms crossed over your chest, step by step, with a pacer to tap along to.
Learn the butterfly hugHow bilateral stimulation is used in EMDR therapy
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured, eight-phase therapy for trauma and distressing memories. Bilateral stimulation is used during the processing phases, while you hold part of a memory in mind, and only after preparation that gives you ways to stay steady.
Eye movements were the original form, described by Francine Shapiro in 1989. Therapists now also use alternating tones and taps, including the butterfly hug, where you tap yourself.
One leading explanation for why it helps is working memory. Following a moving target while holding a memory in mind draws on the same limited mental resources, which can make the memory feel less vivid and less intense. In laboratory studies, eye movements taxed working memory more than beeps did.
Can you use bilateral stimulation on your own?
As a calming exercise, yes. A slow left and right rhythm is a simple way to slow down and focus: before sleep, after a hard day, or on a walk.
What you should not do is use it to work through traumatic memories alone. In EMDR therapy, the rhythm is only one part of the work: preparation, careful pacing and a safe close to each session matter just as much, and a therapist is there if things become overwhelming.
Mahsa Hamedanizadeh, MCP, RCC, has completed EMDRIA-approved EMDR training and offers the full EMDR process in person in Langley or by secure video anywhere in British Columbia, in English or Farsi.
Questions about bilateral stimulation
- Is bilateral stimulation the same as EMDR?
- No. Bilateral stimulation is one element of EMDR therapy. EMDR is a full, eight-phase treatment led by a trained therapist, and the left and right rhythm is used inside it.
- Which type of bilateral stimulation is best?
- In EMDR research, eye movements are the most studied. For calming on your own, use whichever feels comfortable. Sounds suit a walk or closed eyes, the light bar suits sitting at a screen, and the butterfly hug needs nothing at all.
- Is bilateral stimulation safe?
- Used gently for a few minutes to relax, it is a low-key exercise. Stop if you feel dizzy, distressed or numb. If it brings up difficult memories, that is a sign to work with a counsellor rather than continue alone.
- What is the difference between bilateral sounds and binaural beats?
- Bilateral sounds alternate between your left and right ear. Binaural beats play a slightly different steady tone in each ear at the same time, and your brain hears a slow pulse from the difference. They are separate ideas; only alternating left and right input is bilateral stimulation.
- What is bilateral music?
- Music that is panned from one ear to the other so it moves side to side. It applies the same left and right idea to music, and is used for relaxation.
- Is EMDR recommended for PTSD?
- Yes. The World Health Organization's 2013 guidelines recommend EMDR, alongside trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy, for PTSD in children, adolescents and adults. The American Psychological Association's 2017 guideline conditionally recommends it for adults.
Sources
- Shapiro, F. (1989). Efficacy of the eye movement desensitization procedure in the treatment of traumatic memories. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 2(2), 199 to 223.
- World Health Organization (2013). Guidelines for the management of conditions specifically related to stress.
- American Psychological Association (2017). Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of PTSD: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.
- van den Hout, M. A., and Engelhard, I. M. (2012). How does EMDR work? Journal of Experimental Psychopathology, 3(5), 724 to 738.
- van den Hout, M. A., and colleagues (2011). EMDR: Eye movements superior to beeps in taxing working memory and reducing vividness of recollections. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 49(2), 92 to 98.
- Jarero, I., and Artigas, L. (2020). The EMDR therapy butterfly hug method for self-administered bilateral stimulation. Iberoamerican Journal of Psychotraumatology and Dissociation, 11(1).
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