Havening: The Complete Guide to Havening Techniques, Self-Havening and the Evidence

Havening, or the Havening Techniques®, is a psychosensory method developed by Dr Ronald Ruden and Dr Steven Ruden. You recall a distressing memory or feeling while gentle, repeated touch is applied to the upper arms, palms and face, and simple distraction tasks occupy the mind. It aims to reduce distress, but the evidence is still small and early.

Mind and body · Helps with: stress, anxiety, phobias, distressing memories

Last updated: 23 October 2026

Reading time: about 30 minutes

How we wrote this guide: every research claim below links to the original study, its DOI or an official record. We separate what the research shows from what the developers claim, and we say plainly where the evidence is thin.

Quick answer: does Havening work?

• It might help some people feel less distressed, but nobody can say for sure yet. The published studies are small, mostly uncontrolled or non-randomised, and many involve the method’s developers or promoters (Thandi et al., 2015; Hodgson et al., 2021).
• The touch itself may add something. In one small study of 24 adults, distress dropped further with Havening Touch than without it (Sumich et al., 2022).
• One randomised trial found no benefit. Havening did not improve pain, opioid use or hospital stay after knee or hip replacement (Cizmic et al., 2018).
• The brain theory is unproven. The idea that the touch makes delta waves that “delink” emotion from memory in the amygdala is a hypothesis, not an established mechanism (Ruden, 2019; Jeram Patel et al., 2026).
• Self-havening is gentle and low-cost for everyday stress. For PTSD or serious trauma, NICE recommends trauma-focused therapies such as trauma-focused CBT and EMDR (NICE NG116). Havening is not on that list.

Contents

1. What is Havening?
2. Where Havening came from
   • The amygdala depotentiation theory
   • The delta-wave claim
3. How Havening works in practice
   • Havening Touch
   • Why distraction matters
4. The main Havening techniques
   • Event Havening
   • Transpirational Havening
   • Outcome Havening
   • Affirmational Havening
5. How to self-haven: a step-by-step script
6. What is Havening used for?
7. What does the evidence say?
   • The studies at a glance
   • What the research can and can’t tell us
8. Havening vs EFT vs EMDR
9. Paul McKenna and Havening in the UK
10. Finding a certified Havening practitioner
    • Costs, training and certification
11. Criticisms and limitations
12. Safety and when to seek support
13. Watch, listen and follow
14. Frequently asked questions
15. Key takeaways
16. Sources

What Is Havening?

Havening is a structured technique that pairs touch with attention. You, or a trained practitioner, bring a distressing memory, emotion or worry to mind. Then the practitioner (or you) slowly strokes the upper arms, palms and face while your mind is kept busy with simple distraction tasks, such as counting, humming a tune or picturing a walk along a beach. You rate your distress from 0 to 10 before and after each round. Rounds are repeated until the number drops.

The developers call it a psychosensory therapy: a method that uses the senses, in this case touch, to change how you feel. The official name is Havening Techniques®, and the touch is Havening Touch®. Both are registered trademarks of Ronald Ruden, MD, PhD. The method is overseen by the Center for Havening Research and Training, a US non-profit based in New York (havening.org). The organisation also uses the name “Delta Techniques™”, after the brain waves it believes the touch produces (Havening Touch®).

The word “haven” means a safe place. The idea is that soothing touch, like a parent comforting a child, sends the brain a strong signal of safety at the very moment a painful memory is active.

Havening at a Glance

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Where Havening Came From: Ronald and Steven Ruden

Havening was developed by Dr Ronald Ruden and his twin brother Dr Steven Ruden.

According to the official site, Ronald Ruden holds a PhD in organic chemistry from Northwestern University and an MD from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. He has been in private practice in internal medicine in New York since 1983 (havening.org leadership). He is the author of The Craving Brain (1997) and When the Past Is Always Present: Emotional Traumatization, Causes, and Cures (Routledge, 2011), which sets out the theory behind Havening.

Steven Ruden is a dentist (DDS, New York University), a certified hypnotherapist and an ICF-accredited coach. He became the method’s main educator and co-developer (havening.org leadership).

The first published description we found is a short 2010 article in Dentistry Today, “Treating the phobic and anxious dental patient: introduction to havening therapy” (Ruden & Ruden, 2010). Ruden places Havening in a wider family of “psychosensory” therapies, alongside touch-based methods such as EFT tapping, Thought Field Therapy and acupuncture (Jarrett, 2013). His aim was to explain why touch might calm emotional memories, and to build a method around that explanation.

