Simple ways to bring balance into daily life
From bilateral stimulation to EMDR-inspired practices, Outside Sessions makes therapeutic tools clear, creative, and usable anytime.
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Knitting and Crochet: Stitching Together Calm
The steady rhythm of yarn and hands can be more than just a craft. It can be a path to calm. In this post, we’ll explore how knitting and crochet create natural bilateral stimulation, why these practices soothe the nervous system, and simple ways to turn stitching into a tool for grounding and restoration.
There’s something timeless about knitting and crochet—the soft rhythm of yarn, the steady motion of hands, the quiet satisfaction of a pattern unfolding. For many, these crafts are more than hobbies; they bring comfort, focus, and calm. What’s happening in the brain may explain why: knitting and crochet naturally create bilateral stimulation (BLS), the same principle at the heart of EMDR therapy.
What Is Bilateral Stimulation (BLS)?
Bilateral stimulation (BLS) simply means engaging both sides of the brain and body through alternating movement, sound, or touch. In EMDR therapy, BLS is used to help people reprocess distressing memories and reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and trauma (Shapiro, 2001).
Outside the therapy room, simple actions like walking, drumming, or even crafting can support self-regulation and grounding. Learn more about BLS here.
What It Is
Knitting and crochet are fiber arts that use repetitive, cross-body motions. Knitting involves working with two needles, while crochet uses one hook—but both require steady, rhythmic hand movements.
These crafts also create a natural sensory experience: the feel of yarn, the sound of needles or hooks, the visual satisfaction of a pattern. When combined, these elements make knitting and crochet soothing practices that can support both body and mind.
Why It Works
Research suggests knitting and crochet support mental health in several ways:
Bilateral engagement: Repeated, alternating hand motions activate both hemispheres of the brain, echoing the bilateral stimulation used in EMDR.
Rhythmic regulation: Repetition creates a steady rhythm, cueing the parasympathetic nervous system to relax (Porges, 2011).
Mindful focus: The combination of movement and attention shifts awareness away from rumination, supporting calm and presence.
Flow state potential: The balance between challenge and mastery in crafting can bring on flow—a state linked to improved mood and engagement (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990).
Community and meaning: Studies suggest group knitting and crochet reduce loneliness and foster social connection (Riley et al., 2013).
Together, these benefits help explain why crafters often describe their work as meditative, grounding, and healing.
How to Try It: Step-by-Step
Choose your craft: Knitting uses two needles; crochet uses a single hook. Both are beginner-friendly, so pick whichever appeals to you.
Start small: Begin with simple patterns—like a scarf or square. The goal is rhythm, not perfection.
Notice the rhythm: As your hands move back and forth, let your mind rest in the steady pattern.
Breathe with it: Try syncing your breath to your movements—inhale for a few stitches, exhale for a few.
Experiment with time: Even 5–10 minutes can bring grounding. Longer sessions may deepen the effect.
Reflect afterward: Notice your body and mind—do you feel calmer, more focused, or less tense?
👉 Tip: If you’re new, online tutorials and beginner kits make it easy to get started.
When to Use It
Evenings: A soothing way to wind down before bed.
Stressful days: As a break from screens or work.
Waiting times: Portable enough for doctor’s offices or commutes.
During grief or overwhelm: Provides both focus and comfort.
For connection: Craft groups or “stitch nights” add social support.
Therapist’s Note
Knitting and crochet show how everyday activities can double as powerful tools for regulation. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned crafter, the repetitive, bilateral motion can help calm the nervous system and bring you into the present moment.
Remember, the goal isn’t to make something perfect—it’s to create space for calm, rhythm, and restoration.
If you’d like support in weaving practices like these into your healing journey, contact me here.
References
The Unexpected BLS Powerhouse: Juggling
At first glance, juggling looks like just a playful trick, but beneath the toss and catch is something deeper. Juggling engages both sides of the brain, builds rhythm, and draws you into the present moment. In this post, we’ll explore how a few simple tosses can become a regulating practice, and why dropping the ball might actually be part of the healing process.
Have you ever watched someone juggle and felt oddly mesmerized? The rhythm, the back-and-forth motion, the focus it demands—it almost looks like meditation in motion. What if I told you juggling could be more than just a circus trick or party trick? For clients looking for a playful, brain-friendly way to calm their nervous system outside of therapy, juggling can actually serve as a powerful form of bilateral stimulation.
What Is Bilateral Stimulation (BLS)?
Bilateral stimulation (BLS) simply means engaging both sides of the brain through alternating movement or sensation. In EMDR therapy, BLS is used to help the brain reprocess difficult experiences and reduce distress. Outside of therapy, simple forms of BLS—like walking, tapping, or even juggling—can promote grounding and regulation. Learn more about BLS here.
