Bilateral stimulation-based therapy offers a path to healing through (usually) guided eye movement, though sometimes other senses can be used. BLAST ® sessions help you to process past traumas, so you can find relief from anxiety and distress. Are you ready to take the first steps towards a calmer, more empowered you? Then contact me.
- Book a free 20-minute Discovery call, available on Zoom or by phone
- Call me to book an appointment or get questions answered – 01977 678593
- Email me
Or, for more information, read on…
What is the BLAST ® Technique?
The BLAST® Technique (Bi-Lateral Analysis and Stimulation Treatment) is a modern, fast-acting therapy developed from EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprogramming) and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). It uses gentle, guided eye movements alongside therapeutic suggestions to target overactive structures in the brain’s right hemisphere following trauma.
How does BLAST® therapy work in the brain?
When you experience a scary or highly emotional event, the right side of your brain can hang onto that trauma, keeping your body in a constant loop of stress hormones. The bilateral stimulation used in BLAST® encourages both halves of the brain to become active simultaneously. This process calms the amygdala (the brain’s fear centre) and helps move the emotional memory into the left hemisphere, transforming it into a neutral memory that no longer triggers a physical or emotional panic response.
The BLAST Technique ® uses eye movements, often with a light pen, to help the memory access the left hemisphere of the brain, alongside suggestions that help you reprocess the trauma. Afterwards, you can understand what happened and remember it, but without the physical or emotional response.
Why does BLAST ® Work So Well For Trauma?
The left and right hemispheres (sides) of the brain control different elements of our experiences. When we experience events, we receive them first in the right-hand side of the brain. If the event is not important or emotional (like buying a sandwich for your lunch) it quickly passes across into the left side of the brain. It becomes a memory. We can recall it if we want to, but when we do, we understand it’s part of our past.
If we experience a scary or emotional event, things are different. Say someone robs the sandwich shop at gunpoint while we are there. The right-hand side of the brain hangs onto that experience and kicks off the production of stress hormones. The event does not pass across to the left brain properly (or at all), so our brains continue to react as if it were happening right now. This is when the feelings start to intrude into your day-to-day life and become a problem.
Bilateral stimulation works because the movements encourage both halves of the brain to be active. Then the message passes more easily from one to the other. It also calms and desensitises the amygdala, which is the area in your brain that controls how much fear or anxiety you’re feeling. There is an excellent evidence base behind it.
The therapy isn’t just about moving your eyes, though that is the traditional approach. We can also use sounds and touch to trigger this processing if that works better for you.
What conditions can BLAST ® help?
While originally developed for PTSD and severe trauma, BLAST® is highly effective for any issue involving unpleasant memories, strong negative feelings, or deep-seated habits. It is commonly used to treat:
- Phobias and extreme fears
- Chronic anxiety and depression
- Intrusive thoughts and OCD symptoms
- Emotional distress from relationship breakups or past embarrassments
How Many Sessions of the BLAST Technique Will I need?
The average is around four to six, but it can be more (or less) depending on your circumstances and the issues we’re addressing. Book a free Zoom or phone discovery session, or ring me on 01977 678593 if you want to know more.
This type of therapy can be emotional because you are confronting feelings you may have been avoiding. And the side effects might include tiredness, unusual dreams, and temporary emotional sensitivity, though not everyone experiences them. However, people who have used both approaches say that BLAST ® is a gentler and quicker solution than traditional EMDR.
I may combine it with hypnotherapy, coaching and/or stress management tools as well, to reach the best possible solution for you.
I am a qualified BLAST ® practitioner.
Ready to Take The Next Step?
Every client is different, so the first step is simply a conversation. If you’d like to find out whether the BLAST technique is right for you, book a free Discovery Call, and we’ll talk about what you’d like to achieve, answer your questions, and decide together whether I’m the right person to help.
