Hakomi: Tracking and Loving Presence

Tracking

Tracking is a skill involving following the flow of the client’s present time experiences and
“taking in information about the client on as many levels as possible” (Martin, 2015, p. 152). It
relates to the ways the therapist notices “the outward signs of the client’s internal, present-
moment experience and the way her experience seems to be organized by core beliefs and
habits” (p. 151). To do tracking effectively, what is most important is the therapist’s state of
mind (Martin, 2015).

Tracking involves constantly reading the signs like in “tracking an animal through the woods”
(Kurtz, 1990, p. 75). It’s a way to be with someone with curiosity and interest. “It is not about
the content of” a client’s story (p. 75). Tracking is about noticing indicators of what is happening
for a client in the present including signs “like moist eyes, all kinds of facial expressions, tone of
voice, gestures (small or large, but especially small), changes in posture, movements, even the
style of a movement or a voice” (p. 83).

Tracking is the way the therapist sets up experiments to observe “much more than the verbal
story being told” (Martin, 2015, p. 152). The therapist takes in information from things like
“tone of voice, pacing, gestures, posture, facial expressions” and more of the client’s inner
world (p. 152). The therapist learns to read these sometimes very subtle signs constantly during
therapy sessions.

The therapist has a duel task which involves both being mindful of a client’s inner experiences
and also being able to see that from a larger, more holistic perspective (Kurtz, 1990).

Loving Presence

One is able to observe and track another more adeptly after first mindfully noticing and tending
to their own automatic tendencies, state of mind “and habits of perception”, including
reactions (Martin, 2015, p. 152-153). Ron Kurtz created a practice called loving presence which
helps shift the therapist’s attitude in ways which cultivate “a state of mind most conducive to
working with others in a healing way” (p.152-153).

The 2nd step in loving presence is to create a spaciousness that clears away habitual attitudes
and projections which block clear perception. In this spaciousness, we are able to be more
receptive, intuitive and appreciative (Johanson, 2008).
Then we set the“intention to see something in the other that inspires us. We invite and search
for those qualities in the other that nourish us – qualities like courage, vulnerability, sensitivity,
gentleness, determination and intelligence” (Martin, 2015, p. 153).

Out of this, a client starts to realize, unconsciously initially, that it is safe to reveal herself. “She
feels invited, accepted and appreciated, and begins to express even more of herself” (p. 153).
As this happens, the therapist notices and feels inspired and nurtured. A reinforcement cycle
occurs which deepens the relationship and supports a context which allows for additional
insights and spontaneity to happen.

References

Johanson, G. J. (2008). Artistic Inspirations: False Colors. Annals of the American Psychotherapy
Association, 11(3), 28.

Kurtz, R. S. (1990). Body-centered psychotherapy: the Hakomi Method. Mendocino, CA:

Liferhythm Press.

Martin, D. (2015). The skills of tracking and contact. H. Weiss, G. Johanson & L. Monda (Eds.).
Hakomi mindfulness-centered somatic psychotherapy: a comprehensive guide to theory and
practice (pp. 151-160). New York: W.W. Norton & Company.