What It Is
At its simplest, juggling is the repeated tossing and catching of objects—most often balls—using both hands in a rhythmic sequence. It might seem unrelated to therapy at first glance, but if you break down the motions, juggling checks several important boxes: it engages both sides of the body, requires coordination between the left and right hemispheres of the brain, and creates a soothing rhythm that can pull us into the present moment.
You don’t need to be a skilled juggler to benefit. Even learning the basics—tossing one ball back and forth between hands—starts to engage the brain in a way that mimics the bilateral stimulation (BLS) used in EMDR therapy.
Why It Works
In EMDR, bilateral stimulation is used to help the brain reprocess difficult memories and reduce emotional distress (Shapiro, 2001). While juggling won’t replace the therapeutic process, it shares some of the same neurological foundations:
Bilateral engagement: Crossing midline and using both hemispheres helps integrate left-brain logic and right-brain emotion.
Rhythmic movement: Repetitive motions cue the parasympathetic nervous system, which supports calming and grounding (van den Hout & Engelhard, 2012).
Present-moment focus: Juggling requires attention and flow, which pulls awareness away from intrusive thoughts or emotional overwhelm (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990).
Interestingly, studies show that adults who learned juggling increased gray matter in brain regions associated with visuomotor coordination, memory, and learning (Draganski et al., 2004). In other words, the act of coordinating both hands in space literally reshapes the brain, much like EMDR reshapes how memories are stored.
How to Try It: Step-by-Step
Ready to give it a try? Here’s a simple progression:
Start small: Use one ball (or beanbag, or even a pair of socks rolled into a ball). Toss it from one hand to the other, crossing the midline of your body. Focus on a smooth arc.
Add rhythm: Once that feels easy, try adding a second ball. Toss one ball, then when it reaches its peak, toss the second. Don’t worry if they drop! That’s part of the process.
Find your flow: Practice for 2–3 minutes, focusing less on “performance” and more on the calming rhythm of back-and-forth.
Play with variations: Try juggling while standing, sitting, or even kneeling. Notice how the movement shifts your focus and mood.
End gently: After juggling, pause for a moment. Take a breath. Notice your body and mind. Do you feel calmer, more present, or even energized?
👉 Tip: Start with soft objects (like beanbags) so mistakes don’t feel stressful. Progress comes quickly, and the fun is in the learning.
When to Use It
Juggling can be a great “in-the-moment” tool for regulation. Here are some times to try it:
When you’re feeling restless or keyed-up.
As a playful break during work or study sessions.
Before therapy, to ground and center.
After a stressful interaction, to shift states.
Anytime you want to get out of your head and into your body.
Because juggling requires your attention, it’s best used when you can pause for a few minutes in a safe space (not while driving, for example!).
Therapist’s Note
Juggling isn’t a substitute for therapy, but it can be a lighthearted, brain-smart way to carry bilateral stimulation into your daily life. If you’re already working with a therapist, consider sharing your experience and how it felt. It might even spark new ways to integrate movement-based regulation strategies into your sessions.
And remember: dropping the ball—literally—is part of the process. Every catch and every drop is a moment of learning. The goal isn’t to become a juggler, it’s to engage your body and brain in a playful, regulating rhythm.
If you’d like support practicing outside-of-session tools like this—or exploring how EMDR can help you process difficult experiences—I’d love to help. Contact me here.
References
Could Bouncing a Tennis Ball on Your Next Run Enhance BLS?
Running already carries its own rhythm—the steady beat of footsteps, the flow of breath. Adding a tennis ball might sound unusual, but this small shift can deepen the benefits, turning your jog into a powerful form of bilateral stimulation. In this post, we’ll look at how a simple bounce adds focus, calm, and even playfulness to your run.
Running is already one of the best ways to clear your head. The rhythm of your feet hitting the pavement, your breath falling into a steady pattern—it all works to bring body and mind into sync. But what if you could take that natural rhythm one step further?
Enter: the tennis ball. This simple, lightweight tool might just turn your morning jog into a bilateral stimulation powerhouse.
What Is Bilateral Stimulation (BLS)?
Bilateral stimulation (BLS) means alternating engagement of both sides of the brain and body. In EMDR therapy, BLS is used to help people reprocess difficult memories and reduce emotional distress (Shapiro, 2001).
Outside of therapy, simple BLS activities—like walking, drumming, or even tossing a ball back and forth—can help calm the nervous system and sharpen focus. Learn more about BLS here.
What It Is
If you’ve ever jogged while dribbling a basketball, you know how it changes the feel of your run. Bouncing a tennis ball adds a similar dimension, but in a more portable way.