▶ Dr. Ron Ruden introduction to Havening Techniques® first 3minutes – Havening Techniques official channel (YouTube, 3 min). Ronald Ruden introduces the ideas behind the method in his own words.

Later, clinical psychologist Dr Kate Truitt became a prominent trainer and is described as a co-developer. She is also the author of Healing in Your Hands, a book of self-havening exercises (Moved to Meditate podcast).

The Amygdala Depotentiation Theory

When it was launched in the UK in 2013, the method was promoted as the Havening (Amygdala Depotentiation) Technique (Jarrett, 2013). The name sums up its core theory.

Here is the theory in plain English, as Ruden sets it out in a 2019 paper (Ruden, 2019):

1. Trauma is “encoded” in the amygdala. When something overwhelming happens and you feel you can’t escape, the memory is stored with a strong emotional charge. This happens in a part of the brain called the lateral amygdala.
2. That charge is held by receptors. Ruden proposes that the emotional “lock” depends on certain receptors (called AMPA receptors) on nerve cells in the amygdala.
3. Recalling the memory makes it changeable. When you bring the memory to mind, the theory says, it briefly becomes unstable and can be updated.
4. Soothing touch removes the charge. Havening Touch is meant to trigger a chain of brain chemistry that pulls those receptors away. This “depotentiates”, or weakens, the emotional link, so the memory no longer sets off the same alarm. The official FAQ goes further, claiming that “sometimes even the ability to recall the memory can be extinguished” (havening.org FAQs). That claim has not been tested.

There is real science behind some of the pieces. Memories can become more changeable just after recall, and touch does affect emotional processing (Jarrett, 2013). But the full chain, from a stroke on the arm to receptors being removed in the human amygdala, has not been demonstrated. Ruden’s own paper presents it as a model, and critics say there is no established way to “erase” the emotional charge of a memory like this (Jeram Patel et al., 2026).

The Delta-Wave Claim

The official site states that Havening Touch “generates a delta wave in the brain” (havening.org). Delta waves are slow brain rhythms (about 0.5–4 cycles per second) most associated with deep sleep.

In the research literature, the claim is more cautious. Ruden’s 2019 paper says the touch is “speculated” to produce delta waves, which would then set off the chemical chain described above (Ruden, 2019).

When researchers actually measured brain activity, the picture was not so tidy. A 2022 EEG study of 24 adults found changes in faster brain rhythms (more beta and less gamma activity) after Havening Touch (Sumich et al., 2022). A 2025 re-analysis of similar EEG data found reduced connectivity in the left temporal region after touch (Sumich et al., 2025). These are interesting early findings, but they don’t confirm the delta-wave mechanism.

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How Havening Works in Practice

A typical practitioner session, as described by the developers and trainers, looks like this:

1. Consent and assessment. You talk about what you want help with. The practitioner asks for permission to touch, or agrees that you will apply the touch yourself (havening.org FAQs).
2. Activation. You bring the memory, feeling or worry to mind and rate how distressing it feels on a 0–10 scale. This is often called a SUDs rating (Subjective Units of Distress).
3. Havening Touch plus distraction. You let the image go while the touch begins. The practitioner gives you simple mental tasks: counting, humming, naming things, picturing walking up a staircase, or moving your eyes from side to side.
4. Re-rating. You check in on the memory and give a new number.
5. Repeat. Rounds continue until the distress is low, often 0–2. The session may end with positive words or images to build calm.

Notably, you don’t have to describe the memory in detail. Practitioners can work “content-free”, which some people find easier than talking therapies (developers’ and trainers’ claim; Moore, 2013).

Havening Touch: Arms, Palms and Face

The official site describes Havening Touch as “a simple touch of the hands, upper arms and face” (havening.org). In practice, as demonstrated in the official and trainer videos listed in this guide, there are three movements:

• Arm havening: stroking slowly down the outside of the upper arms, from the shoulders to the elbows. When self-havening, you cross your arms so each hand rests on the opposite shoulder, like a hug.
• Palm havening: rubbing the palms together slowly, as if washing your hands.
• Face havening: stroking the face gently with the fingertips, for example from the forehead and around the eyes down to the cheeks and jaw.

The touch is slow, light and rhythmic, a soothing stroke rather than a massage or tapping. If touch from another person feels uncomfortable, you can apply it to yourself while the practitioner guides you (havening.org).

