1. The “Glue”: Potentiation

When you experience a high-stress or traumatic event, your brain releases a flood of glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter.

In a moment of “traumatization,” this glutamate helps lock specific receptors (called AMPA receptors) onto the surface of the neurons in your amygdala.

• The Analogy: Think of these AMPA receptors like “antenna.”

• The Result: Because of that glutamate-driven surge, these antennas are now permanently stuck on the outside of the cell. This is called Potentiation. From then on, any small trigger (a smell, a sound, a thought) hits those antennas, and the amygdala fires off a full-blown “fight or flight” response as if the trauma is happening now.

2. The Dissolving Agent: Delta Waves

The Havening Touch (on the arms, palms, and face) is unique because it generates low-frequency Delta waves (0.5-4 Hz) in the brain.

Normally, you only see these waves during deep, restorative sleep. When you produce them while awake during Havening, they act as a chemical signal to the amygdala. These waves trigger the release of an enzyme called calcineurin.

The “Dissolving” Process

1. The Signal: The Delta waves tell the brain, “We are safe.”

2. The Enzyme: Calcineurin acts like a chemical solvent. It targets the phosphate bonds (the “glue”) holding those AMPA receptors (the antennas) in place.

3. The Removal: Once the glue is dissolved, the receptors are pulled back inside the cell (a process called Internalization).

This is Depotentiation. The memory is still there, but the “antennas” that used to catch stress signals are gone. The emotional “charge” has been biologically deleted.

3. Why the Distraction?

You’ll notice that in the script I gave you, we used distraction (counting, visualizing a garden). This isn’t just to keep the person busy; it serves a vital neurological purpose:

• Preventing Re-consolidation: If you just sit and stare at the trauma, you might accidentally “re-potentiate” it or stay in a state of high panic.

• Working Memory Displacement: By forcing the brain to count backwards or describe a scene, you occupy the Working Memory.

• The “Switch”: While the conscious mind is busy counting stairs, the Havening Touch is working on the “back-end” of the brain (the amygdala) to pull those receptors down. It allows the depotentiation to happen without the conscious mind interfering with a “fear loop.”

Summary Table: The Biological Shift