"Louise Carmi is an expert in helping people with Havening and a highly-experienced healthcare professional. She is able to help people overcome trauma, PTSD, and reduce pain amongst many other things. I frequently recommend people to Louise".
Paul McKenna Ph.D
Extreme Dental Phobia
Over a number of years, I developed increasing anxiety regarding going to the dentist. I began to feel that I could not lie back in the dentist's chair without feeling that my throat would close and I couldn't breathe. It had got to the point where even the thought of going to a dental appointment gave me sleepless nights.
My fear, on occasion, caused me to leave the dentist in the middle of a treatment. I was beginning to think that I would have to be fully anaesthetised, an extremely expensive and risky method, and I booked in for this. I did not need it!
After only two sessions with Louise, gentle, calming, conversation and using Havening techniques, I could face the dentist again and had the invasive treatment. My breathing also seems easier.
I had been sceptical at first, but with Louise's help, and a sympathetic dentist, it worked. I can now go to the dentist without any problems. My dentist is amazed at the changes and is referring patients to Louise!
I can only thank Louise and highly recommend her techniques. I would not have got through this without her help. VS North London (age 50+) 2020
Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Depression
Havening Works... and is long lasting! – A Review 3 years on:
I had two sessions of havening with Louise Carmi three years ago, having been recommended by my cousin concerned for my mental and physical state. I had suffered anxiety and panic attacks for over a decade following a friend’s spinal paralysis after an accident and having been very involved in support and hospital visits. There were years of non-specific back and neck pain and rashes that would be investigated but no medical explanations found.
To compound things my daughter, aged 6, was rushed into surgery for a brain tumour and I had to face the 3 surgeries and the following years of scans and worry. When the protective numbness went away the familiar anxiety, panic attacks and depression returned also with more physical symptoms, several bouts of shingles and a year of abdominal pain. Panic attacks came every now and then, one so bad I was sent by GP to A&E as it sounded like a stroke. At the point that I came to see Louise I had been so depressed, I was just wishing the days away, on auto pilot commuting to work with a feeling that life held nothing for me.
In the sessions Louise gently helped me visit the traumatic memories that had affected me so badly that they gave me physical symptoms and she did so at my own pace and with utmost care. After the second session I was able to view one particular memory, the one that I considered the worst, with no feeling. Afterwards I felt that I was able to let go of all of it, the weight of the memories and associated dreadful feelings of fear.
So, three years later free of anxiety and depression. Happy and positive about life. It’s amazing how havening can dispel such terrible feelings and memories in such a simple and calm way. I cannot recommend Louise and the havening technique highly enough. SD Hertforshire (aged 40+) 2020
Sexual Abuse, Bullying, Co-dependency issues
Louise has a truly magical way about her, and such an incredible ability to heal. I had done a lot of talk therapy to try and resolve old traumas and childhood issues, but never really shifted it. But with Louise's Havening Techniques it was remarkable how quickly and easily things were let go and released. Louise allowed me to access uncomfortable feelings and memories of things like sexual abuse, bullying and co-dependency issues with such safety, before fully soothing and acknowledging them, and then melting them away.
The sessions were totally transformative, taking me from a place of anxiety and fear to one of joy and happiness, all so quickly. It was nothing short of miraculous, and all done with such care and love that I felt safe enough to go to places I had resisted in the past. Louise is a total one-off, and by drawing on years of experience she was able to choose the perfect tools from her armoury each time to tailor it to exactly what I needed. I can't recommend her highly enough! EA London ( age 30+) 2020
Childhood Trauma / Major Industrial Accident as an adult
Since I last saw you my problem with not completing the training in my early life, has reduced to a minimum. Also and more importantly I am sleeping 6/8/9 hours every night, it has made a huge difference to my daily life not feeling exhausted on a daily basis is a bit like being reborn, having the energy to get on with my life. Thank you for introducing me to the Havening therapy. AD Midlands (age 60+ years) 2018
Anxiety I came to see Louise because I had some issues with anxiety which were very frightening, and I wanted to move on from that. She was very warm and welcoming which made me feel at ease. We worked together for 3 sessions over many hours and she gave me a technique which I could take home and use whenever I needed to. The anxiety has gone and I now use Havening whenever I need to clear something, or just to feel better. It is a fantastic tool and Louise is a very warm and caring practitioner. I would highly recommend her. LG Central London (age 30+ years) 2018
Metropolitan Police Officer – PTSD, Terrorist Attacks/ Grenfell Fire Flashbacks
I am a serving police officer in London, and I have spent years of being exposed to terrible sights and challenging experiences as part of the job.