Why Distraction Matters

Distraction is the part of Havening that people often overlook. The developers argue that the mind cannot hold two things in working memory at once. Keeping it busy with neutral tasks stops you from replaying the memory and keeps the amygdala from re-triggering (Jarrett, 2013, quoting the Havening website).

Common distractions include:

• counting steps as you picture walking up or down a staircase
• humming a simple tune such as “Happy Birthday”
• naming items in a category, for example countries, fruits or football teams
• moving your eyes left and right, or round in a circle, while keeping your head still
• imagining a calm scene, such as walking along a beach

Some of these overlap with other methods. The eye movements, for example, look a little like EMDR, and the humming is borrowed from tapping protocols.

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The Main Havening Techniques

Havening is a family of techniques rather than one routine. A 2025 paper written by Havening trainers lists five foundational techniques (Crowther et al., 2025). Four of them appear in most training materials.

Event Havening

Event Havening is the core technique. You recall a specific distressing event, rate it and then receive Havening Touch while distraction tasks are used (Crowther et al., 2025). The process repeats until the memory feels neutral, or as close to it as possible. This is the version shown in most demonstrations, including Paul McKenna’s.

Transpirational Havening

Transpirational Havening works with emotions rather than a single memory. You name a difficult feeling, such as anger, guilt, shame or abandonment, and repeat it while the touch is applied. You continue until the emotion fades or shifts into a different one. Then you move to the next, until the emotions have “transpired” (Crowther et al., 2025).

This can stir up strong emotion. The journalist James Moore described a sudden surge of rage during a session with Paul McKenna (Moore, 2013). Trainers also describe a gentler version, Talk Transpirational Havening, where you talk freely while the touch continues. It is said to be less likely to cause emotional flooding (Crowther et al., 2025).

Outcome Havening

Outcome Havening asks you to imagine a different ending to a painful event while the touch is applied. For a childhood memory, the practitioner might ask, “Can an adult come and help you?” It can also be used to rehearse a future situation, such as a hospital appointment you are dreading (Crowther et al., 2025). In this way it overlaps with imagery rescripting, a technique used in some evidence-based therapies.

Affirmational Havening

Affirmational Havening uses positive words, feelings or images instead of distressing ones. Trainers normally use it once distress has dropped to about 3 or below. You choose your own words, such as “calm”, “light”, “peaceful” or “hopeful”, and repeat them during the touch (Crowther et al., 2025). It is also the version most often recommended for daily self-care.

Other variants. Trainers also describe Role Havening, where the practitioner plays a person from your past so you can say what you never could. Others include Metaphorical Havening, Mantra Havening and Colour Havening (Crowther et al., 2025). None of these variants has been tested on its own in a published study.

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How to Self-Haven: A Step-by-Step Script

Self-Havening is the version you do on yourself. The official site recommends it for self-care and stress management, but warns: “Please do not use the Havening Technique with yourself for a serious trauma or if you suffer from any psychological disorders” (havening.org).

Use this script for everyday stress, worry or a mildly upsetting memory only. For anything heavier, see a qualified professional.

Time: 5–10 minutes · Difficulty: Beginner

The steps below follow the pattern shown in public demonstrations, such as Paul McKenna’s and Dr Kate Truitt’s videos. They are a general-wellbeing practice, not a clinical protocol.

▶ Paul McKenna Official | Master the Havening Technique – Paul McKenna (YouTube, 3 min). McKenna demonstrates a short self-havening sequence.

1. Choose something small. Pick a mild worry, frustration or memory, something you’d rate at about 3–6 out of 10. Don’t start with your worst experience.
2. Rate it. Bring it to mind for a few seconds. Notice where you feel it in your body and give it a number from 0 (no distress) to 10 (the worst imaginable).
3. Let it go and start the touch. Clear your mind. Cross your arms, place your palms on top of your shoulders, and stroke slowly and gently down to your elbows. Lift your hands, return to your shoulders and repeat. Keep the stroke soft and steady, about one stroke every second or two.
4. Add a distraction. While stroking, close your eyes and imagine walking up a staircase. Count each step out loud, or silently, from 1 to 20. With each step, imagine feeling a little calmer.
5. Hum and move your eyes. Keep stroking and hum two rounds of a simple tune. Then, keeping your head still, look slowly left and right a few times.
6. Switch to palms and face (optional). Rub your palms together slowly, as if washing your hands. Then stroke your fingertips gently from your forehead down over your cheeks to your chin.
7. Rate it again. Bring the original issue back to mind and give it a new number. If it has dropped but not gone, repeat steps 3–6 up to two more times.
8. Finish with an affirmation. Once the number is low, keep stroking your arms while saying a calming word or phrase, such as “calm”, “safe” or “I can handle this”, for a minute or so.
9. Ground yourself. Open your eyes, look around the room, take a slow breath and notice your feet on the floor.

