THE BUTTERFLY HUG

By Lucina (Lucy) Artigas, M.A., M.T.
and Ignacio Jarero, Ed.D., Ph.D., M.T.

The Butterfly Hug was originated and developed by Lucina (Lucy) Artigas, M.A., M.T. (Founder of our NGO AMAMECRISIS), during our work performed with the survivors of Hurricane Pauline in Acapulco Mexico, 1998 (Artigas et al. 2000; Boel, 1999).

For the origination and development of the Butterfly Hug, Lucina Artigas was honored in 2000, by the EMDR International Association with the Creative Innovation Award.

The Butterfly Hug (BH) is a Dual Attention Stimulation (DAS) that consists of crossing your arms over your chest, so that the middle finger from each hand will be placed below the collarbone and the rest of the fingers and hand will cover the area that is located under the connection between the collarbone and the shoulder and the collarbone and sternum or breastbone. Hand and fingers must be as vertical as possible (fingers toward the neck and not toward the arms). Once you do this you can interlock your thumbs (forming the body of the butterfly) and the extension of your other fingers outward will form the butterfly's wings.

In this position the Butterfly Hug stimulates several acupuncture points: kidney meridian 23,24,25,26, 27 and stomach meridian13,14,15,16 and 17, each one with many benefits.

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The eyes can be closed or partially closed looking toward the tip of the nose.

Next you alternate the movement of your hands, simulating the flapping wings of a butterfly.

You breathe slowly and deeply (abdominal breathing), while you observe what is going through your mind and body (cognitions, images, sounds, odors, affect and physical sensations) without changing, repressing or judging. You can pretend as though what you are observing is like clouds passing by.

You can find the Butterfly Hug Scripted Protocol in M. Luber (Ed.), EMDR Scripted Protocols: Special Populations. New York: Springer.

This method could be used in various contexts, for example:

• To install the “safe/calm place” when BLS are designated.
• To install positive affect, cognitions and physical sensations associated with any Resource Development Protocol or Technique when BLS is designated.
• During the EMDR standard protocol clinicians have also used it with adults and children to facilitate reprocessing of a traumatic memory or memories. It is thought that the control obtained by the patient/client over his/her contra lateral stimulation, may be an empowering factor that aids their retention of sense of safety while processing traumatic memories.
• During in vivo exposure to process the experience. In the Quiche’s region of Guatemala people witnessing the burial of their relatives, use the Butterfly Hug to be self-comforted and to cope with the experience.
• During the EMDR Integrative Group Treatment Protocol (EMDR-IGTP) used to work with children and adults who have survived traumatic events like natural or human provoked disasters, when the group is processing the same event (Aduriz et al, 2009; Jarero et al 1999; Jarero et al 2006; Jarero et al 2008; Jarero & Artigas, 2009).
• With Palestinian children from a refugee camp city in Bethlehem the EMDR Group Protocol with the BH appeared to foster resilience for eight children exposed to ongoing war trauma (Zaghrout-Hodali, Alissa, & Dodgson, 2008).
• Dr. Francine Shapiro (2001) mentioned: “The Butterfly Hug has been successfully used to treat groups of traumatized children in Mexico, Nicaragua and Kosovar refugee camps” (P. 284).
• You can find the EMDR Integrative Group Treatment Protocol in: M. Luber (Ed.) EMDR Scripted Protocols: Basic and Special Situations. New York: Springer.
• Use of the Butterfly Hug in session has been seen to be a self-soothing experience for many clients. Professionals have reported the use of this method simultaneously with their patients/clients, as an aid to prevent secondary traumatization.
• Once the patients/clients (children or adults) have learned the Butterfly Hug in session, they can be instructed to take this method with them for use between sessions to modulate any disturbing affect that arises or to reground with their Safe/calm Place.
• Other clinicians have used this method as a substitute for touching patients/clients, saying: “Please give yourself a butterfly hug for me.”
• Clinicians reported that they have used the Butterfly Hug with clients with debilitated ego structure because it produces less abreaction than other bilateral stimulation techniques.
• Teachers in a Guatemala school for child victims of parental violence, tell the children that they can feel Father God’s love through the Butterfly Hug.
• During the year 2006, in Pasta de Conchos mine tragedy in Mexico, a paramedic stabilized and saved the life of a mine engineer who was having a heart attack using the Butterfly Hug.
• For Esti Bar-Sade (2009), the Butterfly Hug “becomes an attachment cue as it is connected to the soft touch of mommy or daddy or a good loving hug.” (P. 292).
• Roy Kiessling (2009) mentioned: “ I have also introduced it more as a 'hug' - especially for those needing nurturing, and in this case I asked them to:
  1. cross arms with hands on upper arms,
  2. hug and tap alternately.

  On occasion when a child wants a hug from a parent I introduce the hug to the parent:

  1. Holding your child (sitting in your lap),
  2. cross your arms (in front, or behind depending upon whether the child is facing or back toward you,
  3. have the parent hug and tap.

  Actually with very young children - I teach:

  1. Hold the baby/infant with his/her head against your chest or looking over your shoulder,
  2. using your thumb and little finger of the hand resting on the child's shoulder
  3. tap alternately on their shoulder blades.”

2010.

The material accessible here is intended to support your clinical work. At the same time, all of it is copyrighted by the authors, in accord with latest copyright law (which does not require either formal filing or notification of a copyright assertion). Clinicians have permission to duplicate and use these files in any aspect of their clinical activity. However, no materials may be sold directly or modified, and full credit must always be given to all identified original authors. 

REFERENCES.

Aduriz, M.E., Knopfler, C., & Bluthgen, C. (2009). Helping child flood victims using group EMDR intervention in Argentina: Treatment outcome and gender differences. International Journal of Stress Management, 16(2), 138-153.

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.

Boel, J. (1999). The Butterfly Hug. EMDRIA Newsletter,4(4),11-13.

Brurit Laub and Esti Bar- Sade (2009). The Imma EMDR Group Protocol. In M. Luber (Ed.) Eye Movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) scripted protocols: Basic and Special Situations (p.292.). New York. Springer.

Jarero, I., Artigas, L., Mauer, M., López Cano, T., & Alcalá, N. (1999, November). Children’s post traumatic stress after natural disasters: Integrative treatment protocol. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Miami, FL.

Jarero, I., Artigas, L., & Hartung, J. (2006). EMDR integrative group treatment protocol: A post-disaster trauma intervention for children & adults. Traumatology, 12, 121-129.

Jarero, I., Artigas, L., Lopez-Lena, M. (2008). The EMDR integrative group treatment protocol: Application with child victims of mass disaster. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 2, 97-105.

Jarero, I., & Artigas, L. (2009). EMDR Integrative Group Treatment Protocol. Journal of EMDR Practice & Research, 3 (4), 287-288.

Kiessling, R. (2009). Email communication. Emdr Fac-Lists.

Shapiro, 2001. EMDR Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures. Second Edition. New York: Guilford Press.

Zaghrout-Hodali, M., Alissa, F., Dodgson, P. (2008). Building resilience and dismantling fear: EMDR group protocol with children in an area of ongoing trauma. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 2, 106.