Hakomi is a Mindfulness-Centered, Somatic Psychotherapy that studies the relationship between the mind and the body. When working with you, not only will I pay attention to what you are saying but also to the story your body is telling. Hakomi is grounded in the five principles of Mindfulness, Non-violence, Unity, Organicity and Mind-body Integration.  Mindfulness implies the open and non-judgmental observance of the self. In studying our personal organization around a particular problem, we use mindfulness to discover the underlying emotional and historical aspects. Non-violence assures that not only will the client be kept safe as they process deep material, but that any self-violence will be attended to and transformed. Unity speaks to the understanding that all living beings are essential to one another and all parts of the self or self experiences are important and included. Organicity allows for the emergence of the organic self. Safety, pacing and mindfulness give room for the real self to move, speak and express its deepest needs. Mind-Body Integration ensures that the body is as essential as the mind in the transformation of traumatic and emotional wounding.

Hakomi is a therapy that helps client change ‘core material’ that has been influenced by developmental themes that are often held unconsciously. Core material is composed of memories, images, beliefs, neural patterns and deeply held emotional dispositions. It shapes the styles, habits, behaviours, perceptions and attitudes that define us as individuals. Typically, it exerts its influence unconsciously, by organizing our responses to the major themes of life that may include: safety, belonging, support, power, freedom, control, responsibility, love, appreciation, sexuality, spirituality, etc. Some of this material supports our being who we wish to be, while some of it was learned in response to acute and chronic stress or trauma and continues to limit us. Hakomi allows the client to distinguish between the two, and to willingly change material that restricts his or her wholeness.

On a personal level, there are many reasons why I am passionate about Hakomi. At the core, Hakomi is about deep heart connection. I felt I needed a heart to heart connection with my clients, not where I am the distant expert, but a human to human connection. The training has helped me go ‘deeper’ with my clients so we can discover together how to help organize experiences differently than previously held. Hakomi has also helped me as a human to be more open hearted and connected. What keeps me engaged is that Hakomi is an open system, which means it keeps integrating and expanding. The methodology responds to ongoing human change, human growth processes and how the brain changes through experience, attachment and trauma. It is also a model that has been around for many years.