Hopi Language Origin

How is the Hakomi Institute responding to concerns that the name Hakomi was culturally appropriated?

At the Hakomi Institute, we hear these concerns and are committed to exploring them with cultural humility. Given the strong emotions and unhealed trauma that discussions around diversity, equity and inclusion can stir, we also feel it’s important to address these concerns in ways that honor Hakomi’s core principles and practices of loving presence, mindfulness and nonviolence.

Some members of our worldwide community believe that the Hakomi name was received in a sacred transmission that was given to us rather than appropriated from others. Others in our community feel that the Hakomi name has been culturally appropriated from the Hopi people and want us to rename our work.

To begin this exploration, the Hakomi Institute’s board of directors has agreed to take the following initial actions:

Appoint a board advisory committee to inform any actions we take

Require education in cultural appropriation for our board of directors and other faculty and staff who will be involved in making decisions around this issue, and

Dialogue with the Hopi Tribal Council and/or Hopi social justice workers to explore their perspective on our use of the word hakomi, including any potential impact it might have on the Hopi people.

We’re sure that more steps will arise organically from these initial actions and will keep the community informed of our progress.

A gift - a wonderful experience that will shape the rest of my life.

—Kate Mazuy, M.A., L.P.C., Colorado

Learning the Hakomi Method has been one of the most personally and professionally enriching experiences of my career. I've gained tools to help my clients rapidly access and transform their pain and struggle, and found it profoundly effective across a wide range of individuals with a variety of long-term and challenging clinical and life problems. I can't recommend this training highly enough.

—Jeffrey Rutstein, Psy.D., Clinical Psychologist, New Jersey

The biggest attraction was seeing the change in people who had done the Hakomi training before me - they were more centred, more confident, more themselves. This was what I wanted for myself, too.

—S.T., Psychotherapist, Australia

I learned so much, thoroughly enjoyed the people and the process, and found the instructors awesome in the breadth and depth of their experience and knowledge.

—Pat Waterman, L.C.S.W., Vermont

There's no question that the Hakomi training is the best psychotherapy training I've ever done. The Hakomi trainers, without exception, embody and constantly demonstrate the Hakomi principle of loving presence towards all the students they train which powerfully facilitates the students' learning of the method.

—J.K., Psychotherapist, Australia

Excellent - rich and satisfying. It has expanded me as a person and as a therapist. The trainers were exceptional - all were superlative. The training enables you to deepen self-awareness, become more present, and learn to work with inner and outer challenges with ease, compassion and honesty - and then help others to do the same.

—Debra Babarsky, M.A., L.P.C., Virginia

Its experiential approach has been very nourishing, and as someone who has spent many years studying, it has been wonderful to engage in a learning process that did not involve the usual academic processes. I could relax into the learning, and learn without great effort or strain. I now have a deep appreciation for the wisdom inherent in such experiential teaching.

—K.V., Psychologist, Australia