A few years ago I got injured restraining a violent man in Accident & Emergency who was attacking nursing staff. This was an incident that unknown to me I would carry and replay in my mind hundreds of times over for the next few years. I ignored this as there is a stigma in the force about receiving help.
Fast forward to 2017… I had a week where I went to a terrorist incident and the Grenfell Tower fire. I was on scene very early in both incidents and witnessed some horrendous sights. I had to face my own mortality several times that week. Immediately after these events I felt fine and even laughed off something that had nearly happened to me.
A few months later everything seemed to crash around me. I was completely stressed and could not focus well on important family decisions. I started to break down in tears, and thought I was having a nervous breakdown. I had always considered myself (and my colleagues considered me) to be mentally very strong and not unduly affected by the job. However at this time, I managed to just about hold it together in the workplace.
Around the same time I watched the London Fire Brigade documentary about Grenfell Tower. This acted as a massive trigger, and I started to have flashbacks, remembering more of what I’d seen and heard. It was as if I’d stored it all in a box in my mind and watching the documentary made this box spring open. I felt helpless. Eventually I accessed a mental health service line through my partners work and was diagnosed as having PTSD.
It was a relief to talk to the experienced trauma therapist on the phone and she referred me to Louise Carmi as a specialist working with trauma, and mentioned a new therapy called Havening Techniques. I called Louise and she gave me an appointment for that evening. I was surprised as I had been told that it would be more than 6 weeks to wait for NHS treatment.
I went to see Louise with an open mind. I was in such a state that I burst into tears when she first met me and I could barely string a sentence together. During the session she told me that she thought within about four sessions of seeing her I’d get sorted out. I was unsure on this but kept an open mind. Within two or three sessions I was already beginning to see a marked difference. My brain stopped working at one hundred miles an hour and my humour and personality started to return. My improved feelings increased over the two months that I saw Louise and I had my last appointment this week - 5 sessions in all. Throughout my treatment Louise said that I could e-mail, phone or text her at any time and this also aided my recovery.
I found that I was not ashamed to be receiving help. Louise helped me realise that I had stopped living my life for me and that my job had taken over. I got back to enjoying some of the hobbies that I used to do in my spare time and enjoy the time with my family. I also was able to do some of the exercises she set me in between sessions. I now feel back to my old self but also better than that I enjoy my life again and enjoy the smaller things that I had taken for granted and ignored.
Why have I written this testimonial? Well if there is at least one more person out there (and I know full well there are a lot in the emergency services) who is reading this and feels as hopeless as I did and needs help please make contact with Louise Carmi. Don’t delay by ignoring it or thinking that it will go away.
And to Louise all I can say is thank you. Two very small words for helping me so much! Met Police Officer (aged 30+) 2018
Met Police taking time off for stress related illnesses (Newspaper Headline)
I was working as a Detective in a very busy CID, when I became one of the many officers that this Newspapers headlines refer to. I crashed and burned due to the work load at that time, and was signed off by my GP with depression. After 5 months off work and receiving 6 excellent counselling sessions from 'the job' and great support from my GP I was preparing to return to work. This thought really scared me as I was frightened of returning to work and becoming ill again and concerned that I may need to take medication. A colleague suggested I contact Louise as she had been helpful.
After one session with Louise I feel much more positive and the Teflon coating I used to have has returned. I can't explain how well I feel. I have more confidence, I am not shying away from going places, and enjoying socialising. I just get on with everyday stresses without worry. She has done an amazing job and she genuinely wants to help. I am enjoying working again. Louise has given me strategies to use to enable me to stay well in the future. Making that first contact with Louise was one the best things I have done for my mental health.
Thank you so much Louise. Met Police Officer (aged 30+) 2018
Overwhelming Panic Response to Family Illness
Shortly after the birth of our second child I awoke at 5am to my partner having a prolonged tonic-clonic seizure. The experience affected me such that in the ensuing months as we struggled to cope with more seizures on top of everything that goes with having a second child I became a nervous wreck. The slightest delay in her speech or hearing a bump when she was upstairs would instantly make me feel physically sick. My normal rational thought process was being hijacked and it was affecting how I dealt with life in general (work, kids, etc.).
A friend had recently seen Louise and he recommend I try a session. Louise very deftly moved from our initial introductions into the havening session proper and before I knew it I was right back at the moment of the first seizure, something I hadn’t been able to think about since it occurred nine months earlier.
