D.I.Y. Bilateral Stimulation

D.I.Y Bilateral Stimulation

WHAT IS BILATERAL STIMULATION?

·       Bilateral stimulation is a rhythmic side to side pattern of stimulation that can be visual, auditory, or tactile.  

·       Slow BLS can be used to reinforce, absorb, and savor whatever positive feelings/sensations are arising from a particular moment (either in your day-to-day OR during a visualization, relaxation or mindfulness exercise).  Imagine slow BLS is like a protein shake you drink after a hard workout to help the muscles you just worked out grow even stronger.  The slow BLS helps the brain’s muscle memory grow so that it can access that feeling state more easily in the future.

·       Fast BLS, on the other hand, activates the brain so it can process old memories/content at an accelerated rate.  This form of BLS is to be used only under the supervision of a therapist as it can lead you to experience difficult/distressing feelings.

HOW DO I USE IT OUTSIDE OF THERAPY?

·       The best ways to do slow BLS by yourself can be what is called “tapping.”  This can take the form of “butterfly tapping” (figure on the left), or tapping on your legs (figure on the right).  Try both to see which feels best. 

·       For the “butterfly taps,” it can be helpful to hook your thumbs together so that they rest on the middle of the upper chest (which is a well-known pressure point).  

·       Begin slowly tapping whenever you notice yourself accessing a positive feeling state, either during a guided exercise, or just during moments of your day.  Example: you are sitting in your back yard and notice yourself feeling completely present and at peace.  As you notice this feeling of peace and presence, you take a moment to “tap it in” in order to savor and reinforce the feeling-state.