Understanding when and how to use Havening for anxiety involves considering the nature of the anxiety and the goals of intervention. Havening is described as a method that can depotentiate traumatically encoded experiences in the amygdala. The amygdala is a brain region involved in processing emotional reactions and the fight-or-flight response. Some types of anxiety are directly attributed to the amygdala. Havening allows targeting the neurons holding the traumatic experience active, empowering the brain to release these experiences that act as a “trauma filter” for processing present-day information.
Deciding When Havening Could Be Beneficial
Havening Techniques are indicated to help heal amygdala-based disorders, including panic attacks, phobias, and PTSD. It can be particularly helpful for anxiety that feels unexplained, comes from out of the blue, or has no clear thought or cause, which can be characteristic of people who have undergone trauma. This type of anxiety may be triggered by an overactive fight/flight/freeze part of the brain and a defective relationship with the control part of the brain. Havening works by allowing for the depotentiation of traumatically encoded experiences in the amygdala.
Havening can also be used to address general anxiety, stress, lack of confidence, and anger issues. Professionals have successfully used Havening to clear event trauma, remove phobias, and help people dealing with nightmares, flashbacks, pain, or physical conditions with a stress or trauma origin. One key advantage mentioned is that clients are not re-traumatised while going through the healing process. Havening can also be quick, effective, and long-lasting.
However, for conditions like obsessive thinking, compulsive behaviours, and cravings, which have a different underlying biology than traumatically encoded events, Havening alone may see relapse, although it can help with associated events. Managing the overall “landscape” through other means, such as medication or stress reduction techniques, alongside Self-Havening when problems arise, may be necessary for these issues.
Combining Havening with Other Therapies
Havening for anxiety is considered a tool, not a therapy in itself. This means it can be integrated with and adapted to various therapeutic or non-therapeutic modalities. Professionals from different backgrounds, such as psychoanalytic, mindfulness-based, NLP, or hypnotherapy practitioners, can incorporate Havening into their practice while adhering to its principles.
Havening can work alongside other therapeutic approaches as a “duet”. For example, clearing encoded traumas with Havening might provide the freedom needed to then address life experiences or relationship patterns through other forms of support. Havening has also been found helpful in assisting clients to access a hypnotic, freely-associating state while they feel in control. It offers a way to move beyond solely talk-based therapy.
Self-Havening Versus Professional Help
There is a significant place for Havening for self-care and self-development. Self-Havening involves the client applying the touch themselves, following instructions. It can be learned and used effectively by individuals who are not professionals. Self-Havening is appropriate for everyday stress, building resilience and positivity, relieving present moment emotional distress, and potentially addressing basic anxiety triggers. It can be used in families and schools.
However, for depotentiating encoded trauma or dealing with “really heavy duty stuff”, it is recommended to work with a certified practitioner or a mental health professional. Facilitated Havening, where the practitioner guides and may apply touch, is considered potentially more powerful. Complex issues, including dissociative issues or severe anxiety disorders that interfere significantly with life functioning, require the skill and experience of a qualified mental health professional, regardless of the tool used. If self-help techniques for anxiety have not been sufficient and problems interfere with success in relationships, work, or within oneself, seeking professional help is advisable. Seeking professional help can be an act of compassion and courage.
Summary Havening for Anxiety: Havening Techniques are suggested for anxiety rooted in trauma and amygdala activation, such as panic attacks, phobias, and PTSD, offering a method to depotentiate encoded emotional experiences. It is viewed as a versatile tool that can be integrated effectively with various other therapeutic approaches. Self-Havening is a valuable tool for everyday stress management and building resilience, while addressing encoded trauma and complex anxiety issues is best done with a certified practitioner or qualified mental health professional.