Stop if your distress rises sharply, you feel faint or “spaced out”, or difficult memories start surfacing that you didn’t expect. The official FAQ notes that unexpected material can come up during or after self-use (havening.org FAQs).

▶ 5 Minute Self-Havening Practice to Release Stress with Dr. Kate Truitt – Dr Kate Truitt, clinical psychologist (YouTube, 5 min). A gentle follow-along self-havening practice for everyday stress.

Tip (our suggestion): treat self-havening like other self-soothing skills, such as slow breathing. It is a short way to settle your body when you feel stressed, not a way to dig into old trauma alone.

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What Is Havening Used For?

The developers and practitioners promote Havening for a wide range of problems. The official FAQs list phobias, distressing memories, panic, grief, anger, cravings, emotional eating, chronic pain and post-traumatic stress, among others (havening.org FAQs).

The table below separates what has been studied from what is claimed.

Stress

This is the most reasonable everyday use. Slow, soothing self-touch, a calm word and a few minutes of focused distraction are unlikely to cause harm, and many people find them relaxing. Treat it as one tool among others, alongside exercise, sleep, breathing techniques and talking to people you trust.

Anxiety

Self-havening may help you settle in an anxious moment. If you have an anxiety disorder, such as generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder or social anxiety, the best-evidenced treatments are talking therapies such as CBT. In England you can refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies.

Phobias

Phobias were one of the first uses the Rudens wrote about (Ruden & Ruden, 2010), and they feature often in demonstrations. But we found no controlled trial of Havening for phobias. Exposure-based therapy remains the established treatment.

Trauma and Distressing Memories

This is where the strongest claims are made and where the stakes are highest. The developers themselves say serious trauma should be treated by a professional mental health clinician who is certified in Havening, not by self-use (havening.org). See Safety below.

Cravings and Habits

Practitioners use Havening for food cravings, smoking urges and emotional eating, often alongside other methods. There is no published research on this yet.

Sleep

Some trainers share self-havening routines for bedtime. A slow, rhythmic, calming practice before bed may help you unwind. But “Havening improves sleep” is a claim, not a research finding.

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What Does the Evidence Say?

In short: the evidence base is small and early. As of October 2026, we found fewer than ten peer-reviewed research papers on Havening. Most:

• involve small samples (roughly 20–125 people)
• are not randomised or have no control group
• measure effects only over hours to a few months
• include the developers, trainers or high-profile promoters as authors

The one randomised controlled trial in a medical setting found no benefit.

The Studies at a Glance

What the Research Can and Can’t Tell Us

What it suggests:

• People who choose to try Havening often report feeling less distressed afterwards, at least in the short term.
• In one small comparison, the touch component seemed to add to the effect of recall plus distraction (Sumich et al., 2022).
• Some physical stress markers (cortisol, blood pressure) were lower the day after a session in a non-randomised study (Hodgson et al., 2021).

What it can’t tell us yet:

• Whether Havening works better than a credible alternative. No study has compared it against an established therapy such as trauma-focused CBT or EMDR.
• Whether it helps people with diagnosed PTSD, anxiety disorders or phobias. Most participants were self-selected volunteers, not clinical patients.
• How long any benefit lasts. Follow-up has been two months at most.
• Why it works, if it does. Expectation, relaxation, a warm relationship, distraction and simple exposure to the memory could all explain short-term relief.
• Whether results hold up independently. Almost every study has involved someone linked to the method.

In a 2026 critique, a group of New Zealand clinicians and researchers pointed out that the two papers described as trials come from one dataset. They called for pre-registered randomised trials with active control groups, run independently of the developers (Jeram Patel et al., 2026). We think that is a fair test, and until it happens Havening should be seen as promising but unproven.

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Havening vs EFT vs EMDR

Havening is often compared with EFT tapping and EMDR. All three ask you to bring a difficult memory to mind while something else happens in your body or senses. The evidence behind them is very different, though.

The official Havening site claims its method is quicker and less distressing than tapping methods or EMDR (havening.org FAQs). That is the developers’ claim. No head-to-head study has tested it.

