Between-session bilateral audio use is one of the most underutilized resources in EMDR treatment. When chosen carefully and used with appropriate awareness, pre-produced bilateral audio files can support nervous system regulation, sleep, and the integration of processed material between sessions without replacing the therapeutic work itself.
This guide is written for clients who are currently in EMDR therapy and want to use bilateral audio between sessions, and for therapists who want to recommend specific tracks to clients as between-session support. The recommendations here are conservative by design.
Important
Always discuss between-session bilateral audio use with your EMDR therapist before starting. Some clients, particularly those with complex trauma or active PTSD, should not engage in unsupervised bilateral stimulation. This article does not substitute for clinical guidance from your therapist.
What Between-Session Bilateral Audio Can and Cannot Do
It is important to be precise about this. Between-session bilateral audio is not EMDR therapy. It does not replicate the processing that happens in a structured therapeutic session with a trained clinician present. It cannot safely process traumatic material independently and should not be used to attempt to do so.
What it can do is support the nervous system between sessions in ways that may enhance the overall arc of treatment:
Nervous system regulation. Bilateral stimulation at slow sweep rates supports a shift toward parasympathetic dominance, which is the rest-and-digest state where recovery and integration occur. Clients who arrive at sessions in a chronically activated or shutdown state may benefit from tools that support regulation between visits.
Sleep support. The sleep architecture research suggests that bilateral stimulation during the transition to sleep may support the natural bilateral processing that occurs during REM, when the eyes move laterally and the brain consolidates emotional memories. Pre-produced sleep tracks designed for this purpose are among the safest forms of between-session bilateral use.
Somatic integration. After a processing session, the body often continues to integrate the work for days. Slow bilateral audio at low frequencies may support this somatic integration process by maintaining the parasympathetic conditions in which it occurs most effectively.
Which Tracks Are Appropriate for Between-Session Use
Not all bilateral audio tracks are equally appropriate for unsupervised use. The clinical processing tracks in Series I are designed for active EMDR processing with a therapist present. Using them independently between sessions may activate trauma material without the therapeutic container to process it.
The following tracks from the Bilateral Sound Lab catalog are specifically suited for between-session use:
Series II
Ventral Vagal Activation
0.3Hz bilateral with Schumann resonance. Supports parasympathetic activation and nervous system safety signaling. Good for daily regulation practice.
Series II
Somatic Integration
0.4Hz bilateral with theta carrier. Specifically designed for between-session somatic integration. Use in the days following a processing session.
Series III
Hypnagogic Entry
0.5Hz bilateral with alpha-to-theta transition. For use at bedtime. Supports the natural bilateral processing of REM sleep.
Series III
Sleep Architecture Protocol
Full 8-hour sleep support. The most passive and lowest-risk option. Runs automatically through the night without requiring active engagement.
Series III
Morning Integration
0.6Hz bilateral with delta-to-alpha transition. For use upon waking. Supports integration of overnight processing before starting the day.
Series II
Window of Tolerance
0.8Hz bilateral with alpha carrier. For clients working on building distress tolerance. Keep sessions to 20 to 30 minutes.
Practical Guidelines for Between-Session Use
Use headphones always. The bilateral effect depends entirely on separate left and right channel delivery. Speakers collapse this separation and eliminate the therapeutic mechanism. Any standard stereo headphones or earbuds will work. See our technical requirements page for more detail.
Keep the volume low. The bilateral mechanism does not require loud audio. A comfortable listening volume where you can still hear environmental sounds if needed is ideal. Loud bilateral stimulation can be overstimulating, particularly for clients with sensory sensitivities.
Do not force processing. Between-session bilateral audio should feel grounding and calming, not activating. If you notice increasing distress, intrusive memories, or emotional flooding during or after a session, stop the audio and use your grounding resources. Report the experience to your therapist at the next session.
Start with shorter sessions. Begin with 20 to 30 minute sessions and observe how you feel in the hours afterward before extending the duration. The sleep tracks are an exception since they run passively through the night.
Do not use the clinical processing tracks independently. The Series I Clinical EMDR Support tracks are calibrated for active processing with a therapist present. Their sweep rates and carrier frequencies are designed to maintain the dual attention state required for EMDR processing, which is not appropriate for unsupervised use by clients working with trauma material.
For therapists recommending these tracks to clients: The Bilateral Sound Lab clinical license covers unlimited between-session use by clients of a licensed practitioner. Clients do not need to purchase separately. Contact contact@bilateralsoundlab.com for clinical licensing information or visit the Clinical Licensing page.
Signs That Between-Session Use Is Working
Appropriate between-session bilateral audio use tends to produce subtle rather than dramatic effects. Signs that the tracks are supporting your nervous system as intended include improved sleep quality and ease of falling asleep when using the sleep tracks, a greater sense of physical calm and body awareness after nervous system regulation sessions, arriving at EMDR sessions feeling more grounded and less activated, and a general sense of continuity in the integration process between sessions.
None of these effects will be dramatic in isolation. They are cumulative and context-dependent. The bilateral audio is a supporting tool, not a primary intervention.
When to Stop and Consult Your Therapist
Stop between-session bilateral audio use and consult your therapist if you notice increased nightmares or sleep disturbance after using the sleep tracks, intrusive memories or flashbacks emerging during or after sessions, a sense of emotional flooding or overwhelm that is difficult to resolve with grounding, or any significant change in your overall emotional state that you attribute to the bilateral audio use.
These responses do not mean the audio is harmful. They may mean that bilateral stimulation is activating material that needs therapeutic processing rather than independent support. Your therapist can adjust your treatment plan accordingly.
References
- Shapiro, F. (2001). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures, 2nd edition. Guilford Press.
- Porges, S.W. (2007). The polyvagal perspective. Biological Psychology, 74(2), 116-143.
- van der Kolk, B.A. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Viking.
- Stickgold, R. (2002). EMDR: A putative neurobiological mechanism of action. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 58(1), 61-75.