Hakomi is a gentle, body-centred form of psychotherapy developed by Ron Kurtz in the 1970s. Through kind, curious, present-moment attention, it helps you discover the patterns and beliefs held in your body, so they can shift at the level where they first formed.
If you’ve landed here, you’re probably someone who’s done a bit of therapy before. Maybe you’ve talked through the same patterns more times than you can count and wondered why, despite understanding yourself quite well, things don’t actually shift. That gap between insight and change is exactly what Hakomi is designed to close.
What is Hakomi?
Hakomi is a body-centred form of psychotherapy developed by Ron Kurtz in the 1970s. It works on the principle that the body holds what the mind can’t always access. Our earliest experiences, our protective patterns and our deepest beliefs about ourselves and the world aren’t only stored in our thoughts. They’re stored in the way we breathe, the way we hold our shoulders, and the way we reach out or pull back in relationships.
Hakomi is guided by a small set of principles, including mindfulness, non-violence, and trust in the organic wisdom of each person. In practice, this means we never force or push. We create the conditions for what’s ready to emerge.
What happens in a Hakomi session?
In a Hakomi session, we slow down. Rather than talking about what happened or why you feel a certain way, we get curious about what’s actually happening right now, in your body, in this moment. I might notice the way your breath catches when you mention a certain person, or the way your hands quietly close into fists when you’re describing something that hurt. Instead of moving past it, we stay with it. We get interested in it.
Working in mindfulness
In Hakomi, this is called working in mindfulness: a quality of kind, curious attention that you bring to your own inner experience while I track alongside you.
Small experiments
From there, we might try a small experiment. I might offer a phrase, something like “your needs matter” or “it’s safe to be here”, and we simply notice what happens in your body when those words land. Sometimes there’s a softening. Sometimes there’s resistance. Sometimes an image or memory arrives unbidden. All of it is information. All of it belongs.
How is Hakomi different from talk therapy?
What makes Hakomi different from most talk therapies is that it works directly with the nervous system, rather than only through conversation. You don’t need to explain yourself into change. The body already knows what needs to happen. It just needs the right conditions to show you. (You can read more in Talk Therapy vs Somatic Therapy: What’s the Difference?)
Who is Hakomi therapy for?
Hakomi can be particularly helpful if you:
- Feel anxious in your body or relationships without knowing why
- Sense there’s something underneath the surface that talking hasn’t quite reached
- Have experienced early relational wounds or trauma
- Feel stuck in patterns you can clearly see but can’t seem to change
Many people who come to Hakomi recognise themselves in our piece on anxious attachment, where understanding a pattern hasn’t been enough to shift it.
Hakomi somatic therapy in Australia
I offer Hakomi-informed somatic psychotherapy online across Australia, and in person between Byron Bay and Mullumbimby in the Northern Rivers. Hakomi works beautifully online, because it’s based on noticing your own inner experience, and many people find it easier to settle in their own space.
Common questions about Hakomi
Is Hakomi the same as Somatic Experiencing?
They’re related but different. Both work with the body, but Somatic Experiencing, developed by Peter Levine, focuses mainly on the nervous system’s responses to threat. Hakomi uses mindful, present-moment exploration and gentle experiments to uncover the core beliefs and patterns that shape how we live and relate.
Do I need to have done therapy before?
Not at all. Many people come to Hakomi after years of talk therapy, but it’s just as suitable if this is your first time. You don’t need any experience of meditation or body awareness. I’ll guide you gently.
Can Hakomi be done online?
Yes. Because Hakomi is based on your own present-moment awareness, it translates well to online sessions, and some clients find it easier to feel safe in their own home.
Do I have to talk about my trauma?
No. In Hakomi, we follow what’s present in your body rather than retelling difficult stories in detail. You’re welcome to share as much or as little as you like about your past and you’re always in charge of the pace.
If any of this resonates, I’d love to talk. You can book a free 20-minute discovery call to see whether this work feels like a fit, or read more about how I work.