Using Havening To Reduce the Impact of Trauma, Anxiety and Stress

Havening Techniques® (also known as Delta Wave Techniques) are a type of psychosensory therapy that uses sensory input, specifically touch, to alter the mind and body. Havening can be used to treat a variety of conditions, including trauma, anxiety, stress, phobias, chronic pain, and addiction.

The Havening touch works by sending signals to the brain that reduce the impact of physical and emotional  pain and stress. This creates a sense of safety and well-being that allows the brain to heal.

How Havening Works

Havening works by disrupting the way traumatic memories are encoded in the brain. When a person experiences a traumatic event, the amygdala (the part of the brain that processes fear and emotion) becomes highly activated. This leads to the release of stress hormones, which can interfere with the hippocampus’s ability to encode memories properly. As a result, traumatic memories are often fragmented, difficult to recall linearly, and feel as if they are happening in the present moment.

Havening helps to disrupt this process by activating the amygdala through recall of the traumatic event and then applying the havening touch. The touch creates a sense of safety that allows the brain to reprocess the memory in a less traumatic way. This can lead to a reduction in the emotional intensity of the memory, making it less likely to trigger anxiety and other negative symptoms.

Havening Techniques

There are a number of different havening techniques, each of which is designed to address a specific type of problem. Some of the most common techniques include:

• Event Havening: This technique is used to treat specific traumatic events. It involves recalling the event and then applying the havening touch while performing simple distracting tasks. Event Havening is often used to treat PTSD and phobias.
• Transpirational Havening: This technique is used to diffuse chronic emotional states, such as anger, guilt, or shame. It involves chanting the emotion that is being experienced while applying the havening touch. Transpirational Havening allows memories associated with the specific emotion to come into conscious awareness and then be ‘transpired’, allowing for their removal.
• Affirmational Havening: This technique is used to promote positive feelings and beliefs. It involves chanting positive affirmations while applying the havening touch. Affirmational Havening is often used to increase resilience and self-esteem.
• Outcome Havening: This technique is used to change the outcome of a recalled event. For example, it might be used to help someone imagine a more positive outcome to a traumatic event that has already happened. Outcome Havening allows for the ‘implantation’ of new outcomes to replace the original memory of the traumatic event.
• Hopeful Havening: This technique is often used at the end of a havening session. It involves chanting the word “hopeful” while applying the havening touch.

Benefits of Havening

Havening has been shown to be effective in treating a variety of conditions, including trauma, anxiety, and stress. It is a gentle, non-invasive therapy that can be self-applied or administered by a trained practitioner. Some of the benefits of havening include:

• Reduced anxiety and stress: Havening can help to reduce the activity of the amygdala, which is responsible for the fear response. This can lead to a reduction in anxiety and stress symptoms.
• Improved sleep: Havening can help to improve sleep quality by reducing anxiety and promoting relaxation.
• Increased resilience: Havening can help to increase resilience to stress by strengthening the connection between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain responsible for planning and decision-making).
• Reduced pain: Havening has been shown to be effective in reducing pain, both physical and emotional.
• Improved mood: Havening can help to improve mood by reducing anxiety, stress, and pain.

Using Havening With Other Therapies

Havening can be used as a stand-alone therapy or in conjunction with other therapies, such as Acceptance and Commitment  therapy (ACT), Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Solution Focused Therapy (SFY)  and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR).

How Havening Can Address the Cycle of Trauma and Anxiety

As discussed above, trauma and anxiety can create a vicious cycle. Havening can help to break this cycle by reducing the emotional intensity of traumatic memories, which in turn, can reduce anxiety and make it easier to cope with stress. With reduced anxiety and stress, people who have experienced trauma can engage more fully in their lives, reducing isolation and avoidance behaviours, both of which can exacerbate the effects of trauma.

Conclusion

Havening is a promising new therapy that has the potential to help people heal from trauma, anxiety, and stress. It is a safe, effective, and relatively quick treatment that can be used to address a variety of issues.