Read our full guides to EFT tapping and Thought Field Therapy for more on tapping.

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Paul McKenna and Havening in the UK

Most people in the UK first heard of Havening through Paul McKenna, the hypnotist and self-help author. McKenna did not invent Havening. He has been its best-known advocate and helped bring it to a UK audience.

By his own account, McKenna became a convert after the technique was used on him following a painful break-up. Ronald Ruden then spent hours taking him through the science (Moore, 2013). In May 2013 he fronted a two-day London training event for healthcare professionals alongside Ruden. Its press release claimed Havening could “cure people quicker” than NLP and talking therapies, and quoted McKenna saying, “I can now do in minutes what used to take months” (Jarrett, 2013).

That same month, The Independent journalist James Moore, who had been seriously injured when a tanker ran him over while he was cycling, tried a session with McKenna. He reported that some traumatic memories eased and that he was sleeping better. His neuropathic pain barely changed, and he concluded “the jury is out” (Moore, 2013).

McKenna was also a co-author of the first outcome study, the 2015 single-session study with King’s College London researchers (Thandi et al., 2015). He has demonstrated Havening on television, including Channel 5’s Jeremy Vine, and in several videos on his official YouTube channel.

▶ Paul McKenna demonstrates “havening” technique for anxiety – Jeremy Vine, Channel 5 (YouTube, 2 min). A short live TV demonstration of self-havening for anxiety.

Like the NLP methods McKenna learned from Richard Bandler, his Havening work is fast-paced and practical. For more on his wider approach, see Paul McKenna: master of hypnosis and behavioural change.

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Finding a Certified Havening Practitioner

The official way to find a practitioner is the Havening Directory on havening.org. It lists certified practitioners and trainers by country. You can also browse current accredited trainings.

When choosing a practitioner, we suggest you:

• Check their core profession first. Havening certification is a private credential. It is not a regulated qualification and doesn’t make someone a therapist. For trauma, anxiety disorders or depression, look for someone who is also registered with a recognised body. Examples are the HCPC (practitioner psychologists), BACP, UKCP or BABCP, or a regulated health professional.
• Confirm they are listed in the official directory. The developers say people lose the right to call themselves certified if they don’t renew their annual licence (havening.org).
• Ask how they handle strong emotions during a session, what happens if you feel worse, and whether they will refer you on if Havening isn’t right for you.
• Be wary of guarantees, such as “cured in one session” or a stated success rate.
• Agree on touch. You can ask to self-apply the touch at any point (havening.org FAQs).

▶ Havening Demonstration – Stephen Travers, Certified Havening Techniques® Training – Stephen Travers, Havening trainer, Dublin (YouTube, 11 min). A full practitioner demonstration showing activation, touch, distraction and re-rating.

Costs, Training and Certification

Session prices are set by individual practitioners and vary widely. We couldn’t verify typical UK fees, so ask for a clear price, the session length and the cancellation terms before you book.

Becoming a practitioner, according to the official site (havening.org), involves:

1. Attending an accredited training with an approved Havening trainer, in person or online. The site’s training calendar lists UK-based trainers, such as Jenna Nye (London, online), and trainers nearby, such as Stephen Travers (Dublin, online). Course prices are set by each trainer (havening.org trainings).
2. Passing an online Science Review based on the training primer and videos.
3. Ethics: US practitioners take an online ethics course ($149). Those outside the US sign the Havening ethics and conduct policy.
4. Applying, with a $99 application fee.
5. Submitting 20 case studies and 3 recorded sessions with two different people.
6. Paying for certification: the site lists the certification cost as $750, paid via your trainer.
7. Renewing yearly: a $99 annual licence fee lets you use the name and logo.

Trainees are expected to complete certification within a year, or they may be asked to retake the course. For context, the 2013 London event fronted by Paul McKenna cost £599 plus VAT (Jarrett, 2013). Current course prices differ by trainer.

The site also lists trainers as a separate role from practitioners. Trainers deliver the accredited courses.