Here’s the idea: as you run, you bounce a tennis ball lightly in front of you, alternating hands. This motion introduces an extra rhythm that engages both hemispheres of the brain. The combination of steady running and hand-to-hand dribbling creates a layered form of bilateral stimulation.
It doesn’t require athletic skill—just a willingness to experiment with rhythm and flow.
Why It Works
Running already provides bilateral stimulation through alternating leg movements. Adding a tennis ball enhances this effect:
Dual-layer BLS: Your legs provide one rhythm, while the ball creates another, doubling the hemispheric engagement.
Working memory engagement: Keeping track of the ball lightly taxes your working memory, leaving less room for intrusive or ruminative thoughts (van den Hout & Engelhard, 2012).
Flow state potential: The challenge of coordinating movement and ball-handling can create a focused, present-moment state (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990).
Neuroplasticity: Studies suggest learning new motor tasks (like juggling or dribbling) reshapes gray matter and supports cognitive flexibility (Draganski et al., 2004).
Together, these effects make running with a tennis ball not just exercise, but brain exercise.
How to Try It: Step-by-Step
Choose your ball: A standard tennis ball works well. If you want less bounce, try a racquetball or softer stress ball.
Warm up first: Begin your run as usual, focusing on your breath and stride.
Start simple: Hold the ball in your dominant hand. As you jog, bounce it gently a few times. Don’t worry about a perfect rhythm.
Alternate hands: Once comfortable, switch hands every few bounces, or try passing the ball from left to right as you jog.
Experiment with patterns: You might try bouncing once per step, every few steps, or alternating every half-block.
Keep it playful: Drops are part of the process—pause, pick it up, and keep going.
👉 Safety tip: Practice in a safe area—like a quiet park or track—before trying this on a busy sidewalk.
When to Use It
For focus: Before a big presentation, test, or project—get your brain centered.
For stress relief: After a difficult day, use running + ball play to shake off tension.
For variety: Add novelty to your workout and keep exercise engaging.
For teens: This can be a playful, non-intimidating way to get moving.
Therapist’s Note
Adding a tennis ball to your run may sound simple—even silly—but it’s exactly this kind of creativity that makes bilateral stimulation practical outside the therapy room. It’s not about performance or athletic skill; it’s about engaging the body and brain in new, regulating rhythms.
If you notice that running with a ball helps you feel calmer or more focused, consider sharing that with your therapist. Together, you can explore how to bring the same principles into sessions—or find other daily activities that give your nervous system the same gift.
Contact me here if you’d like to learn more about using bilateral stimulation in your healing journey.
References
Pen Tapping: Turning a Nervous Habit into a Grounding Tool
Many of us tap our pens when we’re anxious, bored, or trying to concentrate. What if that small habit was more than just fidgeting? In this post, we’ll explore how pen tapping can be reframed as a gentle form of bilateral stimulation—helping you find focus, calm, and rhythm right where you are.
Do you ever catch yourself clicking a pen or tapping it against your desk during a meeting or while studying? Maybe you’ve been told to stop fidgeting—but what if that “nervous habit” is actually your body’s way of seeking balance?
Pen tapping is more than just background noise. It’s a simple, everyday action that can become a powerful tool for regulation when used with intention.
What Is Bilateral Stimulation (BLS)?
Bilateral stimulation (BLS) means engaging both sides of the brain and body through alternating movement, sound, or touch. In EMDR therapy, BLS is used to help reprocess difficult memories and reduce distress (Shapiro, 2001).
Outside therapy, simple actions like walking, drumming, or even pen tapping can provide grounding, focus, and relief. Learn more about BLS here.
What It Is
Pen tapping is exactly what it sounds like: rhythmically tapping your pen against a surface, often without even realizing you’re doing it. Many people fidget this way when they’re anxious, bored, or concentrating.
Instead of labeling it as a distraction, pen tapping can be reframed as a self-soothing strategy. When done deliberately and rhythmically, it mimics the alternating stimulation used in EMDR, creating a gentle form of BLS right at your desk.
Why It Works
Bilateral engagement: Alternating taps between left and right hands engages both hemispheres of the brain, similar to EMDR (Shapiro, 2001).
Rhythmic grounding: Repetitive, steady beats can cue the parasympathetic nervous system, lowering arousal and creating calm (Porges, 2011).
Working memory load: Lightly engaging the brain with a rhythmic task reduces room for intrusive or anxious thoughts (van den Hout & Engelhard, 2012).
Flow potential: For some, the steady beat creates focus and flow, similar to studying with background music (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990).
When reframed, pen tapping shifts from being a “bad habit” to being a micro-tool for self-regulation.
