Havening

Havening is a gentle, touch-based psycho-sensory technique designed to help release the impact of past traumas, stressful memories, and unhelpful emotions. The word “Havening” comes from the idea of creating a safe haven in both the body and mind — a space of calm where healing can take place.

Developed by Dr. Ronald Ruden in the early 2000s, Havening was built on decades of neuroscience research into how the brain encodes and stores distressing experiences. When a traumatic memory is activated, the amygdala (the brain’s emotional alarm system) triggers stress responses that can leave us feeling “stuck” in fear, anxiety, or overwhelm.

Through the soothing application of touch on the arms, hands, or face, Havening helps to generate delta brain waves — the same slow-wave patterns that occur naturally during deep, restorative sleep. This calms the nervous system and allows the brain to re-encode the memory in a less distressing way. In simple terms, Havening helps “unhook” the emotional charge from the memory, freeing you to feel lighter, calmer, and more resilient.

What Havening is used for:

• Reducing stress and anxiety
• Supporting recovery from trauma and PTSD
• Letting go of phobias or fears
• Managing anger and emotional overwhelm
• Building confidence and self-esteem
• Overcoming limiting beliefs and intrusive thoughts
• Promoting relaxation and emotional resilience

I often integrate Havening with other energy and psycho-sensory therapies such as EFT, Hypnosis, NLP, Reiki, and Sound Healing. This combination allows for deep transformation while also creating a nurturing, safe environment where change feels both possible and supported.