Hakomi Schools and Careers Guide
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What is Hakomi Therapy?| | Hakomi Therapy is an experiential psychotherapy that combines the mindfulness and non-violence of Eastern spiritual traditions, within a unique, highly-effective Western methodology. Drawing from a wide range of sources, Hakomi has evolved into a complex, elegant and effective form of psychotherapy. At its most basic level, Hakomi Therapy is the therapeutic expression of a specific set of principles that are in sync with every aspect of the work: |
- Unity
- Mind, body and spirit holism
- Uniqueness of the individual
- Mindfulness
- Nonviolence
- Truth and change
Hakomi Therapy is a creative modality in work with individuals, couples, families, groups, movement and bodywork. Hakomi has been used in crisis work because of the personal growth and awareness associated with the therapy to help committed people move beyond their limits. Hakomi has also been effectively applied to a wide variety of everyday activities, including athletics, theater, parenting and business. Since Hakomi attends to the very nature of being human, it is easily adapted to support whatever tasks and adventures people pursue.
Hakomi Schools & Hakomi Therapy Training
Level 1: Personhood Level
The Hakomi Therapy Personhood level involves four essential practices:
- The Practice of Loving Presence: Participants learn how to create and sustain compassionate states of mind through specific, concrete step by step procedures. Once compassion is stabilized, the therapy focuses on interacting as compassionate givers and receivers, in pairs and small groups. Through these processes, participants develop self-awareness, understanding and forgiveness. For therapists, this practice greatly reduces burn-out while creating the context for powerful, deep work with clients.
- Quieting the Mind: Participants learn to sustain a calm, sensitive, present-centered state of mind. Mindfulness is learned and practiced. The basic idea is to become calm and to stay calm, while being present for others as well as for oneself. This sensitive, calm presence is the necessary state of mind for effectively using the Hakomi Method.
- Non-Verbal Awareness: In this component, participants learn to consciously and quickly read and understand nonverbal messages conveyed by facial expressions, bodily postures and gestures, tone of voice and pacing. All of these carry messages of great importance that may not be conveyed in any other way. Those sending the messages may not even be aware that they are doing so. Some of the primary "people skills" that enhance any professional or personal relationship are based on this kind of communication.
- Emotional Nourishment: In this component of the Hakomi Method, therapists work with patients to discover blocks in accepting emotional nourishment and finding gentle acceptable ways in which people can change their minds and become available for such things as kindness, love, praise and help from others.
In the Hakomi Experiential Method Practice Level, participants who have completed the Personhood Series learn more about the techniques and skills of the Hakomi Method. Students will explore the many ways people express themselves, verbally and nonverbally, in order to help each other understand and transcend old limiting beliefs and habitual behaviors. Students are able to use the practice level to help them learn compassion and authenticity, making it easier to be more compassionate and connected with each other, and in turn, with life.
Hakomi is called a method of self-study because the Hakomi therapist is helping the client to study themself. This attitude of curiosity is so important to Hakomi Therapy work that Hakomi therapists are trained to model a non-judgmental, open-minded curiosity and to operate out of this attitude when working with clients.
Learn how Hakomi Therapy is similar to Bioenergetic Therapy and the Feldenkrais Method.
Source:
The Hakomi Institute, 2007
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