Welcome to the Havening Techniques® The Havening Techniques are a rapid, gentle and effective approach for helping people overcome anxiety-based problems. Distressing feelings such as intermittent panic, stress from trauma, chronic pain, fears, depression, addictions and other related issues are amenable to Havening. In addition, Havening Touch helps develop states of emotional wellbeing and resiliency. Exciting discoveries in the mind /body interface are producing new and profound changes in our thinking and practice. Until recently there are three pillars that are utilized to treat disease and create resilience. The pillars are surgical intervention, medications and psychotherapeutics. These concepts have helped millions of people and saved untold lives. With the advent of sophisticated instruments, scientists are now able to begin to peer into the unbelievably complex world of the brain and for the first time see activity in real-time. The Havening Techniques utilizes this information to develop protocols that allow for the internal regulation of our systems without the introduction of external measures. A fourth pillar. The brain is an electro-chemical-magnetic organ. Pharmaceuticals address the chemical imbalance and as long as the drug is in the system its’ effects are present. Havening harnesses the electrical side and through a simple protocol introduces delta waves into the mind/body system. Delta waves are very special in that they are normally absent during the awake hours and are primarily present during sleep when thoughts are stored. The mind/body holds memories. Sometimes these memories create symptoms and the use of an electroceutical (something that causes an effect due to an electrical wave) is able to alter those encoded ideas and remove their effect from our system. This removal changes both the underlying stressor and the individual’s response.
Much of our hardwired responsiveness is connected to the fundamental law of life….survive. It is this ancient dictum that drives behaviour. The brain/mind/body needs to accurately and rapidly respond to threats. This flight or fight paradigm is a whole-body experience which includes activating both sympathetic and parasympathetic systems.
In regards to a response being rapid, a few moments may mean the difference between life and death. The brain has taken into account efficiency and has developed pathways that respond automatically to certain circumstances both experienced and inherent. They require little cortical input and produce significant physiological change. It is here that the origins of health, wellness and disease lie. These “synaptically” encoded pathways are the alert system that keeps us safe. They are useful when needed, however, when there is a failure to shut down these potentiated neurons the organism is stressed as needless energy is exerted and thus depletes resiliency. Since sensory input is active on going process there must be a biological way to highlight those events and stimuli that are significant and those that are mundane and unimportant. This is accomplished by the limbic system in communication within networks throughout the brain. The thalamus, amygdala, hippocampus, basal ganglia, the striatum and other subcortical bodies direct action and behaviour. Specifically, the lateral amygdala is primed to receive input from the thalamus through neurons that connect to glutamate receptors. These glutamate receptors (excitatory in nature) termed AMPA receptors have a high degree of specificity and are activated upon thalamic stimulation. It is here that a response to sensory input occurs.
The encoding of the AMPA receptor on the lateral nucleus of the amygdala requires four elements. These are
1) The event; must be highly emotional for the individual
2) The meaning; the event must contain a significant degree of attachment for that individual
3) The underlying landscape; the brain has a bias that is a prism for interpretation
4) Inescapability; the event must feel inescapable even for a moment.
Once these criteria are met the receptor is stabilized on the surface of the membrane and available to create rapid, accurate, downstream activity without the capacity to downregulate sensitivity or modulate responsiveness. It is as if a light is on and cannot be turned off.
1) Event Havening; this is where the emotional component of the initial sensitizing event is removed
2) Transpirational Havening; this is where specific emotions can be gathered together and removed. i.e. anger
3) Outcome Havening; this is where the narrative of a previously remembered event is altered
4) Iffirmational Havening; this is where an abstract idea can be introduced with minimal distress
5) Hopeful Havening; This is where the individual introduces hope into their system
6) Affirmational Havening; this is where positive affirmations are encoded in the individuals mind.
7) Role Havening; this is where the facilitator takes on the persona of the individuals focus of concern.
Havening Touch is applied to the hands, shoulders and face. This touch, either self-applied or carried out by a facilitator, introduces these slow-wave currents (delta) that affect different parts of the brain changing their structure and function. Interestingly, the client can self-haven when in between sessions and gives the client a sense of self-care. The capacity to have control of one’s behaviour is empowering. Touch, the most ancient language is resurrected to a proper status with a new vocabulary for healing and health. Havening is a highly effective approach to optimal performance for individuals and companies.
Let’s begin the conversation today with a Free Consultation Call: