Pain: How to Use Bilateral Stimulation to Reduce Pain

How to Use Bilateral Stimulation to Reduce Pain

As described earlier, the Bilateral Stimulation component of EMDR has been found to stimulate a rare trio of physical, mental and emotional changes including decreased physiological arousal, relaxation, feelings of drowsiness, decreased ability to worry and feelings of detachment from the problem. These changes may be part of the brain’s seeking system response to novel stimuli (see; ‘What is EMDR and how can it help you to feel better’ for more on this). These changes seem to underpin the treatment efficacy of EMDR.

I have found that Bilateral Stimulation (Bls) on its own (ie; outside the EMDR treatment process) can facilitate relief from physical pain, stress and insomnia. Feedback regarding my self-help CD’s, which incorporate Bls, confirms this. See for example, the customer reviews section for ‘Calm and Confident’ on Amazon.com. Obviously the CD’s incorporate auditory stimulation as it is more convenient for self-use than eye movements. It seems likely that for many people, Bls offers a safe and surprisingly effective way to obtain relief from physical pain and stress.

In order to harness Bilateral Stimulation to obtain relief from pain, you need to know how and when to use it. Without the right guidance listening to Bls would be about as effective as listening to a metronome or watching windscreen wipers. If you are unable to see a therapist, or just wish to use Bls independently, the best way to harness Bls is to purchase one of the CD’s I have produced which incorporate this facility.

• Calm and Confident Based on EMDR
• Pain Control Based on EMDR
• Change Your Brain Change Your Pain (CD only)

Or

• Change Your Brain Change Your Pain (book & CD)

You can listen to samples of my CD’s, including auditory Bls (the ‘BASS’ track) under the ‘downloads’ button on the homepage of this site.

Note; Bilateral stimulation is not EMDR – EMDR is a treatment process which can only be obtained from a trained professional. Neither is self-use of Bilateral Stimulation information processing – you are simply harnessing the sensory effects of Bls for pain relief. Because of its capacity to stimulate sensory changes outside of conscious control, Bilateral stimulation is also not recommended for people with dissociative disorders, complex trauma or severe mental illness (eg; Schizophrenia, Bipolar Depression etc). If in doubt consult your therapist or contact me.