HAVENING
Havening
Havening (formally known as Amygdala Depotentiation Technique) is a ‘psycho-sensory therapy’, combining both talk and touch therapies. When a person has experienced trauma, they often feel an overwhelming sense of inescapability (no safe haven), therefore I use part of this healing process with my clients to develop a sense of creating a ‘safe haven’.
Even though Havening was only founded 4 years ago, by Dr Ruden (PhD Organic Chemistry and MD Internal Medicine), other therapies such as EMIR and AFT were studied for over 10 years. Dr Ruden was determined to clinically test and evolve an effective set of approaches that quickly, thoroughly and reliably treat trauma and other amygdala-based issues (phobias, fears, stress, chronic pain, anxiety, PTSD, etc).
Havening is a firm, slow movement of your arms, palms and face, which cause brain chemistry to permanently remove an emotion, craving or thought. Some people are unsure about havening to start with (if they haven’t seen it before) so often I will teach them self-havening techniques, before they realise how I can work with them at an advanced level.
The Science behind Havening
The result of a specific traumatic event is the creation of a meaning (ie. being stuck in an elevator once and now have a phobia of elevators). This millisecond, unconscious thought changes the brain chemistry in the Amygdala (feeling part of the brain). A fear response is then activated every time something happens to make you think of an elevator. As such phobias and trauma can rapidly take over.
The Havening process ‘delinks’ the traumatic event and the fear response associated to it – putting the brain chemistry back to its normal state. My clients remember the bothersome memory or traumatic event, but the emotional charge is no longer there. Can you imagine how that feels?
