A Gentle Somatic Tool for Soothing the Nervous System
Healing is not only about understanding the mind-body connection — it’s about experiencing it in ways that help shift your nervous system toward safety and ease. The butterfly hug is a simple yet profound somatic practice that supports nervous system regulation and brain rewiring. By using gentle touch, we create a sense of safety within the body, allowing deep patterns of stress and tension to shift.
💗 I recorded this video outdoors to bring a touch of nature to you. 🌿✨
Try the Practice with me in this Guided Video
I invite you to try this somatic healing practice with me. Below is a guided video where I walk you through the Butterfly Hug, offering a moment of soothing wherever you are. 🌿
Why the Butterfly Hug Works
The butterfly hug is a form of gentle touch, paired with bilateral stimulation. Bilateral (both sides) stimulation is a technique often used in somatic practice. The butterfly hug involves placing the hands over the chest – this already feels like a reassuring hug. Then one can very gently tap on one side, then the other, in a soothing rhythm that engages both hemispheres of the brain. By engaging in this practice, you may notice the following benefits unfold over time::
💗 Soothe the nervous system – Encouraging a shift from stress to regulation.
💗 Support brain rewiring – Reinforcing new patterns of thought and neuroplasticity.
💗 Create a felt sense of safety – Allowing the body to release stored tension.
💗 Deepen self-connection – Inviting you into a more present and compassionate relationship with your body.
The Power of Gentle Touch
Somatic healing is based on the understanding that stress is stored in the body, not just in the mind. Gentle touch plays a crucial role in releasing tension, regulating the nervous system, and restoring a sense of safety.
When we engage in rhythmic, intentional touch, such as the butterfly hug, we signal to the mindbody system that it is safe to shift out of survival mode. This approach helps to discharge stored stress, completing cycles of activation that may have been left unresolved due to past overwhelm. By reconnecting with the ourselves in a compassionate and controlled way, we allow for deep self-regulation, bringing ease and balance back into the nervous system.
Healing isn’t about reliving old wounds — it’s about creating new experiences of safety, one gentle touch at a time.
How Bilateral Stimulation Rewires the Brain
Bilateral stimulation is a process that engages both hemispheres of the brain in a rhythmic, alternating pattern, often used in emotional healing and nervous system regulation. Research in neuroscience and psychology has shown that bilateral stimulation facilitates communication between the left and right hemispheres, promoting integration and emotional processing. The corpus callosum, the bundle of nerve fibres connecting both hemispheres, plays a critical role in transmitting information between rational thought (left hemisphere) and emotional experience (right hemisphere).
When we engage in bilateral rhythmic movement, we enhance connectivity between these regions, helping the brain integrate stored emotions and release hidden stressors in a more adaptive way. Studies in neuroplasticity demonstrate that repeated patterns of movement can create new neural pathways, supporting emotional regulation and reducing the impact of past stressors on the nervous system.
Muscle Memory, Neuroplasticity, and the Butterfly Hug
Neural pathways are formed through synaptic plasticity, the brain’s ability to strengthen or weaken connections between neurons based on experience and repetition. Muscle memory, a function of the basal ganglia and motor cortex, reinforces these pathways by creating automated responses to repeated movements. This is why a pianist can play without thinking or why a calming touch can become instinctive over time.
When we practise the butterfly hug, the gentle bilateral tapping engages sensorimotor pathways, helping to reinforce feelings of safety and regulation. With repetition, this practice helps the nervous system shift out of survival mode, creating a foundation for greater balance and ease.
Take a soft breath here and soften your gaze or close your eyes for a moment. You don’t have to absorb all of this information at once. The act of placing one or both of your hands over your heart (in a butterfly hug if you like) is enough. You are enough.
There is no rush. Healing happens in layers, unfolding moment by moment. The butterfly hug is a small but powerful way to offer your nervous system the reassurance it needs.
INtegrating This Practice
You don’t have to do everything at once. Healing happens in small moments of self-compassion, repeated over time. The butterfly hug is one way to cultivate that compassionate presence, offering your nervous system a chance to settle and recalibrate. 🌸
🌿 Try the Butterfly Hug whenever you need a hug — perhaps before sleep, or during a moment of overwhelm. Notice how it feels in your body, in your mind and in your heart.
💗 Explore more gentle self-regulation tools in the free resources section of this website.
📩 If this practice resonates with you, consider working with me to support your journey by exploring a beginning supportive coaching session on this path of nervous system healing and emotional regulation.
✨ Healing is a journey, not a destination. Be kind to yourself along the way.
