Stopping difficult Emotions like magic
Crystal near the ocean with a sunset background
Have you ever had a difficult or stressful emotion come up out of nowhere? Have you ever wondered if there was a quick and easy way to feel better?
Well, today I will be sharing with you a simple tool to help you feel better when you are having rough emotions. I use and teach this tool in my coaching and therapy work and have seen that many people find relief with it pretty quickly.
I first learned this tool in my Coaching the Unconscious Mind Certification class and then learned variants of this tool during my trauma training in Accelerated Resolution Therapy. The tool can be used virtually anywhere and anytime by people of all ages. What is wonderful about this is that it can work pretty quickly.
What is this magical tool? It is called Bilateral Stimulation. Bilateral stimulation is the process of alternately stimulating the left and right sides of your brain. In doing so, one can reduce negative emotions , process emotions and encourage neural plasticity ( meaning you can change your brain for the better!). Bilateral stimulation can be done with visual, auditory and tactile methods. But today I will be sharing an easy to use tactile method.
When to Use: When you notice yourself feeling very emotionally activated, if you are starting to feel panicked ,if you are feeling very anxious or even to stop a craving or unwanted behavior!
How it Works: When you are feeling emotionally activated, the brain tends to be overly stimulated on one side. Brain imaging scans even show this part of the brain is lit up with the most activity. When you use this tool, you are stimulating both sides of the brain to encourage blood and oxygen flow, dissipate negative emotions and encourage communication between both sides of the brain so one side isn’t hijacking your life.
How To Do It: Grab a small object like a ball, a water bottle or a stuffed animal that you can hold in your hand. Stick both hands out as if you are holding candle sticks. Begin passing the object back and forth from left to right creating an easy rhythm. You may choose to take deep calming breaths as you pass the object back and forth making sure to cross the mid line of your body. Try this for at least 2 minutes and go for as long as you like until you notice a change.
When not to do this: Do not try this tool to process trauma without the help of a trained professional. Also do not use if not having the use of your hands will interrupt important activities like driving or operating heavy machinery.
Why You Should Try This: Because it is an easy tool to help you feel better! Duh!
So next time you are feeling a little funky, Try this tool immediately and notice what changes when you do. You are likely to find that it has a calming and relaxing effect. And who doesn’t appreciate a little fo that these days?
It’s so easy- it works like magic.
Hoping this was illuminating and helpful…