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.
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.
What it’s used for
Welcome - please read our disclaimer
this website introduces you to an extraordinary application of recently acquired knowledge in the field of neuroscience. The techniques described herein are based in evolutionary biology and offer you the opportunity to live a healthier, hopefully happier and more productive life. To western eyes, to watch pain instantly disappear, long standing problems resolve and disturbing memories fade into the irretrievable past is nothing short of astonishing. We call this method havening.
Havening, the transitive verb of the word haven, means to put into a safe place. While some forms of this approach have been around for decades, many mental health professionals remain skeptical given that it involves no medication, talking or prolonged exposure.
We invite you to explore this website and make up your own mind.
Does it actually work?
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.
So, how does that work, exactly? here are the basics of the practice, including whether the havening technique actually works.
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.