When a person experiences a traumatic event, the Amygdala deep in the brain produces high frequency brain waves - gamma waves - as a fight, flight or freeze response.

These high frequency gamma waves stimulate a chemical reaction in brain nerve cells that creates a chemical ‘glue’ called glutamate. This forms a permanent bond at the synaptic nerve junction, effectively ‘hard wiring’ the automatic responses and the activation of powerful emotions and physical symptoms. 

This is called encoding or potentiation.

A person can then be ‘triggered’ at a later date by memories of similar experiences. This re-activates the hard wiring or neural pathway. This causes ongoing emotional and physical responses such as anxiety, phobias, PTSD,

(Post Traumatic Stress) and other emotional neurological symptoms.

Electroencephalogram (EEG) studies show that using sensory stimulation (touch) on certain areas of the body - face, arms and hands - creates low frequency brain waves called Delta waves.

These Delta waves (slow frequency we experience during deep sleep and relaxation causing healing) create a chemical reaction producing phosphatase in the brain nerve cells that ‘de-potentiates’ or dissolves the permanent bond.

This then disrupts the permanent neural pathway created during the traumatic event, so the automatic emotional and physical trauma responses can no longer occur.

Although a person will always remember the traumatic event, they will no longer have the encoded reactions to this memory.

Havening (Amygdala depotentiation) is a revolutionary new PSYCHO-SENSORY technique, a little like EMDR, developed over the last twenty years in New York (USA) by doctors, Dr Ronald Ruden - physician and neuroscientist, and Dr Steven Ruden.

Not only does Havening yield impressive results in trauma therapy, it is also widely used in many other areas of therapy and coaching – ranging from psychology, psychiatry, general medical, psychotherapy, hypnotherapy, NPL, social work, business and sports coaching.

See the Science papers for detailed scientific information.

Modern neuroscience is making great changes to the way we help people to move past traumatic experiences and negative mind states than can significantly affect the quality of daily living.

Therapy using Havening Techniques is a safe, quick and compassionate way to heal many anxiety and trauma based disorders by using sensory touch, and without needing to talk about the traumatic event.