Havening Technique
The Havening Technique is an alternative therapy that uses touch, eye movements, and other sensory input. It aims to reduce stress, anxiety, and discomfort.
The developers originally called it amygdala therapy because they believed it changed how the amygdala of the brain processes emotions. They claimed the technique creates an internal safe haven, allowing a person to reprocess and eventually escape emotional and physical pain.
A person can self-sooth using the Haven technique, which means you can perform the technique on yourself or have someone do it for you.
How to
The Havening Technique helps a person cope with stress, trauma, anxiety, and physical pain. The practice requires a lot self-compassion, kindness, and self-care.
Self-soothe using the Havening Technique:
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- While rubbing your arms and shoulders, breathe calmly and say aloud, “calm and relax,” for 1–2 minutes.
- Envision a peaceful scene. Stroke the top of your forehead, then move the hands down to either side of the face in slow, gentle strokes. Like you would to someone you cared for.
- Rub your arms and shoulders and breathe deeply. Slow your breath.
- Rub your palms together. Start with downward arm rubs, then gently stroke the palm of one hand with the other in an alternating back and forth motion.
- Envision self-compassion and loving kindness as a color. Perform the arm/shoulder rub technique while picturing this color covering the body. Continue with downward forehead and face rubs, then continue to stroke the palms of the hands, cycling through these three motions while picturing the color of loving kindness.
- Repeat as necessary.