How to Try It: Step-by-Step
Grab a pen: Choose one that feels comfortable and makes a soft, even sound.
Set a rhythm: Begin tapping lightly with your dominant hand—steady and calm, not frantic.
Alternate hands: Switch to your non-dominant hand, then go back and forth between hands. This creates bilateral stimulation.
Match your breath: Try syncing your tapping to your breathing. Inhale for four taps, exhale for four taps.
Experiment with surfaces: A notebook creates a soft tap, while a desk gives a sharper sound. Notice which feels grounding.
Pause and check in: After 1–2 minutes, set the pen down. Notice your body and mind—do you feel calmer, more focused, or less restless?
👉 Tip: If sound might bother others, use a capped pen and tap on your thigh or notebook for a quieter rhythm.
When to Use It
During study or work sessions, to maintain focus.
In stressful meetings, to ground without drawing attention.
Before sleep, as a gentle regulation practice.
In waiting rooms or on public transit, when anxiety rises.
As a discreet tool for teens in classrooms.
Therapist’s Note
Pen tapping is a great example of how everyday “fidgets” can be reframed as self-care. Rather than suppressing these natural impulses, we can lean into them with intention. That small rhythm can be a powerful way to support regulation, focus, and calm—especially when other tools aren’t available.
If you find that pen tapping helps you feel more centered, bring it into session or share it with your therapist. Sometimes the simplest habits can be transformed into the most effective tools.
Curious about how bilateral stimulation can support you? Reach out here to learn more.
References
What is Bilateral Stimulation? (BLS)
Ever wonder why a walk, a steady rhythm, or even rocking in a chair feels so calming? The answer lies in bilateral stimulation—a simple but powerful process that helps the brain find balance. In this post, we’ll break down what BLS is, why it matters in therapy (and in everyday life), and how you can start noticing it all around you. It’s the foundation of the Outside Sessions blog—and the starting point for discovering creative, practical tools you can use anytime, anywhere.
Have you ever noticed how taking a walk clears your head, or how listening to rhythmic music makes you feel calmer? These aren’t just happy accidents—they’re examples of a powerful principle called bilateral stimulation.
Bilateral stimulation (often shortened to BLS) is at the heart of EMDR therapy, and it’s also the heartbeat of this blog. Understanding it is the first step toward using simple, everyday tools to bring calm, focus, and resilience into your daily life.
The Brain’s Natural Healing Process
Bilateral stimulation means alternating engagement of both sides of the brain and body. This can happen through movement (like walking), touch (like tapping your knees), sound (like alternating tones in your ears), or sight (like following a light back and forth).
In Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, BLS is used to help the brain reprocess difficult memories, reduce emotional distress, and restore balance (Shapiro, 2001).
Outside of therapy, gentle forms of BLS can serve as grounding tools—helping you feel calmer, more focused, and more connected to your body.
Why BLS Matters
Research suggests BLS works by:
Engaging both hemispheres of the brain → This integration supports balance between logic and emotion.
Tapping into working memory → When the brain is lightly occupied with a task like following movement, it has less room to fuel intrusive thoughts (van den Hout & Engelhard, 2012).
Activating the parasympathetic nervous system → Repetitive, rhythmic movement cues the body’s “rest and digest” mode, supporting calm.
Studies even show that certain repetitive, bilateral activities—like juggling—can lead to neuroplasticity, literally reshaping gray matter in the brain (Draganski et al., 2004).
In other words: BLS helps the brain shift, calm, and adapt.
Examples of BLS
BLS doesn’t have to involve special equipment. It often shows up in daily life:
Walking, running, or swimming.
Rocking in a chair.
Tapping alternating hands on your thighs.
Listening to alternating sounds in headphones.
Dancing to music with a steady rhythm.
These activities may feel naturally soothing because they engage the same principles that EMDR therapists harness in sessions.
How Outside Sessions Uses BLS
This blog, Outside Sessions, is about exploring easy, creative, and accessible ways to bring BLS into your daily routine. Each post will highlight a different tool, practice, or activity—from juggling, to pen tapping, to knitting, to using a tennis ball during your morning run.
Some posts will dive into the science behind why BLS works. Others will share step-by-step guides you can try immediately. Together, they’ll give you a library of practical tools you can use anytime, anywhere.
Therapist’s Note
While BLS is a core part of EMDR therapy, the examples in this blog are not a substitute for therapy. Think of them as companions—ways to support yourself outside of sessions.
If you’re currently in therapy, consider sharing your experience with these practices. If you’re not, and you’d like to explore how EMDR and BLS could help you process and heal, I’d love to connect. Contact me here.