About Havening

What are Havening Techniques?

Havening Techniques are a therapeutic approach based in neuroscience that can be particularly helpful for people experiencing stress, trauma and unwanted emotions.

Havening applies gentle touch to the hands, forearms and face while focusing on specific thoughts or feelings. The gentle touch helps to slow down brainwave patterns, which calm our mind and body and send the message that we are safe. This creates space to process difficult emotions, patterns or memories more easily as we are in a calmer state and less reactive. 

The name “Havening” comes from the word “haven,” meaning a safe place. These techniques aim to create a haven or safe space for individuals as they work through and heal from challenging emotions and memories.

Havening Practitioners can apply Havening Touch to clients or clients can apply the touch themselves, through self-havening as they are guided by the Practitioner. 

How does Havening work? 

Havening harnesses the brain’s natural neuroplasticity—the capacity to change and rewire itself. 

When we experience something stressful or upsetting, our brain stores this memory in the amygdala, a key part of the brain’s emotional processing centre. If something reminds our brain of this upsetting experience, it can activate the amygdala and trigger the stressful or upsetting feelings from before.

Havening works by recalling the upsetting experience briefly to re-activate it in your amygdala. Then, we use gentle havening touch to help soothe the brain and nervous system while distracting your brain from the distress with short activities or visualisations. This allows your brain and nervous system to feel safe and reprocess the experience in the background. It also weakens or removes the connections that link the upsetting experience to feelings of distress. Essentially, it’s like editing the emotional “file” attached to a memory so that it no longer triggers a negative reaction. 

If you want a more detailed explanation, Tam Johnston's video "What is havening and how does it work" is a great 20 minute explainer you can view on YouTube here. You can also find more information at www.havening.org. 

What can Havening be useful for? 

Havening is an incredibly versatile tool that can help with a wide range of challenges. Here are a few examples of what it’s useful for: 
  • Trauma and PTSD  Havening is especially powerful for processing traumatic memories, helping to diminish the emotional charge tied to distressing events.
  • Anxiety and Stress Management Whether you’re dealing with chronic anxiety or situational stress, Havening can give you space to breathe, re-ground yourself and foster resilience and long-term emotional balance.
  • Phobias and Fears From fear of flying to social anxiety, Havening can help rewire the brain’s response to specific triggers.
  • Improving Self-Esteem By reducing negative self-beliefs and enhancing positive emotions, Havening can support personal growth and confidence.
  • Pain Management Emotional and physical pain are deeply connected, and Havening has been used to alleviate discomfort associated with chronic conditions.
  • Grief and Loss Havening can help ease the overwhelming emotions that come with losing a loved one.
  • Relationship issues Whether it’s heartbreak, conflict, or trust issues, Havening can help release emotional pain, find new perspectives, and foster healthier connections.
  • Low mood, lack of motivation If you’re feeling down or unmotivated, Havening can shift negative thought patterns, boost emotional energy, and build resilience.
  • Feeling stuck When you’re struggling to move forward or feel stagnant, Havening can help clear mental blocks and open the door to new possibilities.
  • Overwhelm- If it's feeling like there's too much to manage, Havening can provide a calming reset, helping you regain clarity, balance, and a sense of control.

I don't like other people touching me! Can Havening still work?  

No worries! And yes, Havening still works through self-havening, where you apply the touch yourself while being guided by a Havening Practitioner. 

Is Havening permanent? 

Although it can't be guaranteed, in most cases Havening is permanent. If symptoms reoccur, there is usually another underlying issue which now has space to surface and needs further work to be resolved. It is common for bigger issues to have a few different layers to unravel, which may need multiple sessions to process. 

How long is a Havening session?  

Havening sessions are usually 45-60 minutes long, depending on the presenting issue. Some more complex issues may need slightly longer sessions. 

How many sessions are needed?  

For single, stand-alone issues, one session of Havening may be all that is needed.

The amount and regularity of sessions will depend on the complexity of the particular issue you'd like to work on. I generally recommend starting with 3-5 sessions and taking it from there.

How much does a Havening session cost?

Individual sessions are $115 including GST. I also offer a 3 session bundle for $276 and a 5 session bundle for $460. 

Havening research 

Research is still emerging on Havening Techniques. Some research papers and clinical studies include: