habit

Effective Strategies for Habit Change

by John Nolan
17th February 2025

Effective habit change involves a combination of understanding behaviour, setting clear goals, and applying targeted strategies to disrupt old patterns and establish new ones. ACT, Solution-Focused Therapy, and the Tiny Habits method provide complementary approaches that address different aspects of habit change. Key strategies include taking action, counter-conditioning, values clarification, mindfulness, starting small, using anchor moments, and managing prompts and motivation.

How Havening Technique for Anxiety Impacts Brain and Mind Processes

by John Nolan
5th February 2025

Havening technique for anxiety works on multiple levels to reduce the impact of anxiety on the brain and mind. It primarily targets the amygdala to reduce activation and depotentiate traumatic memories, while also engaging the cortex to change negative thought patterns and promote mindfulness. Additionally, Havening supports the regulation of neurochemicals, encourages positive emotions, breaks patterns of avoidance, and enhances overall psychological well-being. By combining neurological and psychological approaches, Havening provides a comprehensive method for overcoming anxiety.

The Contribution of a Stress Therapist in an Organisation9th March 2025
In an organisational setting, the role might lean more towards that of a stress therapist, addressing general workplace pressures and promoting well-being for a broader range of employees. However, they would still need to be equipped to recognise and provide initial support for individuals experiencing significant anxiety. They might also refer employees with diagnosed anxiety disorders to specialist anxiety therapists either within or outside the organisation.
Understanding Somatic Flashbacks and Their Neurological Basis8th March 2025
Somatic flashbacks are the re-experiencing of physical sensations linked to past trauma, often occurring without a full narrative memory. Neurologically, they involve heightened activity in the right brain hemisphere and limbic areas, while areas responsible for logical processing, verbalisation, and sensory integration may be deactivated. Flashbacks can arise due to the way traumatic memories are encoded and stored in the brain, particularly in the amygdala and hippocampus, and can be triggered by sensory reminders. They impact the brain by reinforcing trauma-related neural pathways and disrupting normal cognitive and emotional processing. Strategies to reduce their severity and frequency include grounding techniques, mindfulness, various psychotherapies like SFBT, ACT, Havening, and EMDR, as well as somatic approaches and self-compassion practices.
Understanding Havening: A Novel Approach to Anxiety Relief8th March 2025
Havening Techniques® is a psychosensory method using touch, attention, and imagination to create electrochemical changes in the brain, primarily leading to the depotentiation of traumatically encoded memories in the amygdala. This approach differs from traditional anxiety treatments that often focus on cognitive restructuring and symptom management by directly addressing the neurological encoding of emotional distress. Havening enhances traditional therapies by acting as an integrative and rapid tool that can break through resistance, provide content-free processing, and create a sense of safety, thereby accelerating therapeutic progress. It positively impacts mental processes such as memory processing, emotional regulation, the sense of safety, and resilience. Self-Havening empowers individuals with a tool for self-care and stress management.
The Role of a Therapist for Anxiety7th March 2025
A competent therapist for anxiety will have specialised training in treating anxiety disorders and will prioritise the establishment of a good therapeutic connection with their clients. They recognise that seeking help for anxiety is a sign of courage, not weakness.
Clean Language: Facilitating Client-Led Exploration and Change7th March 2025
Clean language is a precise communication method for therapists and coaches that prioritises the client's perspective by using ambiguous, content-minimal questions. It aims to facilitate client-led exploration of their unique experiences, particularly their metaphors and symbolism, leading to organic insights and change. While direct self-application might be difficult, the principles of self-inquiry and attention to one's own language can be beneficial. The core of clean language lies in respecting the client's model of the world and trusting their capacity for self-discovery.