Havening

I recently read Ronald Ruden's book, When The Past Is Always Present. In it, he makes the case for a technique called havening as a means of modifying traumatic memories and treating PTSD symptoms. I didn't fully drink the havening kool-aid - more research is definitely needed - but I still think it's a reasonable technique to add to the toolbox given what scientists know about how traumatic memories are formed and modified. It also aligns well with neurobiological research on how "affective" touch can influence feelings of safety and well-being.

Havening is considered a "psychosensory" technique, meaning that it uses sensory input as a means of influencing psychological health - in this case, using soothing touch and distracting auditory and visual input to block, and ultimately "undo," a traumatic response to triggering stimuli. My guess is, like many of the somatic techniques, there are specific situations and people in which it might be most helpful.

It's a three phase process. First you activate the traumatic memory - ideally the emotional and/or somatic core of it. Next, you apply a specific form of soothing touch which helps to calm the body's automatic fear response and trick the brain into thinking a safe "haven" has been found. Finally you (or your therapist) engage your brain in a variety of distracting tasks as a means of basically overloading your working memory thereby preventing the trigger --> traumatic response pattern from occurring. The end result is (ideally) a de-linking of a memory from the painful emotional and/or somatic response it typically triggers.

Here are the specifics (according to Rudin):

1. Think of a traumatic memory you want to work on. Ideally, discuss with your therapist in advance so you can find the emotional core of the trauma.

2. If you're doing this on your own, once you've decided you're ready, set a timer for 30 seconds. (Please don't do it on your own until you've gone through it with your therapist first.)

3. Activate the emotional core of the traumatic memory. Really try to bring it back as vividly as possible, with attention to external and internal sensory details. Play the movie in your brain, but also feel it in your body. Dip your toe in deep. It won't have to stay in for long.

4. When the timer goes off, rate your "subjective unit of distress" (SUD), which means answering the question: "on a scale from 0-10, where 0 is the calmest you can imagine being and 10 is the highest distress you can imagine, how do you feel now?" _____

5. Now comes the havening touch. This should be individualized to what feels comforting to you. For many, slow stroking down the shoulder/upper arm is a good one - you can cross your arms in a sort of self-hug and then alternate between left and right sides. For others, facial massage is most soothing (see images below). If you've had success with tapping/EFT, that can be used here too. The goal is to activate a sense of calm safety. If you already know what self-soothing strategies do that for you, that's great! Use them here!

6. Distraction time. Now, while continuing to apply the havening touch, it's time to tax your working memory. First, close your eyes and imagine walking up a flight of stairs, counting aloud with each step. Imagine that with each step the distress lessens and you feel more safe and calm. Once you have reached 20, hum the song Row Row Row Your Boat for two rounds, while continuing the havening touch. When finished, take a deep breath and open your eyes and look to the right and left. Close your eyes, inhale deeply, and slowly exhale. Continue arm havening.

7. Rate your SUD again.

8. If SUD remains elevated, repeat steps 2-7. You can use a different type of havening touch or different visual or auditory distractions for variety.

9. Continue until you reach 0 or SUD score remains stable after two additional rounds.

Havening touch can be used for self-soothing in many contexts. But if you decide to experiment with this technique specifically to process traumatic memories, you should do so first with your therapist. Step 3 can land you back in a #flashback right quick, and there's no benefit in you getting stuck there without support or an escape route - that just reinforces the trauma response. Also, there are definitely ways in which this technique can be modified while still aligning with the underlying science - the basic steps are activating the distressing memory, applying soothing touch, and taxing multiple forms of working memory - the exact way you accomplish those goals shouldn't matter, so modify the technique in the ways that work for you.