What is the Hakomi Method? The Five Principles That Guide This Somatic Approach
Seldom will you find a method of psychotherapy that knows itself better than the Hakomi Method. Hakomi is a philosophy and a system of therapy that supports the entirety of a person: mind, body, and spirit. Five principles guide the practice of Hakomi, and these include:
- Unity
- Organicity
- Mind-Body Holism
- Mindfulness
- Nonviolence
Let’s talk about them!
Unity
The unity principle, grounded in Eastern philosophies and systems theory, points to a foundational belief that the mind and body are not separate, but are part of a living system: you. And you are part of an ever-expanding larger whole, intimately influenced by the broader socio-cultural and environmental conditions that shape your experience. A shift in one area has the potential to ripple through the whole system.
In therapy, the unity principle matters because without it, therapy risks becoming a piecemeal, hodgepodge set of techniques aimed at separately addressing parts of a system that should be understood in relationship and contextualized to broader internal and socio-cultural realities.
Organicity
Building off unity, the organicity principle describes the idea that when all parts within a system begin to communicate, you will naturally self-correct, reorganize, and self-direct. Healing comes from your own creative intelligence rather than the agenda or techniques of therapy. It is your system that does the work–not the therapist or the technique, but the collaboration of your system in moving toward wholeness. The organicity principle trusts fully that your system has the capacity to heal and move in a fulfilling and life-affirming direction.
Mind-Body Holism
Similar to the unity principle, mind-body holism abandons dualistic thinking and instead embraces a systemic perspective in which the mind and body are considered one; they cannot be separated. However, many therapies focus almost exclusively on the cognitive mind at the regrettable exclusion of the body. In contrast, Hakomi’s systemic lens recognizes that the body is a direct pathway to unconscious material and a vital resource for healing. It is believed that when something shifts in one area (e.g., a release of muscle tension), it influences the entire system, with the potential to influence your body, thoughts, feelings, and the meaning you give an experience.
Mindfulness
At the crux of the Hakomi Method is mindfulness, a state of non-judgmental, inward attention on present-moment experience. Using mindfulness, we become curious about our habitual ways of perceiving and reacting. Through mindfully observing our moment-to-moment experience, we come face-to-face with sensations, thoughts, feelings, images, attitudes, beliefs, and memories that are rooted in core beliefs about ourselves and the world. Once our limiting core beliefs are noticed within the safety of a warm and trusting relationship, they can be changed.
Nonviolence
Lastly, the nonviolence principle reflects a way of being in relationship where the therapist does not push, prod, or control your process. Defences, while sometimes limiting, are ultimately protective. Forcing them aside only creates feelings of unsafety, and if you do not feel safe, healing cannot take place. In Hakomi, we move slowly, with curiosity and compassion, allowing your defences to soften and unfold at their own pace.
More Than Techniques: A Way of Being
Like five streams feeding into one river, the principles of the Hakomi Method converge into a way of being that is grounded in loving presence and complete trust. If you are curious about exploring Hakomi, I welcome you to contact me or find a practitioner in your local area.
References
Weiss, H., Johanson, G., & Monda, L. (2016). Hakomi mindfulness-centered somatic psychotherapy: A comprehensive guide to theory and practice. W. W. Norton & Company.
