Essentials of Hakomi: Body-Centered Psychotherapy

Hey All,

I just finished reading about a really interesting technique called Hakomi for my Moving and Sensing class. Created by Kekuni Minton, "this body-inclusive psychotherapy interweaves Western therapeutic influences with Taoist/Buddhist principles such as mindfulness, awareness, and nonviolence." (Kurtz and Minton, p. 45). The process begins with uncovering people's "models," or how they view themselves or the world they are apart of. Once that is recognized, they seek to "balance any imbalances in the model and allow discovery of new insights from within. An example is a woman who was so intimidated by the phrase "You are safe here," that she began to hide her face and hunch her shoulders. The trainer aided the woman in bending her shoulders even more forward, and after a while, the woman opened up and let that experience go. By allowing ourselves to experience the present moment, we become susceptible to all kinds of emotional releases. This aids in helping us realize more and more about who we are on the inside and how we view the rest of the world. This kind of development, no matter how slow or fast, is always dealt with supportively and from a place of understanding and trust. Once the client feels safe and understood, the loving presence the Hakomi practitioner provides will allow mindfulness to be awakened. This opening up of self is what really drew me to this type of therapy. It really creates a new spiritual practice for the individual through self-study. The end result is an individual who is at home with themselves, their place in the world, in a very peaceful way.