Havening

Havening Techniques, sometimes referred to as Delta Wave Techniques, is a brief psychosensory approach developed by Dr Ronald Ruden. The name 'Havening' is derived from the word 'haven' and means to put in a safe place. It seeks to use the electrical system of the brain to de-encode distressing memories and implant new, more positive views of our world and ourselves. The process starts with memory recall which is followed by patterns of touch, distraction techniques, visualization and other interventions. This process is speculated to generate a delta wave in the brain which acts like an electroceutical, that is, it has biological activity. Havening is also felt to alter the electrochemical landscape by depotentiation (removal) of synaptic pathways.

Havening Techniques claims to help reduce fear, anger, pathological guilt, shame and a host of other negative emotions. The mechanism by which Havening works is hypothesized to be the removal AMPA receptors on the post-synaptic thalamo --> amygdala pathway. Havening Techniques, when successful, allows the memory of a difficult event to be recalled but without triggering feelings or unwanted physiological response.

Havening Techniques typically start by prompting a client to bring to their awareness a difficult experience or emotion and measure it using a Subjective units of distress scale by rating the emotional intensity from 0- 10. At this point, Havening Touch is applied wherein a client or their therapist gently and rhythmically strokes the clients shoulders and arms while leading them through pleasant psychological distraction techniques such as getting them to imagine walking on a beach while counting down from 20 to 1. This process is typically repeated till the SUD is zero or further decrements no longer follow a round of Havening. If an SUD of zero is reached, the client is debriefed about what remains in recalled memory.

Havening Touch involves using gentle touch such as rhythmically stroking the shoulders and arms. It is claimed that gentle touch generates delta waves in the brain similar to those present in deep sleep. Its therapeutic power derives from evolutionary biology, where such waves may be a signal to a newborn baby that they have not been abandoned and are safe.

In a study conducted by the Academic Department of Military Mental Health at Kings College London with twenty-seven participants, a single-session of Havening proved efficacious in reducing self-reported symptoms of depression, anxiety and impaired occupational functioning.

Techniques of Havening arose from treatments such as Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, Thought Field Therapy (described by the American Psychological Association as "lack(ing) a scientific basis.") and Emotional Freedom Technique (which has been shown to have no effect beyond placebo).

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