What is Havening Technique™?

Havening Technique™ was created by Dr Ronald Ruden and further developed in conjunction with his brother Dr Steven Ruden. It is a psycho-sensory model and uses sensory input of touch (Havening Touch®) to alter thought, mood and behaviour.

Traumatic or very stressful events or experiences create a pathway in the brain which remains there indefinitely (becomes immutably encoded), until or unless people embark on a process to change, obstruct or disrupt that pathway to bring about new enriching experiences.

Havening Technique™ works by reducing or eliminating altogether the negative maladaptive emotional response linked to that event or experience. In doing so, Havening works with the Amygdala, the emotional response system in the brain, which is based in the Limbic System. As such Havening is also referred to as Amygdala Depotentiation Therapy (ADT). Havening disrupts the pathway that was created and consequently removes the emotional PAIN linked to and/or associated with the stress, distress and experiences (current and past), resulting in neutral or no negative emotional response to the situation.

Havening Technique is a very effective approach for a range of emotionally distressful situations and symptoms with profound and long lasting results.

This includes situations and symptoms relating to:
- Relationship challenges
- Domestic violence
- Bullying
- Fear of heights
- Emotional eating
- Depression
- Agoraphobia and other Phobias
- Fear of Abandonment
- Sexual abuse
- Lack of confidence
- Feelings of low self worth
- Anxiety
- Self harm
- Loneliness
- PTSD
- Physical pain
- Post Natal Depression

In order for Havening to be most effective for the client, the emotional core symptom that activates their emotional response system; and, which poses the biggest challenge and disturbance to the client, must be identified, Havened and consequently removed. This is the fundamental difference between Talk Therapy and Havening Technique™.

During the Havening Therapy, clients generally experience an increase in certain neurochemicals such as Serotonin and GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), and a low frequency brain signal, a delta wave, which is generally associated with stage three sleep. Stage three sleep is the deepest and most restorative part of our sleep. A successful Havening experience can leave clients feeling a sense of calmness, relaxation, peacefulness or sleepy.

The effect and result of experiencing the Havening model includes results such as, once a particular negative emotional response has been eliminated (e.g. guilt, shame), it can have the effect of directly or indirectly and simultaneously removing other related negative maladaptive emotions linked to the same or different negative experiences or trauma. Another effect could be that the removal of one traumatic event reveals another one, which is also subsequently Havened with the client’s permission.

In relation to recall and emotional attachment to the distressing or traumatic event or experience, clients often experience and report a sense of disbelief in the results, which could include one or several of the following:

♦ Inability to recall the previous distressing or traumatic event
♦ Their recollection of the distressing experience is fuzzy
♦ They can recall the experience and event however they now have a neutral emotional attachment to it
♦ Thinking or talking about the distressing experience no longer triggers their emotional response system or their usual negative emotional responses to the experience.
♦ A range of emotional, physical or physiological changes can occur. For instance, clients can appear to grow in height instantly; or have the ability to move parts of their body which were emotionally, psychologically or physically affected by the traumatic experience; or have restful sleep throughout the night, which hitherto had been affected resulting from their previous experience(s).

The Havening model engenders a healthier outlook on life, healthier choices and most importantly, mental and emotional resilience (a resilient landscape).

Havening approach can also be used for peak performance, goals achievement, or Self Havening of every day routine emotions such as sadness, anger or mild anxiety. Self Havening is not recommended for serious trauma or psychological disorders. It is highly recommended that you seek assistance from a Certified Havening Technique™ Practitioner.

Visit http://easytigerparentsystem.com/havening/ to find out how Jennifer McLeod, Certified Havening Technique™ Practitioner can help you