Bilateral Stimulation Training for Counsellors

Bilateral stimulation is a mental health technique designed to treat Post Traumatic Stress symptoms. This method involves providing stimuli (visual, auditory or tactile) which occur in a rhythmic left-right pattern. For example, visual bilateral stimulation could involve watching a hand or moving light alternating from left to right and back again. Auditory bilateral stimulation could involve listening to tones that alternate between the left and right sides of the head.

According to the theory behind the approach, traumatic and painful memories can cause post-traumatic stress when you don’t process them completely. Then, when sights, sounds, words, or smells trigger those unprocessed memories, they can be re-experienced

Bilateral stimulation is a core treatment element of EMDR and similar therapies such as Accelerated Resolution Therapy. It produces four main effects;

✓ A relaxation effect including decreased physiological arousal.

✓ Increased attentional flexibility (meaning that your thoughts become less ‘stuck’ on whatever was bothering you).

✓ Distancing effect (meaning that the problem seems smaller and further away).

✓ Decreased worry.