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Criticisms and Limitations

Havening has attracted serious criticism from psychologists and doctors. The main points are:

• The evidence is thin and developer-led. In 2013, psychologist and science writer Christian Jarrett searched for trials and found none. He noted that the claims were “too good to be true” and dressed in “gratuitous, embarrassingly simplistic neuroscience references” (Jarrett, 2013). Some studies have appeared since, but as shown above they are small and mostly linked to the method’s developers or promoters.
• One dataset, presented twice. The 2026 NZMJ critique notes that both “trial” papers come from the same non-randomised study with self-referred volunteers. It also had a waiting-list control and no blinding, all of which tend to inflate effects (Jeram Patel et al., 2026).
• The neuroscience is speculative. Tying a complex experience like trauma to one brain region, and claiming touch can selectively “delink” emotion from memory there, goes well beyond the evidence (Jeram Patel et al., 2026). Measured EEG changes haven’t matched the delta-wave story neatly (Sumich et al., 2022).
• Non-specific factors could explain the results. Expectation, a warm and attentive practitioner, relaxation and brief exposure to the memory all help people feel better in many therapies. Without active control groups, we can’t tell what Havening adds.
• Commercial red flags. Critics point to trademarks, paid certification, annual licence fees and celebrity promotion as features often seen in therapies that outrun their evidence (Jeram Patel et al., 2026).
• Opportunity cost. The biggest risk may be indirect. Someone with PTSD who relies on Havening could delay a treatment with strong evidence behind it (Jarrett, 2013).

In fairness: supporters argue that Havening is gentle and quick, that it doesn’t require people to retell their trauma, and that it gives people a self-soothing tool they can use at home (Youngson, 2025). These are reasonable reasons to want better research. They are not yet evidence that Havening works as claimed.

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Safety and When to Seek Support

Self-havening for everyday stress is generally low-risk, but keep these points in mind:

• Havening is not a substitute for therapy for PTSD. If you have PTSD, flashbacks, nightmares, or trauma that affects your daily life, speak to your GP or refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies (England). NICE recommends trauma-focused CBT and EMDR for PTSD (NICE NG116).
• Don’t self-haven for serious trauma. The developers say so too (havening.org).
• Strong reactions can happen. The official FAQ mentions intense emotional release (abreaction) during sessions, light-headedness afterwards, and new memories surfacing. More rarely, symptoms get worse or people feel emotionally numb (havening.org FAQs).
• Dissociation, psychosis, severe depression or self-harm: don’t use memory-focused techniques without your mental health team’s advice.
• Pregnancy: trainers advise against the more intense emotional techniques during pregnancy (Crowther et al., 2025). Talk to your midwife or GP about any concerns.
• Touch and consent: you can always say no to being touched, or ask to apply the touch yourself.

If you need help now (UK):

• NHS 111: call 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk for urgent mental health advice. In England, you can choose the mental health option.
• Samaritans: call 116 123, free, any time, day or night (samaritans.org).
• Shout: text SHOUT to 85258 for free, confidential text support (giveusashout.org).
• In an emergency, or if you feel you might act on thoughts of harming yourself, call 999 or go to A&E. See the NHS guide to where to get urgent help for mental health.

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Watch, Listen and Follow

Our pick of videos, podcasts and accounts from the official Havening organisation, its developers, Paul McKenna and established trainers. We checked every link when writing this guide (October 2026). Most of these creators promote Havening, so keep the evidence section in mind.

Videos

• Dr. Ron Ruden introduction to Havening Techniques® – Havening Techniques (official channel). The co-creator’s short introduction.
• An Interview with the Creator of Havening Technique, Dr Ronald Ruden – Michele Paradise. Ruden on the origins and theory of Havening.
• Paul McKenna Official | The Havening Technique – Paul McKenna. His longest Havening walkthrough (12 min).
• Paul McKenna Official | Master the Havening Technique – Paul McKenna. A short self-havening guide.
• Paul McKenna demonstrates “havening” technique for anxiety – Jeremy Vine, Channel 5.
• 5 Minute Self-Havening Practice to Release Stress – Dr Kate Truitt. Follow-along practice.
• Self Havening Guided Practice for Enhancing Calm and Wellness – Dr Kate Truitt. An affirmational-style routine.
• Havening Techniques® for Treating Trauma, PTSD and Anxiety – PESI. A clinician-focused webinar.
• Havening Demonstration – Stephen Travers, Havening trainer. A full practitioner session.
• A daily, self healing practice using Havening Techniques® – Dr Robin Youngson, author of the 2025 NZMJ article.

Podcasts

• Ep48 – Havening Techniques: Healing in Your Hands with Dr Steve Ruden – Hilary Russo, Havening trainer (video podcast). A long-form conversation with the co-developer.
• Episode 41: Dr. Steve Ruden on Havening Techniques – Choose Love Movement podcast (2021).
• Havening Techniques: Mindful Touch to Change Your Brain – Moved to Meditate, with Dr Kate Truitt. Covers self-havening, distraction and the amygdala, with free handouts.

