Ron Kurtz
Two international organizations offer trainings in the Hakomi Method: the Hakomi Institute founded by Ron Kurtz and others in the 1980’s and the Hakomi Education Network also founded by Ron Kurtz and others in the late 1990’s. Both organizations are dedicated to sharing Hakomi throughout the world.
As Ron Kurtz wrote before his death in 2011:
“The original version [of Hakomi] that began with me continues to be the root of all versions. Using mindfulness and experiments is still essential to all versions. The differences now are in the content of the trainings and the style of teaching…"
The Roots of Hakomi
“During all the years since I began, I have never viewed Hakomi as something rigid and fixed. I have always and only been doing what inspired me, I have always and only been trying to express what delighted my mind and touched my heart… I grew my own method using that inspiration.”
The Hakomi Way: Consciousness & Healing, “A Little History” pp 8-9
According to Ron, “Hakomi is not simply a method that is being applied; it is a spirit being enacted. Over the years that spirit has inspired others. Some of my very first students are now teachers and trainers, mainly with the Hakomi Institute. They loved the work enough to make it their lifelong professions. I’m happy that they did. They have developed their own ways of doing it while I have continued to grow and learn and to evolve the work in my way, as they have in theirs. Since that time, we have all taken the original method in different directions.”
The Hakomi Education Network
Hakomi Education Network is dedicated to teaching Hakomi as Ron Kurtz’s legacy, embodying and sharing an open-hearted way of relating and supporting our human potential.
HEN trainings emphasize experiential learning and are characterized by demonstrations and experiential exercises. All HEN trainings focus on using Hakomi to support participants to cultivate the skills and qualities to become a healing presence in a variety of settings, including but not exclusively psychotherapy. We are creating “practitioners” who can bring this quality of healing presence to any relationship.
Hakomi Education Network features trainings throughout the world, including North and South America, Europe, Baltics, Russia, Middle East, Asia, both in-person and online. Each training team enjoys the flexibility to teach Hakomi and offer Hakomi events in formats and training styles that highlight the strengths of the trainers and meet the needs of the students.
In Ron’s words:
“A Hakomi practitioner must be more than just someone who knows a method. The practitioner must be someone whose very presence can be healing, a person who has all the qualities needed to support emotional healing in another. HEN trainings reflect and embody this emphasis. We emphasize presence, warmth and kindness more than maintaining a professional demeanor and we accept people into HEN trainings regardless of their academic background. They need only be motivated to wholeheartedly pursue the difficult work of understanding themselves and to help others to do the same.”