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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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.