I wanted to introduce bilateral stimulation as a coping mechanism that you can really use anywhere. An article by www.livemindfullypsychotherapy.com seemed to explain it best. In simple terms, bilateral stimulation is rhythmic, alternating stimulation of the left and right sides of your body and brain. This simple technique has profound effects on your wellbeing and in calming your nervous system. This is also why you almost always feel better after a walk, sometimes coming up with solutions or having a feeling of clearing your mind.
One doesn’t need a therapy appointment to experience the benefits of bilateral stimulation. Here are a couple simple techniques to get you started that you can do at home, work or school that can help bring calm before a test, a difficult conversation or just about any situation that causes anxiety.
-The Butterfly Hug was developed by therapist Luncina Artigas during her work with hurricane survivors in 1998. Simply cross your arms over your chest, placing your right hand on your left shoulder and left hand on your right shoulder. Then gently tap your shoulders in an alternating pattern for 1-2 minutes while focusing on your breath.
-Alternating Foot Taps combine bilateral stimulation with grounding, helping you feel more connected to the present moment. Simply tap your left and right feet on the ground in an alternating rhythm.
-Alternating Hand Taps are even less noticeable as you place your hands on your thighs and tap left-right-left-right in a steady rhythm while focusing on your breath. No one would know you are doing this for a minute or two before taking a test or in a gathering that may be overwhelming for you.
-Bilateral Drawing engages your creative mind while stimulating both brain hemispheres. With a crayon or marker in each hand, draw symmetrical patterns simultaneously using easy shapes like circles or figure eights.
-Auditory Alternating Tones are for those who prefer a sound based approach. YouTube offers alternating tones to listen to with headphones.
For a more thorough dive into bilateral stimulation, you can read the whole article here. There is also a book titled Tapping In by Laurel Parnell, PhD. that does a great job of explaining it and giving examples such as how to use it to deepen your relaxation response when using the skill of imagining your safe or happy place when trying to calm yourself.