In what seemed like no time at all (but was I think at least an hour) I was able to think about and talk about the seizure without any hesitation.
As I write this it has been over a month and I have had no further physical reactions to anything. I feel normal again. I still don’t get the science of it but my partner and I (and the kids no doubt) are very glad to have the old me back. Thank you Louise. CG Surrey September 2017
Chronic Pain
I went to see Louise for Havening, primarily to help with c pain, and it soon became apparent that I would not only benefit in this area , but would gain so much more from the sessions. My Rheumatologist diagnosed Psoriatic Arthritis which began about 10 years ago. Within only 3 sessions of Havening I found I suddenly had tools to help with managing the pain, which led to me halving my pain medication and sometimes being pain and medication free.
The Havening created a wonderful sense of relaxation and calm. Additionally it made a significant difference to stress and anxiety levels, helping with confidence and crucially allowing me to move forward many areas of my life. I would like to say Thank you so much to Louise for the Havening treatments, help, support and advice. I am very grateful for how this has helped me so far and I'm sure it will continue to do so in the future, thank you. MF (Surrey) August 2015
Emetophobia (causing absence from university)
I'm not scared of being sick anymore! Well, I haven't felt sick since we met, but I'm not bringing it upon myself anymore, which was the main thing! I've also not been feeling so anxious, which is another positive! In our session I remember you saying that 'they were just thoughts', which really stuck, as my thoughts are just thoughts and are not reality, so the negative ones I might as well ignore. I have also been doing some of the self-havening, since it seems to relax me almost instantaneously. We have had a problem with mice on my floor the past week as well, and a few of the girls who had mice in their room were scared to go back in (which is understandable). I showed them the self-havening leaflet and we all did it together, which was very funny but it was also very beneficial, and we were all laughing about how weird it actually was! Thank you again! LA (Wales) February 2015
Stress and Confidence
I went to see Louise Carmi about a year ago when I was undergoing family changes which were extremely stressful. I found the sessions helpful in significantly reducing my stress and anxiety, which prior to our initial meeting were unbearable. They also increased my confidence, so that I was able to deal with the situations that arose and the constant fear of threat. Her work enabled me to realise that we have a choice about the life we lead and gave me the opportunity to say 'no' when negative thoughts and actions attempt to dominate day to day life. I am so thankful for the support she gave me. I am certain that my circumstances would have spiralled out of control had Louise not taught me how to regain my inner strength, voice and empowerment. SH (London) February 2014
Grief and Distress
I first met Louise 21 years ago when my baby died of cot death syndrome and had a lot of support from her. In the past 2 years I have faced difficult personal situations that have resulted in me re-living some of the previous traumatic events in my life. I asked Louise for help. I had one afternoon session of Havening and found it amazing that I could let go of the turmoil in my head. It helped me feel much more calm and able to cope. It is hard to explain how it works – it just does! J W (Hertfordshire) May 2014 Panic Attacks
I first saw Louise for NLP sessions in 2012. She helped me cope with a very stressful situation at home in which I was having panic attacks and I felt I couldn't cope any more!!
The treatment gave me strength and I was able to deal with my life. I've had a few follow up sessions using NLP and Havening in the past year and feel like a new person who sees life through a different perspective.
I have become very interested in Havening and NLP myself since being treated. It has changed my life . I have recently attended an NLP seminar with Paul McKenna and Richard Bandler. N.M. ( London) June 2014
Positive Transformations
Once again, thank you so much for helping me change life's course to a better, emotionally healthier and happier direction. Havening has made a huge impact on my life- from a lost girl with dreams but without the means to get there, hampered with self doubt, negativity and much lack of confidence, Havening has given me the tools to achieve a positive, happier state of being with total self belief, enabling new opportunities to be seized and acted upon. In such little time my life has changed dramatically. This is the most important and significant positive transformation of my life. Thank you again so very, very much. H.M (London) November 2014
Frog Phobia
I know this may sound strange. I had a severe frog phobia for about 50 years. This has affected me to such an extent that I was hypervigilant when going out into anywhere I may see a frog and especially in my huge garden. If was not only outside the house : if I was watching a TV programme and a stream or pond appeared, I had to immediately change channels or switch off, in fear of seeing a frog.
I had one session of Havening with Louise Carmi in November 2013 and I could not believe how something so simple could work so quickly. My fear of frogs has gone.
In May 2014 I moved to my dream house, which has a stream running through the garden. I saw a big fat frog in a nearby road this week, and I did not run away screaming ! Thank you Louise. SF (Somerset) July 2013