Hakomi Professional Training
Training programs in New Zealand
In NZ/Aoteaoroa, trainings are under the Hakomi Institute Pacifica team which also oversees trainings in Australia. So far there have been five trainings in NZ/Aoteaoroa, four in Sydney/Melbourne, and two in Perth.
Trainings in New Zealand are conducted in partnership with Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) in Hawkes Bay. On satisfactory completion of the training, students are awarded a Diploma in Integrated Psychology (Hakomi).
The Pacifica Team members are Halko Weiss (Hawaii and Germany), Maya Shaw Gale (Santa Barbara), Julie Murphy and Manuela Mischke-Reeds, (San Francisco), Jules Morgaine and Suhari Mommsen-Bohm (NZ/Aoteaoroa), John Perrin (Australia), and administrator Lorella Ricci (Australia).
Training in Hakomi aims to assist students learn the knowledge and skills of the psychotherapy method, and develop their abilities to embody the principles in the work. Because of the vitally important influence of the therapeutic encounter, and the beingness of the therapist, the container of the training aims to provide a space for students to explore and develop their own personhood. Carefully selected experiential learning exercises and guidance and support from the training staff facilitate this process. A team of recent graduates, tutors, are there to assist.
It is recognised that students enter the training with differing strengths and capabilities, and also have their own learning styles and pace of learning, so as far as possible teaching, the provision of exercises, and ongoing assessment is designed to accommodate this.The training container needs to have a certain degree of safety and support to allow for the education, in the deepest sense of the word, of the psychotherapist to occur.
At times the experience of becoming a therapist is intense and emotionally challenging as the student confronts his or her edges to growth. During training exercises students 'lend' their processes to other students for the practice and learning of skills.
Ongoing individual psychotherapy is highly recommended to assist students in their own development and exploration of core material that will be accessed. There are opportunities for students to experience Hakomi therapy during the training modules from a Hakomi trained therapists who live locally.
Training Structure
The programme is a one-year equivalent programme run in nine blocks of nine days each over a period of three years. Each of the nine training blocks covers one module of the programme, student participation in each module being full time. There are self-directed learning assignments between blocks, and students are expected to set up study groups where geographical location permits. Training in Hakomi provides students with a specialised psychotherapy approach. Theoretical concepts as well as the skills of Hakomi are taught, practised and supervised. The methods and techniques used are congruent with the underlying principles of unity, organicity, mind-body holism, mindfulness and non-violence.
The Diploma is not a general psychotherapy training. Those who intend to go to practise as psychotherapists need to have also completed other trainings and have undergone supervised practical experience with clients. Certification as a Hakomi Therapist is granted by the Hakomi Institute. Graduates of the Diploma in Integrative Psychology can apply for certification which is given for demonstrated competence in Hakomi psychotherapy. At the completion of the programme the student is expected to have achieved the following:
Biculturalism in the Training
The structure and delivery of the training has been positively impacted and enriched by a bicultural approach. The welcoming of students and the first three days of the training take place on a marae. Each day begins and ends with waiata and karakia. One of the nine day segments is held residentially at the marae, as are the completion ceremonies. Maori approaches to health and well-being are included for comparison and integration.
Training Staff
The current training staff are chosen from the Pacifica Team of the Hakomi Institute, and are either Trainers or Teachers. In each segment, there are at least two training staff. On some segments, apprentice teachers contribute. They are assisted by a team of tutor/assistants.Trainers and teachers are there to share knowledge and information, through talks, discussions, provision of readings, written exercises, and handouts, and the showing of videos. They also facilitate personal and skill development by leading experiential exercises, supervising, setting practice tasks, and demonstrating the method. They are responsible to ensure the container of the training is maintained so there is an optimal environment for exploration, discovery and learning.
Role of Tutor/Assistants
Tutors are selected from graduates of previous trainings for their particular competence in the method, ability to be an inspiration and support in the student group, and a support to the staff team, as well as having personal qualities that will enrich the training. Tutors bring differing strengths to the role, and the training is enriched because of their participation.
Tutors give their time and energy in service of the training. They pay their own expenses to attend. In return, tutors have the opportunity to do the training again from a different perspective, to stay in touch with the work and the training context, and to use the opportunity to move towards certification. In NZ, Tutors are assigned a ‘kaitiaki’ role to individual students to mentor them during the training.Usually there is a minimum of four tutors in each segment of the training.
Workbooks
Students complete workbooks between the modules. These include several sections:
Supervision
Students are divided into supervision groups, and have 3 hours of group supervision twice each segment. Trainers or teachers supervise the students doing practice sessions with each other. Video taping is used where appropriate. Tutors are present during supervision to assist and offer feedback at the discretion of the supervising trainer or teacher.
In the Advanced phase, (segments eight and nine), students will do complete sessions with clients who volunteer for this. These sessions are all videoed in a specialist clinic facility, with the option of using a fellow student as a ‘technical’ person. The student writes a video-analysis of the sessions. These are supervised in varying group sessions during the segment.
The Container of the Training
Safety is important to allow personal exploration and learning of the method. A safe and respectful environment is encouraged at many levels for the training.
Therapy
It is recommended that students have personal therapy sessions as required. They need to meet the cost of these. Local Hakomi therapists are available for students on the training. The personal content of therapy sessions is confidential, and will not be shared with the teaching team.
Ethical Standards
Students are expected to comply with the NZAP Code of Ethics in their work with clients. When students are working with clients in an ongoing way, using Hakomi, clients must give informed signed consent for the practice and the use of the video. Supervision needs to be in place.
Minimum Requirements
Students need to meet the criteria for each module to demonstrate competence. Students who demonstrate competence are deemed to have passed. To receive the Diploma students must have:
Students who satisfactorily complete all modules will be awarded the EIT Diploma in Integrative Psychology (Hakomi). Graduates may apply for certification by the Hakomi Institute which gives a licence recognised internationally by the Hakomi Institute to practise as a Hakomi therapist.
Assessment
Assessment is highly individualised, recognising that students learn at different rates. There is opportunity for students to revisit aspects of their learning not accomplished in one segment in the following segments.Students are encouraged to monitor their own progress and assessment is a cooperative process between training staff, tutors and student. The aim is to encourage and support each student’s learning, and assessment is necessary to ensure this happens in an organic manner, and that appropriate support can be given.The progress of each student is monitored through the following ways: