Trauma

Psychosensory therapy: what is can do for you.

by John Nolan
26th December 202426th February 2025

Psychosensory therapy involves applying non-specific sensory input to generate an extrasensory response to effect a beneficial change within the brain, either transiently or permanently. This type of therapy is distinct from talk therapy (psychotherapy) and drug therapy (psychopharmacology). The active ingredient in psychosensory therapy is called an “electroceutical”, which is anything that employs electrical stimulation… Read More »Psychosensory therapy: what is can do for you.

The amygdala and trauma: understanding what your brain is doing leading to roots for your recovery.

by John Nolan
25th December 202427th February 2025

The amygdala plays a central role in the experience of psychological trauma. It is a part of the limbic system, which is responsible for survival-based responses to threat. The amygdala is primarily involved in processing emotions, especially fear and anxiety, and it is critical for generating emotional and physiological responses to stimuli. Here is a… Read More »The amygdala and trauma: understanding what your brain is doing leading to roots for your recovery.

what is havening techniques

by John Nolan
20th December 202416th April 2025

Havening Techniques® are a psychosensory treatment that uses touch to help with a variety of emotional and mental health issues. The techniques are rooted in neuroscience and are designed to be a gentle and effective self-help tool. How Havening Works: Havening uses a soothing touch, typically on the upper arms, palms, and around the eyes,… Read More »what is havening techniques

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

by John Nolan
6th December 202426th January 2025

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… Read More »Using Havening To Reduce the Impact of Trauma, Anxiety and Stress

The Connection Between Trauma and Anxiety

by John Nolan
5th December 202425th December 2024

Trauma can lead to several physiological changes, such as changes in brain wave patterns and an increase in stress hormone activity. These changes are the result of the brain’s attempt to protect itself from further harm. However, they can also lead to several problems, including anxiety. Trauma changes the way a person experiences the world.… Read More »The Connection Between Trauma and Anxiety

How to Help Yourself When you’re triggered

by John Nolan
12th August 20194th March 2025

You can probably think of an occasion where the feelings you were experiencing at a particular moment were stronger, more intense than the situation really deserved. Something from your past had been awakened or ‘triggered’. Sometimes people are aware of what these memories are; sometimes they just experience the emotional charge from the past event.… Read More »How to Help Yourself When you’re triggered

Rewiring the Anxious Brain: Techniques and the Role of the Havening Therapist14th May 2025
Rewiring the anxious brain leverages the brain's capacity for neuroplasticity to change its responses to anxiety. Anxiety is understood to involve the amygdala and cortex pathways. Techniques targeting the amygdala, such as exposure therapy, relaxation, exercise, and Havening, aim to modify emotional memories and threat responses through experience and direct neurological intervention. Techniques targeting the cortex, like cognitive restructuring and mindfulness, focus on changing anxious thoughts, interpretations, and awareness. Other approaches such as NLP, SFBT, Hypnotherapy, and Neurofeedback also contribute to this process by addressing subconscious factors, promoting solution-focused thinking, conditioning relaxation responses, or directly altering brainwave patterns. A Havening therapist is particularly integral to this process by facilitating amygdala depotentiation through techniques like Havening and guiding clients in self-practices such as CPR for the Amygdala, enabling effective and controlled healing of trauma and building resilience. The goal is to build new neural pathways that resist anxiety and allow individuals to live more fully according to their values.
Reasons for Professionals and Senior Management Seeking Private Anxiety Treatment13th May 2025
Many professional people and senior management seek anxiety treatment, often in private settings, due to the severe impact anxiety has on their careers, performance, and relationships. They may seek effective and tailored solutions beyond temporary symptom relief, favouring approaches that focus on performance, well-being, and client control. Stigma, embarrassment, and the need for privacy to address what can feel like a secret problem are significant motivators for choosing private treatment. They may also be looking for alternative approaches if previous attempts at managing anxiety, particularly through avoidance, have proven costly and ineffective.
An Exploration of Havening Techniques for Anxiety12th May 2025
Havening Techniques for anxiety are a psychosensory treatment using touch to generate delta waves in the brain, which is understood to depotentiate distress encoded in the amygdala. Practitioners guide clients through Havening Touch or Self-Havening, working with issues like panic attacks, phobias, stress, and trauma. A key benefit is the ability to work content-free, meaning clients do not need to verbally disclose details of distressing events. Havening acts as a valuable addition to existing therapeutic toolkits, potentially enhancing the effectiveness of other modalities. It is seen as surpassing traditional anxiety treatments in its described speed, efficacy, and gentleness, allowing clients to process difficult experiences without re-traumatisation. The real-time results and focus on underlying neurological processes are highlighted as particular strengths. While still gaining wider recognition, practitioners find it transforms their practise and provides a powerful self-care tool.
Coaching for Depression11th May 2025
This report has examined coaching for depression, drawing on principles and techniques found in various therapeutic modalities. Coaching-informed approaches differ from traditional therapy by focusing on solutions and positive emotions rather than problems, viewing the client as the expert rather than the therapist, and emphasising possibilities over impossibilities. Potential advantages include building confidence, fostering hope, and promoting action-oriented strategies. For clients, coaching can be preferable due to feeling more understood, empowered, and less blamed. Practitioners may benefit from a more collaborative role and the fulfillment of helping clients achieve lasting positive change. A critical element in coaching for depression is the constant monitoring of progress, often done through scaling questions, tracking goal achievement, and regular check-ins to identify what is better. Key techniques include using positive focus, finding exceptions, externalising problems, challenging negative thoughts, setting SMART goals, and promoting behavioral activation.
Comparing Havening Techniques and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Mental Wellbeing9th May 2025
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and its variants like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) are established psychological approaches that address anxiety, depression, stress, and trauma by focusing on changing thoughts, behaviours, and responses to internal states. CBT often involves techniques like exposure therapy and thought records, aiming to modify reactions that interfere with life goals. While self-help resources exist for CBT, professional guidance is recommended for complex issues and challenging techniques.Havening Techniques are a newer psychosensory modality that targets the neurobiological encoding of distress, particularly in the amygdala. It involves gentle touch (self-applied or by a practitioner) and aims to depotentiate traumatic memories and reduce stress quickly and effectively. Havening can be used content-free and integrates well with other therapies. It is effective for anxiety, stress, and trauma, helping to provide a sense of safety and facilitating shifts in perception. Self-Havening is a valuable tool for self-care, stress reduction, and building resilience, but professionals are necessary for treating significant or complex trauma. Both approaches offer distinct pathways to support mental wellbeing, with professional guidance being crucial for more severe or complex challenges.