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The Butterfly Hug
Crossed arms, alternating taps. Developed in a disaster shelter, and now used worldwide.
The butterfly hug is a self-administered practice in which you cross your arms over your chest and tap alternately, left and right. It was developed by Lucina Artigas in 1997 while working with survivors of Hurricane Pauline in Mexico, and has since been widely adopted in EMDR and trauma-informed practice. It appears at Level 8 of Overwhelmed and Level 7 of Flat.
What it is
Arms crossed, hands resting near the opposite shoulder or upper arm, tapping alternately in a slow rhythm.
It combines three things: bilateral alternating stimulation, self-touch, and a posture that is literally a self-hug. Each is doing something.
What it is doing in your nervous system
The self-hug. The posture itself provides contained, symmetrical pressure across the chest and upper arms. Deep, steady pressure is broadly settling — the principle behind weighted blankets and firm swaddling.
Self-touch. Affectionate self-touch has been shown to reduce cortisol responses to stress in controlled studies, and appears to recruit at least part of the same pathway as being comforted by another person. This is one of the better-evidenced pieces of the practice.
Bilateral alternating stimulation. This is the part that requires care. Alternating left-right stimulation is a core component of EMDR, which is well supported for PTSD. What is contested is whether the bilateral stimulation itself is an active ingredient, or whether EMDR works through exposure, attentional and cognitive mechanisms with the eye movements or tapping playing a smaller role. The dismantling literature is genuinely mixed. The most defensible summary is that alternating rhythmic stimulation is calming for many people and that the mechanism is not settled — probably some combination of rhythm, dual attention and predictable input, rather than anything specific to crossing the midline.
Set the mechanism debate aside and the practical picture is clear. It is quiet, it can be done under a jumper or a desk, it needs no equipment, and clinicians have used it for nearly thirty years in settings ranging from disaster relief to school counselling because it reliably helps people settle.
When to use it
- When you need something completely invisible in a public place
- When anxiety is rising and you want comfort rather than discharge
- Waking in the night
- When you are alone and what you actually want is another person
- When you are flat and need contact more than activation
- With children — it is one of the easiest practices to teach
When it is not the right practice
If you are working through trauma, bilateral stimulation can surface material, and that is work for a therapist rather than for you alone at 11pm. Some people find self-touch uncomfortable or activating — use swaying or grounding instead. Take care with shoulder injury, and keep the taps light. This is not EMDR, and it does not process memories; it settles a state.
Where it sits in Soma Circuit
Level 8 of the Overwhelmed module and Level 7 of the Flat module, in both cases following grounding. Streaming audio.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the butterfly hug come from?
It was developed by Lucina Artigas in 1997 with survivors of Hurricane Pauline in Acapulco, Mexico, as a way for large numbers of people to self-soothe. It was subsequently taken up in EMDR practice and is now used internationally.
Does the butterfly hug work for anxiety?
Many people find it settling, and the self-touch and steady pressure components have reasonable support. Whether the bilateral element adds anything specific is unresolved. As a low-risk, discreet practice, it is well worth trying.
Can children use the butterfly hug?
Yes — it was designed to be teachable at scale and is widely used with children in schools and after disasters. It is one of the simplest practices here to pass on.
References
- Artigas, L., & Jarero, I. (2014). The butterfly hug method for bilateral stimulation. In M. Luber (Ed.), Implementing EMDR Early Mental Health Interventions. Springer
- Dreisoerner, A., et al. (2021). Self-soothing touch and being hugged reduce cortisol responses to stress. Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology, 8, 100091
Soma Circuit is an educational wellness tool. It is not a substitute for professional mental health care, diagnosis or crisis support. If symptoms are persistent, worsening or interfering with daily life, please seek care from a qualified clinician.
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