Accounts to Follow

• Havening Techniques® (official) – the Center for Havening Research and Training: website · YouTube · Instagram
• Paul McKenna – hypnotist and the UK’s best-known Havening advocate: YouTube · Instagram · website
• Dr Kate Truitt – clinical psychologist, Havening trainer and author of Healing in Your Hands: YouTube · Instagram · TikTok
• Stephen Travers – Havening trainer based in Dublin: YouTube

We don’t receive anything for these recommendations. Where a creator makes claims beyond the research in this guide, the evidence sections above still apply.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Havening

What is Havening in simple terms?

Havening is a technique in which you bring a distressing memory or feeling to mind while slow, soothing touch is applied to your upper arms, palms and face, and you do simple distraction tasks such as counting or humming. It was developed by Dr Ronald Ruden and Dr Steven Ruden to reduce emotional distress.

Does Havening actually work?

Nobody can say for sure yet. Small studies report less distress, anxiety and stress after a session, but most had no proper control group and involved people linked to the method. A small randomised trial in surgery patients found no benefit. Havening is best described as promising but unproven.

Who invented Havening?

Havening was developed by Dr Ronald Ruden, a New York physician with a PhD in organic chemistry, and his twin brother Dr Steven Ruden, a dentist and coach. Paul McKenna did not invent it, but he popularised it in the UK from around 2013.

Is Havening the same as EFT tapping?

No. Both are touch-based “psychosensory” methods, but EFT uses tapping on acupressure points while you repeat set phrases. Havening uses slow stroking of the arms, palms and face, combined with distraction tasks. EFT has a larger, though still debated, research base.

Can I do Havening on myself?

Yes. Self-havening involves crossing your arms and stroking slowly from your shoulders to your elbows while counting or humming. The developers recommend it for everyday stress and self-care, but they say it should not be used alone for serious trauma or psychological disorders.

Is Havening safe?

For everyday stress it is generally low-risk. The official FAQ notes possible strong emotional release, light-headedness and new memories surfacing. More rarely, symptoms worsen. If you have PTSD, dissociation or severe mental health problems, work with a qualified clinician.

Can Havening help with PTSD?

There is no good-quality evidence that Havening treats PTSD. It has not been tested against established PTSD treatments. NICE recommends trauma-focused CBT and EMDR for PTSD, and Havening should not replace them.

Does Havening erase memories?

There is no evidence that it does. The main aim is to reduce a memory’s emotional charge, although the official FAQ claims that sometimes even the ability to recall the memory can be extinguished. That claim, and the delta-wave and amygdala mechanism behind it, have not been demonstrated.

Is Havening a form of hypnosis?

No. The developers state that Havening is not hypnosis. You stay awake and aware throughout. Some practitioners are also hypnotherapists, and sessions can feel deeply relaxing.

How long does a Havening session take?

It varies. The main studies tested a single session, and practitioners often market Havening as working in one or a few sessions. Ask your practitioner how long sessions last and how many they usually recommend, and be wary of guarantees.

How do I find a certified Havening practitioner in the UK?

Use the official Havening Directory on havening.org, which lists certified practitioners by country. For mental health problems, also check that the practitioner is registered with a recognised body, such as the HCPC, BACP, UKCP or BABCP.

Is Havening available on the NHS?

We found no NHS or NICE guidance that recommends Havening, and it isn’t a standard NHS treatment. For anxiety, depression or PTSD, ask your GP about NHS talking therapies, or refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies in England.

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Key Takeaways

• Havening pairs soothing touch with distraction while you recall a distressing memory or feeling. The touch goes on the upper arms, palms and face.
• It was created by Drs Ronald and Steven Ruden. Paul McKenna popularised it in the UK but didn’t invent it.
• The main techniques are Event, Transpirational, Outcome and Affirmational Havening.
• The evidence is small and early. Studies report short-term reductions in distress, but most are uncontrolled or non-randomised and linked to the developers. One randomised trial found no benefit.
• The amygdala and delta-wave theory is unproven. Treat it as a hypothesis.
• Self-havening is a gentle self-soothing tool for everyday stress. It isn’t a treatment for PTSD or serious mental health problems.
• For trauma, choose evidence-based care first, such as trauma-focused CBT or EMDR. If you try Havening as well, see a qualified clinician who is also certified.

