Havening Techniques®

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Havening is based on the understanding that emotionally significant experiences can become encoded in the brain along with the emotional and physical responses that occurred at the time.

During Havening, the distressing memory, fear, or situation is briefly activated while Havening Touch® is applied to the arms, hands, or face. This gentle sensory input is intended to create changes in the brain that allow the emotional response associated with the memory to be altered.

The proposed neurological mechanism involves a process called depotentiation, in which the strength of the neural connection between the trigger or memory and its emotional response is reduced. Havening Touch® is also associated with the production of slow delta brain waves, which are believed to play a role in this process.

In practical terms, something that once immediately triggered fear, panic, anxiety, shame, or another intense response may no longer produce that same reaction. The experience has not changed—but the brain's response to it can.

Fear of dental or medical procedures can range from mild anticipatory anxiety to intense fear that makes it difficult to schedule, attend, or complete needed care. For some people, the reaction is connected to a previous painful or frightening experience. For others, the fear may involve needles, pain, anesthesia, loss of control, medical environments, or anticipation of what might happen.

Havening Techniques® can be used to address an existing dental or medical fear by reducing the emotional response associated with the feared situation or a previous experience.

Havening can also be used before an upcoming dental or medical procedure. Pre-procedure Havening can focus on reducing anticipatory anxiety, helping the person approach the procedure without the same level of fear or physical distress.

For individuals who have avoided dental or medical care because of fear, reducing that emotional response may make it easier to receive necessary care.

Havening can also be used prior to surgery, including joint replacement, reconstructive surgery, dental surgery, and other medical procedures. 

Children and teens do not always have the words to explain why something feels frightening or overwhelming. They may know that they are afraid but have difficulty talking about the experience—or understand that something is safe while their brain and body continue to react with fear.

Havening Techniques® can be adapted to a child's or teen's age, developmental level, and comfort. The process does not require a young person to provide a detailed verbal account of a distressing experience in order to work with the emotional response connected to it.

Havening may be incorporated into therapy for fears, anxiety, distressing experiences, medical or dental fears, school-related anxiety, performance anxiety, and other situations that trigger a strong emotional or physical response.

As with adults, children and teens can learn to use Havening Touch® themselves, giving them a technique they can use outside of the therapy office when appropriate.

Kristin A. Krippa, MA, LPA, HSP-PA, ICST-P, RST-C/T is a Certified Havening Techniques® Practitioner with more than 30 years of experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and families.

As a licensed psychological associate, Kristin integrates Havening Techniques® into psychotherapy when appropriate rather than approaching every concern with the same treatment method. Havening may be used on its own during a portion of a session or combined with other therapeutic approaches based on the individual, the concern being addressed, and treatment goals.

An important part of Havening is helping clients understand what they are experiencing and remain comfortable with the process. Havening Touch® can be self-applied, so clients are never required to receive touch from the practitioner in order to use the technique.

 For some people, understanding why they are anxious or afraid does not change the way their brain and body respond. They may know that a situation is safe, recognize that a traumatic event happened in the past, or understand that their fear is disproportionate—yet still experience an immediate emotional and physical reaction.

Havening Techniques® offer another way of working with that response. Instead of relying solely on talking about an experience or learning strategies to manage the distress when it occurs, Havening is designed to change the connection between the trigger and the emotional response itself.

Havening can be particularly useful when a specific memory, fear, or situation can be identified, but it can also be incorporated into broader psychotherapy when concerns are more complex.

Because treatment is individualized, Havening is not automatically used with every client. We consider the person's history, symptoms, comfort level, and treatment goals when determining whether Havening may be an appropriate part of therapy.