Hakomi
Mindfulness-based Somatic Psychotherapy
Image: Mark Stoop
What is somatic psychotherapy?
Somatic psychotherapy recognises that we are not just our thoughts, or the stories we tell. We are wonderfully complex beings - weaving between the mind and body.
To fully understand our patterns and experiences we need to
listen deeply to the whole experience of self.
A somatic psychotherapy session may begin with sharing a story and slowly we notice how this story is showing-up in the body. Or we may begin with a body sensations that has caught your attention and while we study it, new meaning and words emerge.
The best way to notice our full experience is in the present moment, which we call mindfulness.
Hakomi is a mindfulness-based style of somatic psychotherapy
which is at the core of all my work.
Hakomi can support connection with our authenticity, essential self and vitality, and allow our inner landscape to be a far kinder place to live.
With a core of Hakomi, we have the option to integrate Internal Family Systems (IFS), expressive-art practices and nature-based practices to deepen your sessions… Where there is interest, outdoor sessions are an option to include the wider body of the natural world into our enquiry.
I can draw on my background in more clinical roles, using Focused Psychological Strategies recognised by Medicare, allowing you to use a Mental Health Care Plan. Hakomi is also a deeply trauma-informed approach, well suited to people claiming under the Victims of Crime scheme.
The role of mindfulness
Mindfulness involves moving slowly, and observing what is arising moment by moment. This allows us to notice so much more of your experience than in every day awareness.
This deep listening creates a great intimacy with your own inner world, and tends to feel quite special.
It’s ok if mindfulness is new for you. My role as the therapist is to guide the process and support you growing your mindfulness capacity. You only need to bring a willingness to try.
Habitual patterns:
And moving towards more full and satisfying life
A common reason people come to therapy is to work on patterns that are no longer working for them. Most of us recognise that the way we show up in the world is shaped in-part by earlier experiences (childhood, adult relationships and society). Many patterns are very helpful and continue to serve us well in life. The patterns which bring us to psychotherapy are those that trip us up. They have us acting out of alignment with our values and hopes. They block us from seeing the reality in front of us.
We are often aware of some of these patterns and even have ‘doh’ moments “why have I done that again?”
Other patterns fly beneath the radar because they just feel ‘true.’ These can be particularly interesting.
Through the use of mindfulness, and attention to the body, Hakomi is powerful in helping you notice and understand patterns. We do this by noticing with compassion and the warm knowing that being human is a tricky business.
Hakomi has some beautiful, and often fun, practices. As we bring patterns to conscious awareness, we begin to have more choice. We can move towards our values and seeing the world, including ourself, more clearly.
We can return to greater fullness of life and vitality.
Mindfulness and courage
We often associate mindfulness with relaxation, which is certainly part of it. Mindfulness also takes courage - to be with some of what is real within us.
When we get to know ourselves mindfully we see both what we already know and accept, and also what feels unacceptable (shadow and wounding). It can take courage to sit-with, and observe shame, fear and pain.
Hakomi includes building resources, resilience, courage and humility so that we can maintain mindfulness in these landscapes. Compassion for ourselves and others is a central skill.
The benefit of learning to be with our whole experience is to feel more whole, to get less caught off guard (triggered) in daily life, to be able to live within our values and feel a deeper sense of connection with ourselves.
These skills for relating to ourselves are also invaluable for promoting healthier relationships with our loved ones, the broader community and natural world.
Resources
I enthusiastically recommend this stunning and expansive short book aimed for clients and therapists orientating themselves to the values and feel of Hakomi Grace Unfolding: Psychotherapy in the Spirit of Tao-Te Ching.
Check out the central website for Hakomi in Australia for upcoming workshops, training, resources and other practitioners and supervisors.
Further descriptions of this modality and its theoretical underpinnings from the Hakomi Institute.
An idea of some of some practices a Hakomi sessions might include.
My training in somatic psychotherapy training
My training in Hakomi includes completion of the three-year Professional Training program at the Australian Hakomi Institute; One-year Hakomi Embodied Awareness Relationship Training H.E.A.R.T; Level one of Trauma to Dharma with Manuela Mischke-Reeds; and Character Training with Jules Morgaine; Core training with The Right Use of Power Institute which articulates the ethical grounding of the Hakomi method; Plus attendance and assisting at multiple Hakomi workshops over the last 6 years.