The Hakomi Method Explained: 5 Principles

I’ve been involved in a long-term, committed relationship with the Hakomi Method, both as a client and as a professional immersing myself in learning the method that brought profound transformation to myself and many, many others.

Hakomi is both a philosophy and a system of therapy, designed to support the whole person, including mind, body, and spirit. It offers both structure and deep respect for the client’s experience.

If you’re curious about the Hakomi Method, this post is for you. Let’s talk about the five principles that guide this powerful therapeutic model.

Unity

The first principle, unity, is twofold.

First, it represents a larger-scale unity of all living beings. Engaging with the unity principle “imbues the therapist with compassion and invites their vision to embrace the vast web of connections that create the client’s world” (Kurtz, 1990).

Second, the unity principle also acknowledges that, as per systems theory, all elements of a system are inherently interconnected. The method rejects mind-body dualism and instead embraces the interconnectedness between mind and body as a complex, unified system.

Mindfulness

The second principle, mindfulness, describes the awareness that both client and therapist bring into the relationship.

In practice, this means following the client’s unfolding experience, moment-by-moment, without trying influence what happens next. The emphasis is on staying deeply present with the client’s inner system organically unfolding.

Mindfulness is the heart of Hakomi. It’s through mindfulness that your beliefs, habits, worldviews, and defences come into full awareness. From there, change happens.

Non-Violence

The third principle of Hakomi, non-violence, means that your Hakomi-informed therapist does not control or predict your process. It also means that the therapist deeply honours your freedom to choose which direction to go. Your psychological defenses are honoured as protective boundaries, and explored with curiosity, gentleness, and above all, consent. You will not be pushed or prodded to transform before your system is ready.

Organicity

The organicity principle emphasizes trust in your natural healing process. It also implies that when all parts of your system communicate effectively, you will have an innate, natural tendency to self-correct and grow.

Think of a seed that has all of the potential to become a flower, but it needs the right conditions. The Hakomi Method as a system of psychotherapy can provide some of these conditions.

Mind-Body Integration

Lastly, the Hakomi Method recognizes that both the mind and body reflect internalized beliefs about oneself and the world. As such, from this perspective, working with belief systems requires curiosity around cognitively-held beliefs in the mind, and how beliefs manifest in the body (e.g., through sensation, impulses, gestures, or posture). This creates an opportunity for holistic healing.

Bonus: Loving Presence.

While not part of the original five principles, loving presence is so foundational to the Hakomi Method that it is important to include here. 

The therapist embodies a “state of appreciation for the inspiring qualities within each human being” (Hakomi Institute, n.d.). It entrusts the therapist with an ability to see beauty in suffering and finding a sense of release and ease within suffering. This presence from the therapist helps clients feel seen, heard, supported, and understood, which creates the conditions for psychological growth and transformation.

The Case for Hakomi

In my opinion, the Hakomi Method is a fantastic approach to psychotherapy. I’ve known many people who psychologically transformed from learning about themselves using the Hakomi Method. The way it honours mind and body, inherently trusts the clients’ inner knowing, and allows change to happen naturally, makes it stand out as a unique, truly client-centered approach to therapy.

If you’re keen to learn more about Hakomi, keep following the blog for more insights and practical guidance from this transformative approach.

References

Hakomi Institute. (n.d.). The Hakomi principles. Hakomi Institute. https://hakomiinstitute.com/about/hakomi-principles/

Kurtz, R. (1990). Body‑centered psychotherapy: The Hakomi Method: The integrated use of mindfulness, nonviolence, and the body. LifeRhythm