If you've read anything about EMDR, you've probably seen the phrase "bilateral stimulation" and wondered what it actually involves. Maybe you've pictured a therapist waving a finger back and forth and thought it sounded a little strange. It's a fair reaction. The method does look unusual from the outside.

This page explains what bilateral stimulation is, how it fits into EMDR therapy, what the research does and doesn't show, and what it feels like to sit in the chair (or on your own couch, if we work online). My aim is to give you enough to make an informed decision about whether EMDR is worth exploring.

What Is Bilateral Stimulation?

Bilateral stimulation means alternating left-right input to the body's senses. In EMDR it usually takes one of three forms:

orms:

• Eye movements. You follow my hand, a light bar, or a moving dot on a screen as it travels side to side.

• Tactile stimulation. You hold two small pulsers that vibrate in alternating hands, or you tap your own knees or shoulders left and right.

• Auditory stimulation. You hear tones or soft sounds that alternate between your left and right ear through headphones.