EMDR & Bilateral Stimulation: Why is it Effective?

Have you ever felt anxious and found yourself pacing, walking, or tapping your feet without intending to? Do you feel better after going for a walk when you are stressed? You may have been intuitively practicing what we call bilateral stimulation, a valuable therapeutic tool used in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (better known as EMDR). 

EMDR is a somatic therapy that allows you to gradually create distance between painful memories or triggering thoughts, and the ways your body might react to them. It allows you to hold memories in your mind without experiencing the flooding of emotions or the sensation of being triggered. But how does it work and how can you integrate these strategies into your life outside of your therapy sessions?

There are many lessons we can learn from EMDR, and the primary reason for its effectiveness; bilateral stimulation. This is a process of rhythmic stimulation that alternates between both sides of the body. There are four kinds of bilateral stimulation; 

1. Eye movement (shifting the gaze back and forth) 

2. Tactile stimulation (tapping or buzzing sensations on alternating parts of the body)

3. Auditory stimulation (sounds alternating from ear to ear), and 

4. Body movement (walking, running, swimming, dancing)

Part of the reason why bilateral stimulation is so effective is that it helps to inhibit the amygdala, which is the part of the brain responsible for fear or the fight or flight response. Bilateral tapping or shifting the eyes back and forth helps to suppress this response, decreasing the physiological arousal that is often associated with traumatic or painful memories. 

During a typical EMDR session, we might use a combination of these approaches, especially eye movement and buzzing or tapping. The stimulation is combined with exploring distressing memories or thoughts, giving the body the opportunity to work through the memory as well and create some distance from it. 

We also use bilateral stimulation when exploring pleasant or peaceful memories, to strengthen the connection between these memories and the body, and create a deeper sense of wellbeing that you can return to when you might be feeling triggered or emotionally flooded. 

Bilateral Stimulation at Home

One of the accessible stimulation tools we can use every day, in therapy and on our own time, is tapping. The key with tapping is to find a comfortable rhythm and a comfortable position to sit or lie in. Tapping alternating sides of the body while invoking a peaceful imagery, or a pleasant memory can help ground yourself in your body and in your sensations. If you invoke a painful memory while tapping, you may be able to feel more connected to your body, or recall the safety you felt while tapping and thinking about a pleasant experience. 

Here is a 5 minute bilateral tapping exercise you can do at home, guided by New Pathways founder Rachael Frankford:

Another helpful tool is walking. Walking is a natural way to benefit from bilateral stimulation, as the legs and arms rhythmically move back and forth, and the eyes often shift from left to right as you take in your surroundings. This can help us reduce stress, process difficult emotions, and solve problems by suppressing the amygdala’s response; thinking more clearly and feeling more relaxed in the body.

Making Peace with the Past and Feeling Positive about the Future with EMDR

Bilateral stimulation is a valuable tool to feel more at peace with the past, and develop positive associations for the future. Doing EMDR with a therapist can be hugely supportive for trauma, anxiety, and PTSD. But one of the great benefits of bilateral stimulation is that it is an accessible tool you can safely incorporate into your life outside of therapy as well. You may be surprised to learn that you already employ several strategies of bilateral stimulation, for example, tapping your feet when you are feeling anxious, or benefitting from the mental processing work that walking naturally provides. 

As EMDR therapists, we work on developing transformative tools for your mental health. We strive to create new pathways for painful memories, and help you feel hopeful about the future. If you would like to learn more about EMDR, you can visit our website, and if you are looking for an EMDR therapist near you, feel free to request a consultation with our highly skilled team. 

At Home Guided Bilateral Stimulation

Listen to this 5 minute guided exercise, guided by New Pathways founder, Rachael Frankford: