Havening refers to a newer alternative therapy technique that incorporates distraction, touch, and eye movements. Its goal is to reduce anxiety and distress associated with negative memories. According to dr.
Steven ruden and dr. Ronald ruden, the creators of the technique, the use of therapeutic touch can help treat mental health symptoms by changing pathways in the brain linked to emotional distress. The theory rests on the idea that touch can help boost the production of serotonin in your brain. This, in turn, helps you relax and detach from an upsetting memory or experience. The release of serotonin is said to have a soothing effect that helps relieve mental health symptoms and keep painful memories from troubling you further.
Its developers originally called it amygdala repotentiation therapy because they believed it changed how the amygdala of the brain processes emotions. They claimed the technique creates an internal safe haven, allowing a person to reprocess and eventually escape emotional and physical pain. However, havening is a new alternative therapy, and there is very little research testing its effectiveness. While some studies suggest it may help with pain and anxiety, well-designed placebo-controlled trials have not proven that it works. A person can self-haven, which means they perform the technique on themselves, or seek havening therapy from a trained practitioner. Read more to learn about the havening technique, how it works, how to perform it, and more. http://4sn.s3-website.me-south-1.amazonaws.com/HaveningTherapy/index.html
What it’s used for
The amygdala is an area at the base of the human brain that is repeated on both hemispheres (sides). It is where emotions are encoded and where they are attached to memories, associations and responses.
Sometimes, this process creates poor associations within your emotional landscape. For, example, in ptsd a source of anxiety gets attached to a remembered fear of having your life threatened. It’s a pattern that gets ‘stuck’ and which can create an immediate negative reaction – fight, flight or freeze. Logical analysis struggles to catch up with this ingrained reaction. The havening technique aims to interrupt and divert this activity in your amygdala.
How to do havening technique to help relieve anxiety & stress interview with stephentravers, director of uk & international havening & susan drumm, the enlighened executive show. See the full video interview & blog below sd: i’m susan drumm, and welcome to the enlightened executive, where your personal evolution sparks your leadership evolution. Each episode we highlight a ground-breaking technique or strategy, to help entrepreneurs and executives get the edge for personal and leadership effectiveness, and we highlight a different dream office backdrop. Today we are focusing on havening and its application to business. With me today i am pleased to introduce from ireland, stephen travers. Stephen is the director of u.
Does it actually work?
Are you a key worker or are you stressed out due to the pandemic? get video guided help to let go of the stresses and strains of your day with havening, by taking part in nottingham trent university’s research study:.
( marco bianchetti ) small daily rituals can help keep sadness and anxiety at bay. Running, yoga, deep breathing, spending time in nature, and turning off news alerts on your phone do real work. Exercise releases endorphins , greenspaces increase happiness , and removing screens can lead to better sleep. In the midst of the nationwide mental health crisis stemming from covid-19, these small defenses help in a bigger battle. Here’s another science-backed, and surprisingly impactful weapon to add to your arsenal: havening. On the most basic level, havening means hugging or caressing yourself, sometimes while voicing positive affirmations. On a more technical level, it’s using self-soothing to induce “amygdala depotentiation,” which essentially means reining in and retraining the emotional part of the brain that kicks us into fight-or-flight mode and causes anxiety.
Like every healing method, the havening techniques have possible side effects, especially if you are dealing with some severe trauma or a psychological disorder. If that’s the case, it’s recommended to use the modality only with a professional mental health care provider, fully trained and certified in the havening techniques. The side effects can result from bringing to the surface forgotten unresolved memories. Potential risks with using the havening techniques include: in-session crying, anger, and physical movements post-havening lightheadedness rarely a temporary worsening of symptoms or emotional numbing this said, in general, the havening technique is perfectly safe.