Sensory Pathways to Healing: The Rise and Integration of Psychosensory Therapy

Psychosensory Therapy: A Review of Origins, Effectiveness and Integration

Psychosensory therapy represents a range of therapeutic approaches that utilise sensory input to alter mind-body states, aiming to effect beneficial changes in mental and emotional wellbeing. These therapies stand alongside traditional talk therapy and medication as a significant avenue for addressing mental health concerns.

Origins of Psychosensory Therapy

The roots of psychosensory therapy can be traced back to various historical and cultural practices. Energy Psychology (EP), a key precursor, emerged from principles found in Traditional Chinese Medicine, which involves touching acupoints along meridian channels to influence physical and emotional health. While the scientific basis of these traditional systems was not initially understood through a modern neurobiological lens, the observed effects spurred further investigation.

The development of psychosensory therapies in the modern era involves attempts to understand these effects through the framework of contemporary neuroscience. Early efforts by figures like Sigmund Freud sought to link psychological states with underlying biological processes. The more recent development of EP and related techniques represents a renewed effort to bridge the gap between mind and body in therapeutic interventions. Havening Techniques®, a specific type of psychosensory therapy, was developed through over 15 years of research aimed at clarifying the biology underpinning EP.

Increasing Effectiveness in Positive Mental Health Interventions

Psychosensory therapy is gaining recognition for its effectiveness due to its direct engagement with the neurobiological underpinnings of mental health. These approaches are believed to work by generating an extrasensory response to non-specific sensory input, leading to changes within the brain. A central concept in many psychosensory therapies, including Havening, is the use of sensory input to create delta wave activity in the brain, which has a profound impact on neuronal function.

Many of these techniques, particularly those that address traumatic memories, target the amygdala, the brain region associated with fear and emotional processing. Through specific sensory inputs, such as the Havening Touch, these therapies can facilitate synaptic depotentiation, the removal of receptors on neurons that hold traumatic memories in an active state. This process can de-link the emotional and somatic content from distressing memories, leading to a sense of detachment and a feeling of safety.

The effectiveness of psychosensory therapy is also attributed to its potential for being rapid, gentle, and often without significant side effects. Furthermore, many techniques can be self-applied, empowering individuals in their own healing process.

Different Types of Psychosensory Therapy

Psychosensory therapies encompass a diverse range of techniques that use sensory input to influence various aspects of wellbeing. These can be broadly categorised into those that activate the mind with a specific memory and those where the mind is not directed to a particular memory.

Examples of psychosensory therapies include:

• Havening Techniques® (Delta Wave Techniques): A method using gentle touch applied to the upper arms, palms, and around the eyes, often combined with distraction techniques, to depotentiate traumatic memories and promote a sense of safety. It includes various specific techniques such as Event Havening, Transpirational Havening, Affirmational Havening, Outcome Havening, Hopeful Havening, Role Havening, and Talk Transpirational Havening.
• Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT): A technique involving tapping on specific acupoints while focusing on an emotional issue.
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): A therapy using bilateral eye movements or other forms of bilateral stimulation to process traumatic memories.
• Thought Field Therapy (TFT): A set of algorithms that involve tapping on acupoints in a specific sequence to address psychological problems.
• Yoga: A practice combining physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation that influences the nervous system and emotional regulation.
• Acupuncture/Acupressure: Traditional Chinese medicine techniques involving the stimulation of specific points on the body to affect energy flow and promote healing.
• Meditation/Relaxation: Practices that focus attention and promote a state of calm, influencing brain activity and reducing stress.
• Biofeedback/Neurofeedback: Techniques that provide real-time feedback on physiological responses or brain activity to facilitate self-regulation.
• Massage Therapy: The manipulation of soft tissues to reduce muscle tension, promote relaxation, and potentially influence emotional states.

Mental Health Issues Showing Significant Improvement

Psychosensory therapy has demonstrated promising results in the treatment of a range of mental health issues, particularly those related to trauma and anxiety. Some areas where significant stepwise improvements in treatment approaches have been observed include:

• Panic Attacks: Havening Techniques, for example, are reported to be particularly effective in addressing panic attacks, as these are understood to be amygdala-based disorders.
• Phobias: Similar to panic attacks, phobias, also considered amygdala-driven, can be successfully addressed using psychosensory techniques like Havening.
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Psychosensory therapies, including Havening, EFT, and EMDR, have shown significant promise in reducing the intensity of traumatic memories and alleviating PTSD symptoms by targeting the neurobiological encoding of trauma.
• Chronic Pain: Conditions involving chronic pain, often co-encoded with trauma, have also shown responsiveness to psychosensory interventions, potentially by addressing underlying emotional components.
• Addictions: Some psychosensory approaches, including neurofeedback and Havening, are being explored for their potential in addressing cravings and supporting recovery from substance use disorders.

Integration with Future-Oriented Approaches

Psychosensory therapy aligns well with future-oriented therapeutic modalities by facilitating a shift towards desired states and empowering clients to take control of their wellbeing:

• Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT): The rapid and often noticeable positive changes facilitated by psychosensory techniques resonate with the brief and solution-focused nature of SFBT. By quickly reducing distress and clearing emotional obstacles, psychosensory therapy can enable clients to more readily identify and move towards their preferred future.
• Coaching: Psychosensory techniques like Havening can be valuable tools in coaching for managing stress, overcoming past events that hinder progress, and enhancing emotional regulation, thereby supporting clients in achieving their personal and professional goals. The focus on self-empowerment inherent in many psychosensory methods also complements the coaching philosophy.
• Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP): The emphasis in NLP on changing behaviour and mental states can be effectively augmented by the neurobiological impact of psychosensory therapy. Techniques that create a more receptive and less emotionally reactive state through sensory input can enhance the effectiveness of NLP strategies aimed at reframing experiences and establishing new patterns of thought and behaviour. The freely-associating state sometimes induced by psychosensory methods can also be conducive to the exploration of client experiences in NLP.

Summary: Psychosensory therapy, with origins in traditional practices and modern neuroscience, is increasingly effective in mental health by directly influencing neurobiological states through sensory input. Techniques like Havening, EFT, and EMDR target the amygdala and can facilitate the processing of trauma and reduce anxiety. These therapies offer rapid, gentle, and empowering approaches for issues such as panic attacks, phobias, PTSD, chronic pain, and addictions. Psychosensory therapy integrates well with future-oriented modalities like SFBT, coaching, and NLP by quickly reducing distress, fostering self-empowerment, and creating a more receptive state for change and goal achievement.