Free Practice Tools
Bilateral Stimulation
Bilateral stimulation (BLS) is the rhythmic left-right activation at the heart of EMDR therapy. Use our free, browser-based tools across all three modalities — visual, auditory, and tactile.
Visual
EMDR Visual Tool
A smoothly moving dot you track with your eyes — the original EMDR modality.
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Visual
EMDR Light Bar
A virtual LED light bar that sweeps left to right — like a clinical Neurotek bar.
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Auditory
Bilateral Music
Pan any uploaded audio file left and right at your chosen tempo.
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Auditory
EMDR Sounds & Tones
Alternating left/right tones, clicks, and chimes for auditory stimulation.
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Tactile
Tapping & Butterfly Hug
Guided rhythm for the butterfly hug — with optional click and vibration.
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The three modalities of bilateral stimulation
Visual BLS is the original EMDR modality. The therapist moves a finger, light, or dot back and forth and the client tracks it with their eyes. Most associated with Francine Shapiro's foundational research.
Auditory BLS alternates sounds — tones, music, clicks, or chimes — between the left and right ear via stereo headphones. Useful for clients with vision issues or when eye-tracking becomes fatiguing.
Tactile BLS uses alternating physical sensation — buzzers held in each hand, tapping the client's knees or shoulders, or the self-administered butterfly hug. Especially helpful with children, groups, or anyone who finds visual tracking destabilizing.
Doing EMDR at home: what self-administered tools can (and can't) do
Self-administered EMDR exercises — using bilateral stimulation tools like the ones above — are increasingly popular for daily nervous-system regulation, grounding before stressful events, and calming after them. They work best as a complement to therapy, not a replacement.
Good uses for EMDR at home: calming acute anxiety, falling asleep, grounding after a trigger, meditation, focus before performance, and resourcing between sessions with your EMDR therapist.
What requires a licensed therapist: reprocessing traumatic memories, working with dissociation or complex PTSD, and any structured EMDR protocol (the 8-phase approach developed by Francine Shapiro). Going deep into trauma without a trained guide can be destabilizing.
If you'd like to start formal EMDR therapy, request a session with an EMDR-trained therapist at Crown Counseling.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is bilateral stimulation?⌄
Bilateral stimulation (BLS) is the rhythmic alternating activation of the left and right sides of the body — through eye movements, sounds, or tactile taps. It is the core mechanism used in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy to help the brain process distressing memories.
How does bilateral stimulation work?⌄
BLS is thought to engage both hemispheres of the brain while activating a working-memory load, which weakens the emotional charge of traumatic memories. Research links it to REM-sleep-like processing and reduced amygdala reactivity.
What are the three types of bilateral stimulation?⌄
Visual (following a moving target or light bar), auditory (alternating tones, sounds, or music panned left and right), and tactile (alternating taps, vibrations, or the butterfly hug). All three are evidence-based modalities within EMDR therapy.
Is bilateral stimulation only for trauma?⌄
No. While it's most studied for PTSD and trauma, BLS is also used for anxiety, phobias, grief, performance enhancement, chronic pain, and general nervous-system regulation.
Can I do bilateral stimulation by myself?⌄
Yes, for grounding, calming, and reducing daily stress — using tools like ours. However, reprocessing traumatic memories should always be done with a licensed EMDR-trained therapist who can safely guide and contain the work.
How long does a bilateral stimulation set last?⌄
Clinically, sets typically run 30 seconds to a few minutes (around 24–30 passes for a standard set). For self-soothing practice, 1–5 minutes is plenty.
These tools are for grounding, education, and between-session practice — not a substitute for EMDR therapy. For trauma reprocessing, request an appointment with a licensed EMDR therapist at Crown Counseling.