Slow/Short Bilateral
Processing (SS-BLP)

Literature

[1] Artigas, Lucina; Jarero, Ignacio (2014):
The Butterfly Hug Method for Bilateral
Stimulation.

link checked on 2019-06-04

[2] Artigas, L., Jarero, I., Mauer, M., López
Cano, T., & Alcalá, N. (2000, September).
EMDR and Traumatic Stress after Natural
Disasters: Integrative Treatment Protocol
and the Butterfly Hug. Poster presented at
the EMDRIA Conference, Toronto, Ontario,
Canada.

unpublished / source not found - probably
similar to [1]

last checked 2019-06-04

Definition

A form of Bilateral Processing (BLP) that uses (relatively) slow and (relatively) short sequences of Bilateral Stimulation.

slow pace

meaning 1/s or slightly less stimuli, i.e. a cycle of 2 stimuli (one right + one left) takes 2-3 seconds

to avoid the "triggering" effect of FL-BLP

short duration

4-10 cycles only!

to avoid the "triggering" effect of FL-BLP

Bilateral Processing

Bilateral Stimulation

Differentiate from ...

Rapid/Long Bilateral Processing (FL-BLP)

Applications

Within the ECS

SS-BLP is widely used to reinforce positive
emotions, resources and cognitions -
usually in the context of other methods,
like:

Resource Work

Inner Safe Place

SAFE Method

Variants

Butterfly Hug (BH)

Definition within the ECS

The Speed and Duration of Tapping

resembles SS-BLP

The Position

it is secondary where on the body the
tapping happens

"The “Butterfly Hug” (BH) is a
self-administer[ed] Bilateral Stimulation
(BLS) method (like the eye movement or
tapping) to process traumatic material for
an individual or for group work.
Desensitization (self-soothing) is a
reprocessing byproduct using the BH as
BLS." [1]

Self-administered BLS should only be
applied under very strict safety measures
and specific circumstances.

BLS

Mechanism

Interpretations

let's avoid interpretations when the actual reason why this works is still unknown!

no BS, please!

"mother's heartbeat"

metaphysical explanation

feels like a hug

don't feel it

Evidence-Level

Level III

The BH has only empirical evidence.

"The Butterfly Hug was originated and
developed by Lucina Artigas during her
work performed with the survivors of
Hurricane Pauline in Acapulco, Mexico,
1998." [1,2]

"The Butterfly Hug had become standard
practice for clinicians in the field while
working with survivors of man-made and
natural catastrophes." [1]

Although I wish this was the case I believe that the current evidence base is not sufficient to call the method a "standard" - neither does the lack of distribution speak for this. I assume that the method is known to a specific circle of specialists and probably considere a "standard" among them.

Literature Research

"Butterfly Hug"

Web Results listed under Literature

Pubmed - no results

last checked on 2019-06-04

"Artigas, Lucina"

Pubmed - no results

last checked 2019-06-04

Evidence from the context of Bilateral Stimulation

Examples

Moscow Workshop

The Demonstrations

The "full sequences" all contain SS-BLP elements, often in the form of the "Butterfly Hug".