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• Browse all techniques

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Sources

1. Ruden, S. J., & Ruden, R. A. (2010). Treating the phobic and anxious dental patient: Introduction to havening therapy. Dentistry Today, 29(4), 128, 130–131. PMID 20408291. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20408291/
2. Thandi, G., Tom, D., Gould, M., McKenna, P., & Greenberg, N. (2015). Impact of a single-session of Havening. Health Science Journal, 9(5), 1–5. https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/impact-of-a-single-session-of-havening/
3. Cizmic, Z., Edusei, E., Anoushiravani, A. A., Zuckerman, J., Ruden, R., & Schwarzkopf, R. (2018). The effect of psychosensory therapy on short-term outcomes of total joint arthroplasty: A randomized controlled trial. Orthopedics, 41(6), e848–e853. https://doi.org/10.3928/01477447-20181010-04
4. Ruden, R. A. (2019). Harnessing electroceuticals to treat disorders arising from traumatic stress: Theoretical considerations using a psychosensory model. Explore, 15(3), 222–229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2018.05.005
5. Hodgson, K. L., Clayton, D. A., Carmi, M. A., Carmi, L. H., Ruden, R. A., Fraser, W. D., & Cameron, D. (2021). A psychophysiological examination of the mutability of Type D personality in a therapeutic trial. Journal of Psychophysiology, 35(2), 116–128. https://doi.org/10.1027/0269-8803/a000266
6. Hodgson, K., Carmi, L. H., Ruden, R. A., Carmi, M. A., & Cameron, D. (2023). Augmenting resilience to trauma: A parallel-group controlled trial of a psychosensory intervention [preprint, not peer-reviewed]. PsyArXiv. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/7jm2s
7. ClinicalTrials.gov. NCT03568591 (Cardiff Metropolitan University Havening study record). https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03568591
8. Sumich, A., Heym, N., Sarkar, M., Burgess, T., French, J., Hatch, L., & Hunter, K. (2022). The power of touch: The effects of havening touch on subjective distress, mood, brain function, and psychological health. Psychology & Neuroscience, 15(4), 332–346. https://doi.org/10.1037/pne0000288
9. Sumich, A., Doborjeh, Z., Heym, N., et al. (2025). Calming the mind: Spiking neural networks reveal how Havening Touch to reduce persistent distress attenuates left temporal electroencephalographic connectivity. In Neural Information Processing (ICONIP 2024), Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-6606-5_5
10. Crowther, S., Mellor, C., & Sun, K. (2025). Havening: A psycho-sensory therapy for enhancing emotional resilience and psycho-emotional wellbeing across the perinatal period. Frontiers in Global Women’s Health, 6, 1619273. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgwh.2025.1619273
11. Youngson, R. (2025). A novel theory of trauma offers new treatment possibilities. New Zealand Medical Journal, 138(1623), 95–104. https://doi.org/10.26635/6965.6955
12. Jeram Patel, G., Wake, K. L., Schimanski, I., Skirrow, P., & Every-Palmer, S. (2026). A novel theory of trauma offers new hype about Havening: Reply to Youngson. New Zealand Medical Journal, 139(1635), 111–113. https://doi.org/10.26635/6965.7519
13. Jarrett, C. (2013, 9 May). Can the new Havening technique really cure trauma and fear? Psychology Today (Brain Myths blog). https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/brain-myths/201305/can-the-new-havening-technique-really-cure-trauma-and-fear
14. Moore, J. (2013, 13 May). Paul McKenna: I can make you better. The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/paul-mckenna-i-can-make-you-better-8614417.html
15. Ruden, R. A. (2011). When the Past Is Always Present: Emotional Traumatization, Causes, and Cures. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203859971
16. Clond, M. (2016). Emotional Freedom Techniques for anxiety: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 204(5), 388–395. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0000000000000483
17. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2018). Post-traumatic stress disorder (NICE guideline NG116). https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng116
18. Center for Havening Research and Training. What is Havening? https://www.havening.org/what-is-havening
19. Center for Havening Research and Training. Havening Touch®. https://www.havening.org/havening-touch
20. Center for Havening Research and Training. FAQs. https://www.havening.org/faqs
21. Center for Havening Research and Training. Practitioner certification process. https://www.havening.org/becoming-a-practitioner
22. Center for Havening Research and Training. Leadership. https://www.havening.org/leadership
23. Center for Havening Research and Training. Havening Directory. https://www.havening.org/HaveningDirectory

Self Help Supermarket guides are for general information and are not a substitute for professional medical or psychological advice.