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The Havening Technique

What is the Havening Technique?

The Havening Technique is a gentle, science-based approach to healing emotional pain, stress, and trauma. By using soothing touch on the face, arms, or hands, along with guided mental exercises, it helps the brain release the emotional impact of traumatic memories. 

This process creates a sense of safety and calm, allowing the mind to "re-code" distressing experiences and reduce their hold over our emotions.

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Developed by Dr. Ronald Ruden, a neuroscientist and medical doctor, along with his brother Dr. Steven Ruden, the Havening Technique is rooted in the latest research on how the brain processes trauma. It is an effective tool for relieving anxiety, fear, and emotional distress, helping individuals feel more empowered and at peace. Paul McKenna, the well-known hypnotherapist and personal development expert, has called Havening a "powerful psycho-sensory process designed for emotional healing."

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How does it work?

 

  • Mechanism: Havening, or "Havening Techniques," uses gentle touch on the arms, face, or hands, along with visualization and positive affirmations. This creates a "safe haven" for the mind, thus reducing the stress response.

  • Goal: It aims to remove traumatic memories and distress by altering the way the brain processes them, through a mechanism called amygdala depotentiation.

  • Process: By stimulating electrochemical changes in the brain, Havening can reduce the emotional intensity of memories, leading to a sense of calm and safety.

  • Roots: Havening is based on neuroscience, specifically how sensory input can reduce the power of traumatic memories by altering brain chemistry.

Therapeutic Applications of Havening

Havening has been successfully applied in a wide range of therapeutic areas, including:

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  • Treating phobias

  • Managing chronic pain

  • Removing emotional responses to distressing memories (e.g., broken relationships, shocking news, loss, embarrassment)

  • Addressing emotional responses from natural disasters, traumatic events (e.g., assault, rape, abuse, crime), and experiences of war

  • Reducing anger responses

  • Easing fear of abandonment

  • Helping people release grief

  • Removing unhelpful feelings such as stress, frustration, and upset

  • Treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

  • Managing panic attacks

  • Weight release

 

…and more!

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